Berkeley Transparency Hub · Tax Measures

Measure M · 2022

An empty-homes tax on long-vacant residential units.

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Type
General tax (vacancy)
Passed
2022
Vote threshold
Majority
Approval
64.9%
Status
Levied; contested

What it taxes

$3,000 to $12,000 per year on residential units vacant more than 182 days. Effective 2024.

What it funds

General Fund / housing.

Under legal challenge — a comparable San Francisco empty-homes tax was struck down on appeal. The tax is currently levied, but its durability is uncertain. Not to be confused with the 2012 Measure M (streets/watershed bond).

The election that passed it

Berkeley voters approved Measure M in November 2022. The official record:

See the election result →