Words You Need to Know

by the Ballot Simplification Committee

100% Affordable Housing (Proposition E): A building would qualify as 100% Affordable Housing if all its housing units are dedicated to Extremely Low-, Low- and Middle-Income households and the average income for all the units is no higher than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Housing units must also be sold or rented for at least 20% less than the median market price for similar units in the same neighborhood.

Affordable housing for extremely low-income households (Propositions A and E): Housing units that households with extremely low-income would be able to afford. A household qualifies as extremely low-income if it earns up to 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

Affordable housing for low-income households (Propositions A and E): Housing units that households with low income would be able to afford. A household qualifies as low-income if it earns up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

Affordable housing for middle-income households (Proposition A): Housing units that households with middle income would be able to afford. A household qualifies as middle income if it earns between 80% and 175% of the Area Median Income (AMI), and for San Francisco Unified School District educators, if it earns between 80% and 200% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

Affordable housing for middle-income households (Proposition E): Housing units that middle income households would be able to afford. A household qualifies as middle income if it earns up to 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

Area Median Income (AMI): An income level based on all incomes earned within the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Metro Fair Market Rent Area that contains San Francisco. Half of all households have incomes above this level and half have incomes below it.

In 2019, the AMI for the following percentages and family sizes is as follows:

	1 Person	2 Person	3 Person	4 Person
30% of AMI	$25,850	$29,550	$33,250	$36,950
80% of AMI	$68,950	$78,800	$88,700	$98,500
100% of AMI	$86,200	$98,500	$110,850	$123,150
120% of AMI	$103,450	$118,200	$133,000	$147,800
175% of AMI	$150,850	$172,400	$194,000	$215,500
200% of AMI	$172,400	$197,000	$221,700	$246,300

 

Charter amendment (Proposition B): A change to The City’s Charter. The Charter is The City’s Constitution. The Charter can only be changed by a majority of the votes cast.

Citizens’ General Obligation Bond Oversight Committee (Proposition A): A nine-member body that monitors The City's use of funds generated by issuing general obligation bonds. Members of this committee are appointed by the Mayor, the Board of Supervisors, the Controller and the Civil Grand Jury.

Commercial ride-share (Proposition D): An on-demand form of transportation where a passenger requests a ride between specific locations in exchange for a fee. The request is typically made using an online platform.

Conditional use authorization (Proposition E): Authorization provided by the Planning Commission to allow a property’s use in a particular neighborhood when the use is not permitted without further City approval. Conditional use authorizations may be appealed to the Board of Supervisors.

Early voting: Voting in person at City Hall before Election Day or mailing a vote-by-mail ballot before Election Day.

Educator Housing (Proposition E): A building would qualify as Educator Housing if all its housing units are dedicated to households that include at least one employee of the San Francisco Unified School District or the San Francisco Community College District. At least four-fifths of the units must be dedicated to households with an income between 30% and 140% of Area Median Income (AMI), and the average income for households in all those units could be no higher than 100% of AMI. One-fifth of the units in the Educator Housing project could be dedicated to households with an income up to 160% of AMI.

Entity (Proposition F): An organization doing business in the City and County of San Francisco, including a sole proprietorship, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership or corporation.

General obligation bond (Proposition A): A promise issued by a government body to pay back money borrowed, plus interest, by a certain date. The government body repays the money, plus interest, with property taxes. General obligation bond measures must be approved by the voters in San Francisco.

Hardship waiver (Proposition A): Relief from payment of rent increase or pass-through by the San Francisco Rent Board on the grounds of financial hardship.

Initiative (Proposition C): A proposition placed on the ballot by voters. Any voter may place an initiative on the ballot by gathering the required number of signatures of registered voters on a petition.

Land-use approval (Proposition F): A request to a City elected official for an amendment to the City’s Planning Code or zoning maps or certain applications seeking a ruling by a City board or commission.

Limited Liability Company (Proposition F): A business organization formed by one or more persons under the laws of the state as a “limited liability company” and that may be taxed as a sole proprietorship, general partnership or corporation under California law.

Limited Liability Partnership (Proposition F): A business organization formed by two or more partners under the laws of the state as a “limited liability partnership.” Each partner is either licensed or authorized to provide certain professional services, such as the practice of public accounting or law, or to provide services related to the professional services. An LLP is taxed like a general partnership under California law.

Local candidates (Proposition F): Candidates for local offices, including Mayor, Board of Supervisors, City Attorney, District Attorney, Treasurer, Sheriff, Assessor-Recorder, Public Defender, Board of Education of the San Francisco Unified School District, and Governing Board of the San Francisco Community College District.

Mixed use (Proposition E): Multiple uses, such as residential, office, retail, arts spaces, public open space and recreation areas.

Online platform (Proposition D): An internet-based app that a rider typically accesses with a mobile device.

Ordinance (Propositions C–F): A local law passed by the Board of Supervisors or by the voters.

Other parts (with respect to electronic cigarettes) (Proposition C): “Other parts” refers to the components that deliver or assist with the delivery of vaporized nicotine-containing liquid to the user, such as the mouthpiece; the replacement or refill cartridge, pod or fluid; the heating element; and the battery that powers it.

Pass through (Proposition A): To recover an increase in property taxes by passing on a portion of the cost to tenants.

Planning Commission (Proposition E): The City commission responsible for adopting and maintaining a comprehensive, long-term general plan for future improvement and development.

Property tax (Proposition A): A tax assessed by the City on buildings and land.

Proposition (Propositions A–F): Any measure that is submitted to the voters for approval or disapproval.

Provisional ballot (Frequently asked questions): A ballot cast at a polling place that will not be counted until the Department of Elections verifies the voter’s eligibility to cast that ballot.

Public zoning district (Proposition E): A zone specifically defined in the Planning Code as land owned by a governmental agency, including government buildings, public structures, City plazas, parks and open spaces.

Qualified write-in candidate: A person who has completed the required paperwork and signatures for inclusion as a write-in candidate. Although the name of this person will not appear on the ballot, voters can vote for this person by writing the name of the person in the space on the ballot provided for write-in votes and following specific ballot instructions. The Department of Elections counts write-in votes only for qualified write-in candidates.

Revenue (Propositions A, D): Income.

San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) (Proposition D): The Transportation Authority is a public agency that is separate from the City, although the 11 members of the Board of Supervisors serve as members of the Authority’s governing board. The Transportation Authority uses a portion of sales tax money to pay for transportation projects approved by the voters.

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) (Proposition D): The City department responsible for the management of all ground transportation in San Francisco, including Muni (Municipal Railway), parking and traffic, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and the regulation of taxis.

Vote-by-mail ballots: Ballots mailed to voters or given to voters in person at the Department of Elections. Vote-by-mail ballots can be mailed to the Department of Elections, turned in at the Department of Elections office in City Hall, or turned in at any California polling place on Election Day. Also known as absentee ballots.

Zoning districts (Proposition E): A portion of property within which particular land use regulations and requirements apply. Zoning districts are shown in the City's Zoning Map, which is available on the City's Web site at sfplanning.org/resource/zoning-use-districts.