California DSA ARCH Campaign Builds a Base for the Future — California DSA
www.californiadsa.org
In the face of a $125 million campaign by the landlords and their politician allies, statewide ballot measure Proposition 33 received about 40% of the vote, with Proposition 5, the other ARCH campaign-supported initiative, garnering a slightly larger share of the vote. This disappointing result in

In the face of a $125 million campaign by the landlords and their politician allies, statewide ballot measure Proposition 33 received about 40% of the vote, with Proposition 5, the other ARCH campaign-supported initiative, garnering a slightly larger share of the vote.

This disappointing result in the third attempt since 2018 to strengthen local rent control in a state ballot reflected a negative environment for progressive issues, as initiatives raising the minimum wage and eliminating prison inmate slavery also failed.

Significant achievements

Yet, the California DSA campaign had some significant achievements, activating canvassing operations in San Diego, Long Beach and North Central Valley; coordinating with DSA-endorsed candidates in the East Bay, San Francisco and Los Angeles; and engaging DSA members and others through effective social media. CA DSA organized a state Digital Day of Action and sponsored a well-attended virtual kick-off event that brought 100 activists together to plot out local organizing. Taking advantage of national DSA resources, many chapters were able to conduct their own canvasses and phonebanks that raised the profile of DSA in those areas.