Monterey Park, CA — Monterey Park Mayor Thomas Wong welcomed local AAPI leaders for a special luncheon and briefing today to discuss Proposition 5, a significant ballot initiative aimed at empowering communities to address the critical needs of affordable housing and public infrastructure.
“I am proud to join local and regional leaders, teachers, nurses, business leaders, and working families from across the state, as well as fellow councilmembers, elected officials, and nonprofit leaders to urge voters to vote yes on Proposition 5 this November,” said Monterey Park Mayor Thomas Wong. “We have a housing and homelessness crisis throughout the state of California that is only getting worse. There’s also an infrastructure crisis in many of our cities where critical investment and reinvestment in our local communities is needed. Here in Monterey Park we’ve been seeking state and federal funding to rebuild one of the oldest fire stations in the entire region, Station 63, which has been damaged by decades of earthquakes. Proposition 5 would empower local voters and cities with a much needed tool to help address these crises.”
Following Mayor Wong’s remarks, local elected officials and community leaders contributed to the discussion around how Prop 5 will strengthen their communities and ensure that voters will have a stronger voice in shaping the future of their neighborhoods:
- Stan Liu, Mayor, City of Diamond Bar
- Vinh Ngo, Mayor Pro Tem, Monterey Park
- Frank Yokoyama, Councilmember, City of Cerrritos
- Mike Eng, former State Assemblymember and Monterey Park Mayor
- Jury Candelario, Executive Director, APAIT
- Steve Kang, Director of External Affairs, Koreatown Youth & Community Center
“By lowering the approval threshold to 55%, Prop 5 will make it easier for us to fund affordable housing projects for low and middle income families, seniors, and first-time home buyers, which is crucial in maintaining the diversity and the vibrancy of our communities,” said Diamond Bar Mayor Stan Liu. “And by facilitating investments in housing and infrastructure, Prop 5 can stimulate our local economies, create jobs, and improve overall quality of life in our cities, supporting our vision of thriving, sustainable communities today and for future generations.”
“I’ll keep it simple as to why I’m in support of Proposition 5,” said Vinh Ngo, Mayor Pro Tem, Monterey Park. “One, new infrastructure. Two, more workforce affordable housing for our community. And three, spending accountability. Being an immigrant in a community predominantly made up of Asian ethnic groups, I will add that Prop 5 will help the immigrant community because it meets all of these needs.”
“California is facing urgent challenges of affordable housing, deteriorating infrastructure, and insufficient emergency services to protect our communities,” said Cerritos City Councilmember Frank Yokoyama. “These issues affect all of us and our cities, but current state laws restrict our ability to take action at the local level. Prop 5 changes that by empowering local voters and taxpayers to make local decisions tailored to the specific needs of our cities.”
“Having served in four capacities in the San Gabriel Valley, representing the cities in this particular area, I speak for many people here when I say that Proposition 5 is a lifeline,” said former State Assemblymember and former Monterey Park Mayor Mike Eng. A vote for Proposition 5 is really a vote for our future, a vote to make sure that we can pass the torch on to the next generation that will raise a family, and so that their hopes and their dreams can come true here.”
“I am in support of Proposition 5 because we serve about 350 individuals and families in the nine housing sites that we operate throughout Los Angeles County, and day in and day out, the issue that we see most among San Gabriel members and residents–particularly single mothers with families–is that they cannot afford to put food on the table, let alone pay rent,” said Jury Candelario, Executive Director, APAIT (Access to Prevention, Advocacy, Intervention, and Treatment). “The skyrocketing rent is outrageous. We need initiatives like Proposition 5 if we are to remove the threat of housing insecurity.”
“We need action now on policies to remove systemic barriers that prevent our ability to create more affordable housing all across the state of California,” said Steve Kang, Director of External Affairs, Koreatown Youth & Community Center. “As a provider of affordable housing, we have firsthand experience of the difficulties of fighting for limited resources to build more affordable housing. We strongly believe that Proposition 5 is a step in the right direction to provide local communities the power to invest and choose the path of affordable housing. We urge everyone to support Proposition 5.”
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Learn more about Prop 5: www.yesonprop5.org
