What would South Pasadena's Measure SOS street bond add to your tax bill?

If you own a home in South Pasadena or are considering buying one, Measure SOS raises a practical question: what would it add to your property tax bill? The city’s draft estimate is an average of about $33 per $100,000 of assessed value per year. For a home assessed at $1 million, the city gives an example of roughly $330 per year.

As of October 21, 2026, Measure SOS is on the November 3, 2026 ballot; it passes only with two-thirds of the votes cast on it.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice.

What is being decided?

Measure SOS asks voters to approve an $80 million general obligation bond for streets; it needs two-thirds of the votes cast on it.

The local ballot coverage identifies the measure as Measure SOS and places it on the November 3, 2026 ballot. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s list of measures lists it as Measure SOS requiring two-thirds of the vote, with voters deciding it on November 3, 2026, and its ballot question describes an average levy of $33 per $100,000 of assessed valuation, generating approximately $4,400,000 annually while bonds are outstanding. The City of South Pasadena describes the proposal as a voter-approved general obligation bond requiring two-thirds approval under California law.

The proposed money would go toward capital improvements. The city says it would be invested in South Pasadena streets, sidewalks, and curbs, rather than day-to-day maintenance.

For your own planning, keep the proposal separate from an approved charge. The vote is on November 3, 2026. Check the result before relying on either the estimated tax or the proposed repair schedule.

How can you estimate your annual cost?

You can estimate the annual cost by dividing your property’s assessed value by $100,000 and multiplying the result by about $33.

Start with the assessed value on your county tax bill or in the Los Angeles County Assessor’s records. Then apply the city’s draft estimate:

• $1 million of assessed value gives roughly $330 per year, the city’s own example.
• $500,000 of assessed value gives about $165 per year using the same calculation.

Using the tax rate statement’s highest estimated rate, $500,000 of assessed value would be about $273 in that year.

Keep “average” and “about” attached to those figures. The $33 figure and the tax rate statement’s figures are both estimates.

That makes the calculation useful for estimating a possible expense. It does not establish the exact charge your bill would carry. After the election, the next property tax bill would show any voter-approved bond charge.

Say an owner sits down with a county tax bill to plan for possible expenses and finds an assessed value of $500,000. Applying the city’s draft estimate gives an average of about $165 per year if approved. The owner also checks the tax rate statement’s highest estimated rate, which would mean about $273 in that year for the same assessed value. The owner keeps both figures as estimates in the budget and checks the election result before relying on a bond charge.

Which property value should you use?

Use assessed value, rather than your home’s market value or a proposed sale price.

The city says assessed value is determined by the Los Angeles County Assessor and is generally more stable than a property’s market value. A market estimate therefore isn’t the number to plug into the draft bond calculation.

If you’re buying, ask how assessed value is set after a purchase before using the seller’s current assessed value for your planning. The California supplemental property tax guide is related reading for that question.

Owners reviewing their bill can also consult the homeowners’ exemption claim guide. Keep the Measure SOS estimate tied to the assessed-value figure you are checking; the draft estimate alone doesn’t answer every question about a property’s tax bill.

Is your street on the repair schedule?

You can look for your street on the city’s 10-Year Resurfacing Plan Map, but the year shown is preliminary.

The map is available through the city’s Infrastructure Financing page. It shows a phased plan for resurfacing or reconstruction, with color-coded years from the current fiscal year through 2035.

Find your street and read its color-coded year. Then keep the condition attached: the schedule depends on voter approval of the proposed bond, and project timing and sequencing may be adjusted.

If you’re discussing a property sale, describe that year as part of a preliminary plan. A street appearing on the map does not make its construction timing final. The election result is the next thing to check before treating the plan as something you can rely on.

How did the city prioritize streets?

The city prioritized streets using roadway conditions, construction readiness, cost-effectiveness, and coordination with other planned infrastructure work.

Nearby streets were grouped into localized projects. Scheduling was also coordinated with the Fremont/Huntington Corridor Improvements Project and the Westside Reservoir Project to avoid repaving streets that may need to be disturbed for future work.

In the Southwest Monterey Hills, the city says projects were phased to minimize neighborhood disruption and maintain resident access during construction. Those considerations help explain why the map is a phased schedule.

The city’s draft Pavement Management Plan concluded that more than half of its streets are in “poor” or “fair” condition. It also says roads requiring full reconstruction cost up to $2.5 million per mile. Those are citywide planning figures, not a finding about the street beside a particular property.

What reporting would the measure require?

The proposed measure would require spending disclosure, independent public audits, and annual reports identifying how bond funds were spent.

The city says all funds would be restricted to use within South Pasadena. The city says the ordinance also requires annual reports by the Chief Financial Officer covering spending in the prior fiscal year.

For an owner following the work after an approval, those reports would provide a way to check how the money was used. The proposed restrictions and reporting requirements are separate from the preliminary map: one addresses spending, while the other shows planned project timing.

The street bond is also separate from the recently approved school facilities bond. When reviewing charges on a property tax bill, keep those measures distinct. The Mello-Roos guide offers related reading about special taxes that appear on some property tax bills.

What does the tax rate statement estimate?

The City’s tax rate statement gives a best estimate of an average annual rate of $32.33 per $100,000 of assessed value over the life of the bonds.

Its highest estimated rate is $54.64 per $100,000, first expected in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2035. Final collection is expected in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2063. Estimated total principal and interest would be $154,764,858.10 if all bonds are issued and sold.

These rates would be in addition to rates for other bond authorizations. The statement says its estimates are not binding, with actual rates and years depending on factors such as bond sale timing, interest rates and assessed values.

The November 3 result, any charge actually levied, and project timing still need checking.

The short version

Measure SOS would add an estimated average of about $33 per $100,000 of assessed value per year if approved, using the city’s draft figure.

Check your assessed value, find your street on the preliminary map, and check the November 3, 2026 result before relying on the proposed tax or schedule. The city’s $1 million example is roughly $330 per year; the tax rate statement’s non-binding estimate is that collection would run through the fiscal year ending June 30, 2063.

For a separate look at your home’s estimated market value, use the home value tool.