 | “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
– Nelson Mandela |
| Dear Friends, Partners, and Allies, Late June and early July moved at a rapid pace with all hands on deck inside Housing CA along with Resident United Network leaders, numerous partners and allies to successfully advance our landmark budget proposals and legislative priorities within the State Capitol. Ultimately, many of us celebrated the historic investments that our state leaders have committed to combating homelessness and housing insecurity. In particular, we are excited to see multi-year investments, including an unprecedented $1 billion in annual ongoing funding for local jurisdictions and continuums of care. When the dust settled, and we began our Independence Day weekend, I began to ponder the idea of independence in our current context, especially for our Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian Pacific Islander and our other communities of color and neighbors struggling to keep a roof over their heads. For many Californians emerging from hardship like job loss, rent debt, and eviction stemming from COVID-19, independence begins with a place to call home. Yet, what seems so fundamental – having a safe, stable, affordable home in a thriving, sustainable community – continues to be out of reach for so many. Our personal rights and freedoms express themselves in the concept of home. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness often germinate within the welcoming and comforting spaces of our own retreat. Thus, when faced with the threat of losing our homes, our lives are upended and filled with uncertainty and fear which then affects our daily experiences. This is why we must continue to push for system changes and structural reforms that create our California where everyone thrives. In this light, perhaps we can broaden our view of independence to include liberty from income inequality, housing insecurity, and other injustices. Inherent in the idea of patriotism is that we all share this country which means our systems and structures must make it possible for everyone to thrive with equal opportunity to succeed and reach their full potential. Let’s envision liberty through government providing more equity-centered, evidence-based solutions that provide a foothold of stability especially for those suffering the worst effects of the pandemic so that we all rise together. Today, I am inspired to see our state make bold moves to solve one of our most challenging issues. It’s the spark we need to create a state with homes, health, and prosperity for all. In solidarity, strength, and gratitude,
Lisa Hershey
Executive Director |
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| Help Grow the Housing Justice Movement Realizing housing justice throughout California is a lofty and achievable goal that is won through persistent coalition building, unrelenting dedication, and hard work. We need your help to augment and sustain our resources so we can continually shape the discourse, expand the power of Californians most impacted by housing insecurity, and leverage our collective knowledge base to make the greatest impact possible in the halls of the Capitol. Will you help us by making a donation or joining as a member? Together we can continue to strengthen our programs and grow our efforts so everyone has a place to call home. |
| | | | Join the Housing California Team & Help Advance Housing Justice Housing California is excited to share that we have an open position for Senior Legislative Advocate for Homelessness. We are seeking candidates with a proven ability to advance transformative statewide policy strategically and collaboratively. Check out the full job announcement for information on how to apply, and help us spread the word. |
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| | In Community at the Virtual (Un)Conference We thank everyone who attended this year’s Virtual (Un)Conference and made this event possible. Your participation and contributions helped to make it a remarkable and thought-provoking experience. Judging from the positive feedback we received from many of you, this year’s (Un)Conference left us all inspired and looking forward to next year when we plan to gather in person. We believe that together, we can realize our vision to create a California with homes, health, and wealth for all in thriving, sustainable communities. |
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| The Housing CA (Un)Conference recordings will be available in Whova until August 15 and will then be made available on the (Un)Conference website. Attendees can access recorded sessions by logging into the Whova app used during the conference. If you encounter any technical challenges, please contact Jade Chin at jchin@housingca.org. |
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| | Roadmap Home 2030: “A Clarion Call” California’s Roadmap Home 2030 continues to receive positive endorsements from advocacy organizations, industry leaders, and local and state elected officials from around the state. We were honored to also get attention and support from national housing advocacy organizations like the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) and the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC). Since its launch in March, the campaign to advance a long-term plan that guides legislation creating a California with homes, health and wealth for all has gained meaningful traction in places of influence. Just look at some of the latest accolades from Housing CA’s 2021 Virtual (Un)Conference: |
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| “I want to applaud the architects of the California Roadmap Home 2030. I think closing the racial equity gaps speaks to the heart of what housing justice looks like, particularly here in a state as diverse as California.” - State Controller Betty Yee “Until we remove the visible and invisible chains and shackles of oppression, community will be just an illusion. The vision of the Roadmap Home 2030 captures the clarion call to end homelessness and centering racial equity throughout.” - Zella Knight, President of RUN Los Angeles “Roadmap Home 2030 is naming racism correctly at the heart of this problem and speaking to what an equitable future would look like with an honest accounting of the costs of solving these crises.” - Dr. Margot Kushel, Director of UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative “What is visionary about the Roadmap Home 2030 is that it’s audacious enough to believe that we can solve these problems…. We can no longer say that we don’t have a set of solutions that work.” - Tomiquia Moss, Founder and CEO of All Home “The work of Roadmap Home 2030...has many fantastic ideas of what we need to support. These are big, ambitious ideas. Most of the ideas will not be easy politically but if we don’t do many of them, we will not address the crisis.” - Assemblymember David Chiu |
