Gavin Newsom Hasn’t Committed to Giving California Migrants $150K for Home

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As immigration continues to be a hot issue in the 2024 elections, California is voting on a law this week that could open up $150,000 in down payment assistance to migrants.

Assembly Bill 1840 was proposed by Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula and would alter the eligibility requirements for the California Dream for All program.

Currently, the down payment assistance is limited to citizens in California, but the new law would allow undocumented immigrants to receive up to $150,000 in housing grants. The California Dream for All allows residents to earn 20 percent in down payment help from the state. It's a highly competitive program, with only 1.700 Californians previously receiving the grants out of 18,000 applicants.

California Governor Gavin Newsom looks on during the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 20 in Chicago, Illinois. Newsom has been quiet on whether he will support a... California Governor Gavin Newsom looks on during the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 20 in Chicago, Illinois. Newsom has been quiet on whether he will support a bill that would provide down payment assistance for homes to migrants. More Andrew Harnik/Getty Images While Governor Gavin Newsom hasn't indicated his support for the program, the new rules would permit undocumented immigrants to apply as long as they had a taxpayer ID number or Social Security number.

"This bill would specify that an applicant who meets all other requirements for a loan under the program and who is otherwise eligible under applicable federal and state law, shall not be disqualified solely based on the applicant's immigration status," the proposal says.

The bill has already drawn its fair share of criticism. While some feel the state shouldn't use taxpayer money to help non-U.S. citizens, Arambula said it would benefit all Californian residents who are struggling to achieve homeownership.

"AB 1840 is about providing an opportunity for homeownership, which we know allows families to secure financial security and stability," Arambula said about the bill earlier this year.

"The ability to do this strengthens local economies, and that benefits all people who call California home. The social and economic benefits of homeownership should be available to everyone. As such, the California Dream for All Program should be available to all. When undocumented individuals are excluded from such programs, they miss out on a crucial method of securing financial security and personal stability for themselves and their families."

Arambula said he wants to be "as inclusive as possible" within the program's policies so that everyone who is paying taxes in the state can qualify, Politico reported earlier this year.

"Without the intentional law that we are introducing, we felt that there were complexities and questions that many in the immigrant community would have," Arambula said.

Many Republicans, and some Democrats, have pushed back strongly against the measure.

"California's budget deficit continues to grow and Democratic lawmakers are so out of touch with everyday Californians that they are quite literally taking money away from law-abiding citizens, their own constituents, and handing it over as a free gift to people who broke federal law to cross the border illegally," state Senator Brian Jones said, as reported by the California Globe.

Assemblyman Joe Patterson added: "I just can't get behind using our limited dollars for people who are in this country undocumented."

Concerns continue about rewarding undocumented immigrants who broke the law with down payment assistance, but Newsom has stayed largely quiet on the matter.

"In an election year, it's difficult to know even if this narrowly passes the California's senate if the governor will want to sign this right away and have a swarm of media attention circle what the bill provides," Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek.

Newsom has supported Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election, and Harris has supported a Biden program that would give $2,500 in down payment assistance to first-time, first-generation homeowners, but undocumented immigrants would not be included.

If Newsom expresses support for the state bill, it would be in stark contrast to Harris' and former President Donald Trump's policies.

Newsweek reached out to Newsom for comment via email.

America has a complex view of the migrant crisis, with 80 percent saying that the U.S. is doing a bad job of handling the influx of immigrants, according to recent data from Pew Research Center.

In California, there are 10.4 million immigrants, comprising 23 percent of the foreign-born population nationwide, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

The institute also found that 69 percent of Californians think immigration is a good thing for the U.S., with four in 10 saying immigration should be kept at its current levels. The state has the largest numbers of undocumented immigrants nationwide, according to Pew Research.

At the same time, California boasts one of the most expensive housing markets, with the average home price set at $784,989, according to Zillow.

"Seeing an opportunity taken over by individuals that essentially cut in line does not seem fair for California residents that have been waiting years or decades to become homeowners in the state," nationwide title and escrow expert Alan Chang told Newsweek.

"While there are cautionary tales regarding shared appreciation, it is still a benefit that should be limited to those rightfully entitled to it, and not to those that have broken the law to take the benefit from others that have followed the law."

The California Dream for All program requires recipients to be first-time homebuyers, with at least one a first-generation homebuyer. There are income rules as well, with all participants needing to make from less than $100,000 through $300,000, depending on the county they live in.

"The issue here is many media outlets are going to grab onto this story and claim every illegal immigrant in California is getting $150,000 to buy a house," Beene said. "That's simply not true, even in the broadest reading of the bill."

Beene added that the home credit could have the opposite effect of what is intended.

"The idea is a generous one in theory, but if it causes already high prices to increase further, it's not worth it," Beene said.

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Gavin Newsom Hasn’t Committed to Giving California Migrants $150K for Home

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