Former Newport Beach Mayor Submits Signed Petitions for Responsible Housing Initiative that Will Put Major Housing Decisions into Voters’ Hands
City of Newport Beach – October 2, 2025:
The Coalition for Responsible Housing submitted all necessary signatures to present its Responsible Housing Initiative to the voters of Newport Beach. The ballot measure will return major housing decisions to Newport Beach voters, instead of politicians. The signatures were submitted by Marshall “Duffy” Duffield—the former Mayor, two-term City Councilmember, and proponent of the Initiative— and the leaders of SPON (Still Protecting Our Newport). The City of Newport Beach will now have 30 days to review the signatures and set the Initiative for an upcoming local election in June 2026.
For months the Coalition has been educating our community on the flawed housing strategy adopted by the Newport Beach City Council in July 2024. In 2024, local politicians approved a massive wave of new housing that will worsen our town’s quality of life for decades. This was nothing more than a giveaway to rich, well-connected developers. To make matters worse, “our” politicians were only able to pass this plan by ignoring the Greenlight Initiative— a law this community passed in 2000 that requires voter approval of all major housing changes.
The Initiative will give local voters the chance to undo this politician-driven and developer- funded housing plan. And the results so far speak for themselves. In just 25 days, the Coalition obtained more than 8,900 signatures from local residents supporting the Initiative. Working with SPON and other community partners, the Coalition assembled a broad range of support in only a few weeks. Our supporters’ message is clear: We will not back down to rich developers and politicians who want to change our community to make a quick buck.
The next step is for the government to verify the signatures and set the Initiative for a vote in the next local election. Assuming the City follows the law, we should have more good news to share soon.
In the coming months, the Coalition will continue informing voters about the importance and benefits of the Responsible Housing Initiative and expanding its network of supporters and partnerships. If you want to learn more about the Initiative, check out Duffy Duffield’s recent Guest Column in StuNews: The future of Newport Beach is in your hands. You can also contact the Coalition at: info@newportbeachstewardshipassociation.org.
The Responsible Housing Initiative is supported by SPON, the Newport Beach Stewardship Association, the Coalition for Responsible Housing among many others.
The text for the Responsible Housing Initiative is available here (www.newportbeachstewardshipassociation.org/responsible-housing-initiative-text/).
Above: Duffy Duffield and other community leaders dropped off more than 8,900 signatures to the Newport Beach City Clerk.
