Victory Alert: Pasadena Voters Rejected Measure PFD
Pasadena Voters Rejected Measure PFD
AAGLA Led the Fight Against Costly Parcel Taxes
Pasadena voters have rejected Measure PFD, a parcel tax increase that would have raised costs on property owners every year for the next 14 years.
And AAGLA was in this fight from the start, working on your behalf.
See How AAGLA Defeated Measure PFD
AAGLA's online campaign against Measure PFD
WATCH THE CAMPAIGN VIDEOWhat Made Pasadena Different?
In the same election, voters in South Pasadena, Paramount, and Palos Verdes Estates passed similar property tax measures: Measure SOS, Measure P, and Measure PVE. All three were tied to fire and public safety, and all three required a two-thirds vote, the same threshold Pasadena faced.
What made Pasadena different? Voters had the facts. AAGLA's campaign and cost estimator let every voter see exactly what Measure PFD would add to their bill. In the other three cities, that side of the story never reached voters. In Pasadena it did, and voters said "no."
How AAGLA Took Action
- We gave voters the facts. AAGLA educated Pasadena voters on what Measure PFD would really cost, and built an online estimator so every owner and resident could easily calculate their tax increase.
- We made sure housing providers were heard. We launched "NO on Measure PFD" campaign ads targeting voters in Pasadena, published op-eds, and provided counterpoint views in outlets including the Los Angeles Times. Too often, these debates happen without the people who provide housing being at the table.
- We asked voters to reject new taxes and urged elected officials to do better. Our media campaigns explained how California voters tend to reject new taxes when there's no accountability. We also called on Pasadena leaders to balance the budget and identify ways to prioritize spending on public safety without raising property taxes.
2 MILLION+
Leading up to Election Day, AAGLA delivered more than 2 million digital ads to Pasadena voters across online ad platforms and social media.
Why This Matters to Your Business
Even if you don't own property in Pasadena, this win protects you.
Parcel taxes add to your costs year after year, and unlike other expenses, you can't negotiate them down. When one city passes a measure like this, others take notice. Pasadena voters just sent a message across the Greater Los Angeles region: they want fiscal accountability, even for important services like fire and public safety.
That's a message every city hall in our region heard.
The Financial Impact for Property Owners
This win was real money for members. For example, a property with 5 units of 800 square feet per unit would have paid $760 a year in additional taxes, or $10,640 over the 14 years the tax would have remained in place. The tax for a 10-unit property would have been $1,520 a year, or $21,280 over 14 years.
| Property | Tax Increase Per Year |
Tax Increase Over 14 Years |
|---|---|---|
| 5 units | $760 | $10,640 |
| 10 units | $1,520 | $21,280 |
The Return on Your AAGLA Membership
The return on your AAGLA membership: For a 5-unit owner, this one win returned 4 times the value of a year of AAGLA membership in the first year alone, and 56 times over the 14 years the tax would have been imposed. For a 10-unit owner, the return is 7 times in year one and 98 times over 14 years.
AAGLA Advocacy Goes Beyond Pasadena
Measure PFD is just one fight. AAGLA is engaged in dozens of fights every year, at city halls, at the ballot box, and in Sacramento, protecting your property rights and the investments you've made in housing.
This year alone, AAGLA:
- Defeated the City of Los Angeles' streetlight maintenance district tax proposal in June
- Beat back Santa Monica's proposal to allow perpetual tenancy for non-occupants
- Stopped rent control proposals in Claremont and Carson
- Stopped the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) from imposing cost-prohibitive excise taxes on purchases of gas appliances to force property owners to convert to more costly electric appliances
- Won a major lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles that prevents the city from enforcing an ordinance that had forced owners of rent-control-exempt properties (e.g., single-family or new construction) to pay substantial relocation fees when increasing rent above a specified amount
- Is pursuing a lawsuit selected for review by the California Supreme Court to overturn the City of Los Angeles' so-called "eviction threshold" ordinance that prevents landlords from pursuing the collection of past-due rent until the amount exceeds one month of Fair Market Rent as determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Help Us Continue the Fight
Your support made these victories possible. Thank you for standing with us.
Please give us the resources to continue this important work on your behalf. Help us defeat other costly initiatives like Measure PFD and continue our litigation to overturn harmful regulations on constitutional grounds.
SUPPORT AAGLA ADVOCACYFor more information, visit aagla.org/contribute .
About the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles (AAGLA)
Serving rental housing providers throughout Southern California since 1917, AAGLA is a leading trade association and government advocate. With over 10,000 members representing more than 350,000 rental units, our community includes rental property owners, managers, developers, real estate professionals, and trusted vendors. AAGLA also offers comprehensive member-exclusive education and training, including weekly webinars, in-person events, Lunch & Learn sessions, and Certificate programs covering legal updates, landlord-tenant laws, insurance, and more.
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