Alameda Measure L $300M Bond Is Passing in Early Returns

Measure L, the City of Alameda's $300 million infrastructure bond, is passing in early returns with 70.7% yes, according to the Alameda County Registrar of Voters' count posted at 2:07 a.m. on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. It needs two-thirds, or 66.7%, to pass.

• What it is: Measure L, which the city calls the SAFER Alameda Act, a $300 million general obligation bond for the City of Alameda.
• Early count: 12,933 yes (70.70%) and 5,361 no (29.30%) in the county's preliminary, unofficial results.
• What it costs: About $49 a year for every $100,000 of a property's assessed value, while the bonds are outstanding.
• What it pays for: Flood and sea level rise projects, fire station earthquake retrofits, a new West End fire station, paving and sidewalk repairs.

Did Measure L pass in Alameda?

It's on track, but it's not final yet. That 70.7% is about four points above the two-thirds line, and the county's results page labels every number "Preliminary/Unofficial." More ballots are still being counted, so the margin can move. You can follow the count on the Alameda County Registrar of Voters election results page.

How much will Measure L cost Alameda homeowners?

About $49 a year for every $100,000 of assessed value. Here's the catch that helps a lot of longtime owners: it's assessed value, not what your house would sell for today. Assessed value is based on what you paid, so if you've owned your place for decades, you'll pay less. A home assessed at $500,000 would pay roughly $245 a year.

What does the $300 million bond pay for?

Streets, storm drains and fire stations. The city says it has more than $800 million in unfunded infrastructure work. The SAFER Alameda Act project list includes:

• Levees, sea walls, bigger storm drains and storm pump upgrades, including work to stop flooding in the Tubes
• Earthquake retrofits for Fire Stations 1, 2 and 4
• A new Fire Station 5 on the West End
• Paving, pothole repair, sidewalk and park accessibility fixes and traffic signal upgrades
• Structural work at the Alameda Police Department

The list isn't a promise that every project happens; the Alameda City Council sets priorities. The measure also creates an independent citizens' oversight committee and requires annual audits, and none of the money can go to salaries or pensions.

If you live near a low spot that floods every winter, this is the measure that could finally pay for the fix. Until then, here's where Alameda's storm and flood prep meetings are this month.

What happens next?

The county will keep posting updated counts until every ballot is tallied, then certify the results. If Measure L holds above two-thirds, the city can start selling bonds and the council will decide which projects go first. Measures M and N, the city's other two measures, were also ahead in the same update.

More from City Hall in our Alameda civic news.