Jane Fonda and Wendy Schmidt launch campaign against California Prop. 45 housing measure

Actress Jane Fonda and philanthropist Wendy Schmidt have begun a statewide effort to defeat Proposition 45, a ballot initiative that would curb environmental reviews of housing projects in California.

Jane Fonda, the 88-year-old activist, and Wendy Schmidt, the environmentally focused wife of Google founder Eric Schmidt, have launched a “No on 45” campaign in Sacramento to block Proposition 45, a ballot measure that would tighten limits on California’s Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The initiative, backed by a rare bipartisan coalition, claims that easing CEQA would lower housing costs by cutting costly delays, and it enjoys strong polling among both Democrats and Republicans.

Clean and Healthy California, the PAC funded with more than $5 million from Schmidt and additional contributions from Laurene Powell Jobs and John Doerr, is the primary financial engine of the opposition, joined by the Building and Construction Trades Council. Proponents such as the California Chamber of Commerce and Building a Better California, a group linked to Sergey Brin, have contributed tens of millions to the pro-prop side.

Critics, including Fonda and the coalition’s spokesperson, argue the measure would sacrifice environmental and public-health protections for developers and data-center projects. The campaign highlights a broader debate over CEQA’s role, with Governor Gavin Newsom having signed limited exemptions but little impact on the housing crisis. Over 270 organizations, from labor unions to the California Democratic Party, have aligned with the “No on 45” effort.