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| Yet, we know the path to success is long and the work ahead must focus on expanding and building our movement while drawing more legislators who will help realize the more than 50 policies that, when fully implemented, will address the root causes of housing insecurity and homelessness across our state. Show your support for the movement by endorsing Roadmap Home 2030 today. Visit the website and learn more about what you can do to help build public awareness and political will to advance evidence-based, equity-centered solutions so every Californian has an affordable place to call home in a vibrant, inclusive and prosperous community. Roadmap Home Investment Package On May 26, Housing CA released the Roadmap Home Investment Package, which captured Housing CA and partners’ budget priorities within the framework of the Roadmap Home 2030. Nearly 250 supporters urged key legislative leaders to commit a significant portion of the state’s historic $75 billion surplus towards those proposals. The final budget reflects many of the priorities in the package, including funding local government efforts, preserving aging affordable housing communities, augmenting Project Homekey, foreclosure intervention, and expanding low income housing tax credits. |
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| | | Creating and perpetuating a narrative around housing that helps us to speak with a shared voice is essential to building the public will needed to advance policies and programs that can help manifest a more equitable, sustainable housing system. When we find sources that help advocates and organizations learn more about how to craft these types of impactful messages, we want to spread the word far and wide. |
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| Shortly after our Virtual (Un)Conference, one of our close partners, Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California (NPH) launched a new coalition-focused resource: Shift The Bay. You’ll find research-driven, field-practiced strategies, tactics, and messages that can help you drive new narratives around affordable housing. |
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| | RUN Sees a BIG Return on its Efforts |
| We were thrilled to report that California’s budget includes $1 billion in ongoing funds for homeless housing and services. It’s real, and it’s a first: California is the first state to commit this much money for homelessness, and ongoing funding was exactly what we were aiming for. What does this have to do with RUN? All our work pushing for AB 71 this year – at Lobby Days, in meetings with our legislators, our testimony at committee hearings, our persistent phone calls – convinced the Legislature that this was important to a lot of people across the state. The Senate and the Assembly told the Governor this ongoing funding was important to them, and he finally agreed. Also, California has extended its eviction moratorium for three more months. Our partners at Housing Now! are happy with a lot of parts of that extension and less than happy with other parts, but that’s a very big deal, too! |
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| RUN Summer Marathon Training Series |
| We had a full house – 53 attendees – at the first of three Summer Marathoners trainings on May 26. The goal of the first training was to look at where stigma around homelessness shows up in our elected officials so that we could reflect on our own biases and strengthen our internal solidarity to fight stronger for our unhoused neighbors in the future. Six other RUN members helped with facilitation in the training. A subsequent session on June 30 built on Housing Justice Narrative Fellows’ trainings with Community Change. |
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| | 2021-2022 California State Budget Summary Facing unprecedented challenges with a pandemic, historic unemployment, and a severe housing shortage, Californians struggling to keep a roof over their heads have looked to state leadership for bold solutions and immediate relief. Today, we applaud Governor Newsom and the Legislature for meeting this moment and delivering a final state budget that commits a remarkable $12 billion to creating affordable homes and tackling homelessness, while also providing significant funding to help those struggling the most to stay housed. Check out our budget summary and our full statement on the final budget. |
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| | | Join the hoUSed campaign Congress is moving forward a bi-partisan infrastructure package, but it does not contain the key housing priorities and investments called for in the hoUSed campaign – and supported by President Biden and Democrats in Congress. |
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| We must ensure that affordable housing is included in the bi-partisan infrastructure package or a reconciliation budget bill that the Democrats plan to take up this year. The time to act is now. As a hoUSed campaign partner, we are urging Congress to: - Bridge the gap between incomes and housing costs by expanding rental assistance to every eligible household.
- Expand and preserve the supply of rental homes affordable to people with the lowest incomes.
- Provide emergency rental assistance to households in crisis by creating a national housing stabilization fund.
Take action now. Sign your organization onto the letter today. |
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| | | Housing California
1107 9th Street, Suite 560 | Sacramento, California 95814
916-447-0503 | staff@housingca.org |
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