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‘Classic California’: State Senate passes bill providing home loans for illegals but there’s no money

August 28, 2024 | | Print Article

The California State Senate passed a bill that will allow illegal immigrants to participate in a first-time homebuyer’s program, angering many who criticized the benefit to the lawbreakers.

But there was a major technical problem that followed the 23-11 party-line vote in the State Senate which sent the bill, AB 1840, on its way in a process that would culminate with a signature by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The “California Dream for All” loan program aimed at assisting home-buyers with up to a 20% down payment, ran out of funding.

“In 2o22, $300 million was set aside for homebuyers on a first-come, first-served basis, and the money was allocated to approximately 2,000 applicants in just 11 days,” KCRA reported earlier this year. “This year, the amount of funding being dished out is $250 million, and a lottery process will be used to determine which applicants receive loans.”

But, with a budget shortfall reportedly in the tens of billions, “the legislature and governor did not appropriate any funds for the program this year. In order to replenish the funds in future years, lawmakers and the governor will need to approve new money for it in future budgets,” KCRA reported.

“This is a commonsense bill that allows many of whom were essential workers during the COVID crisis to get in line and hopefully buy their first home,” Democrat State Sen. Anna Caballero said. “It’s not going to be easy; the program was oversubscribed immediately. We need to put more money into the program.”

Caballero and other Democrats contended in a debate that the migrants would be required to work and pay taxes if they wanted to be eligible for the handouts. Republicans, on the other hand, argued that migrants in the state legally as well as veterans would be crowded out of the program by the illegals.

“The U.S. as a whole has one million immigrants that come here legally, many of them are hoping to get assistance to purchase a home, this particular bill actually disenfranchises and disrespects those who have gone through the process who are ready to purchase or would like to purchase a home,” GOP State Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa-Bogh said.

“If the bill reaches his desk, the Governor will evaluate it on its merits,” a Newsom spokesperson said.

There was a collective “eye-roll” on social media where users roasted California over the program and rollout.

Frieda Powers
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