 | “Progress lies not in enhancing what is, but in advancing toward what will be”
– Khalil Gibran |
| Dear Friends, Partners, and Allies, As we approach the end of the legislative session, we are heartened to see that California is laying a foundation for a future with homes, health, and wealth for all. The actions taken by you, our supporters, partners, and co-conspirators, have resulted in meaningful progress that can help to transform the lives of those struggling the most in our state. Together, we helped to secure a state budget that includes $12 billion to combat homelessness and housing insecurity, including investments in affordable housing and an unprecedented $1 billion in ongoing funding for local jurisdictions and continuums of care to address homelessness. Housing California will keep a close eye on the approved funding to ensure that these historic investments help to realize equity-centered policies that provide a path towards economic recovery and stability for all. In fact, the results of the recent recall election will surely have a meaningful impact on the future of many of these policies. Along with other colleagues and partners in the housing ecosystem, I provided some perspective into what lies ahead in this CityLab article. Furthermore, a number of these bills that have made it through the Legislature would advance the vision and goals of the Roadmap Home 2030 by creating affordable homes, protecting vulnerable renters, tackling homelessness, and advancing racial equity. For example, we are grateful to see Housing California’s co-sponsored bill, AB 816 (Chiu), which prioritizes the national Housing Trust Fund for homelessness, heading to the Governor’s desk. Other Roadmap-aligned bills we’re urging Governor Newsom to sign include: - AB 1304 (Santiago), which clarifies how cities and counties must “affirmatively further fair housing”
- AB 1487 (Gabriel), which would fund legal aid for California tenants facing eviction and harassment
- AB 1043 (Bryan), which would establish a new acutely low-income category
- AB 369 (Kamlager) which would create a reimbursement mechanism for street medicine and Medi-Cal access
- AB 215 (Chiu), which would strengthen Housing Element public participation requirements and the Attorney General’s ability to hold cities accountable for reaching housing production goals
- AB 1220 (Rivas), which makes structural changes to the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council and aligns our State better with Housing First.
It’s not everything we need, of course, but together, these bills add up to real progress. Governor Newsom has until October 10th to sign or veto legislation, and we hope these bills will get his signature. In solidarity, strength, and gratitude,
Lisa Hershey
Executive Director |
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| Help Grow the Housing Justice Movement To realize housing justice throughout our golden state so everyone has a stable, affordable place to call home in a thriving community requires a sustained commitment to shaping a new narrative, building and shifting power, and advocating for structural and systems change. Will you help us by making a donation or joining as a member? With your support, we can secure the resources needed to create more affordable homes, build stronger coalitions, and shape the discourse around homelessness and housing affordability. |
| | | | | Upcoming Regional Conferences Our partners around our state are hosting conferences and summits to inform, educate, and collaborate with housing advocates, industry leaders and visionaries to lay the foundation for a California with homes, health, and wealth for all. Check out their exciting agendas and make plans to be inspired! |
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| | | Join the Movement: Endorse the Roadmap Home 2030 Powered by Housing California, the Roadmap Home 2030 coalition is growing rapidly. More than 40 organizations across the state have officially endorsed the vision, goals, and structural changes that the Roadmap stands for. |
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| In addition, we’re taking the Roadmap on the road, with sessions and speakers at conferences hosted by our regional partners throughout the state, including the San Joaquin Valley Housing Collaborative on September 21, Sacramento Housing Alliance on October 1, San Diego Housing Federation on October 19, and SCANPH on October 27. Want to join the movement to advance racial justice, end homelessness, and create stable, affordable homes for all Californians? To add your organization’s endorsement, please email your logo to David Zisser at dzisser@housingca.org. Then we’ll let you know how you can encourage others to support the Roadmap. |
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| | | As we create our narrative to advance housing justice, we continually strive to include and amplify the voices of members from our broad coalition who share our vision of a California with homes, health and wealth for all in thriving, sustainable communities. As the Manager of Advocacy and Organizing at The Kelsey, a nonprofit that pioneers disability-forward housing solutions that open doors to homes and opportunities for everyone, Allie Cannington shared with us ways that the state could better serve the specific housing needs of people with disabilities. She also offers a perspective on the role that narrative plays in educating the public and persuading people to support their policy priorities. Read more |
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| | | RUN Sees a BIG Return on its Efforts We’re thrilled to announce the return of RUN’s fall regional convenings, which you might know better as “There Ought To Be A Law.” New and veteran RUN members from all over the state are set to meet up virtually and in a few cases in person to brainstorm what should be a law to get us to housing justice in 2022. |
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| We’ll host 10 convenings from September 16-30 in seven regions across California. Click on the registration links below to get more details about where and when your region will meet up, along with important information about how to meet up safely if your region is meeting in person. Masks will be required at any in-person regional convening. These links are live, so you can register right now! 9/17: Davis, outside in person in English with Spanish interpretation 9/20: Orange County, virtual in Spanish with English interpretation 9/21: San Diego, virtual in English with Spanish interpretation 9/21: North Highlands / Sacramento, outside in person in English with Spanish interpretation 9/23: Stockton, outside in person in English and Spanish 9/23: North Sacramento, outside in person in English with Spanish interpretation 9/23: LA/Ventura, virtual in English with Spanish interpretation 9/29: Inland Empire, virtual in English and Spanish 9/30: Bay Area, virtual in English These regional convenings are a perfect opportunity to bring in friends who are new to RUN or other folks you know who live in affordable housing, have been unhoused before, or are interested in housing justice. We do ask that you only register if you live in the state of California. We can’t wait to see you in a few weeks! |
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| | Insights from Policy Director Chris Martin This summer, California lawmakers made a historic investment in affordable housing and homelessness. Notably, this includes commitments to ongoing annual funding, which has been a years-long push for Housing California, partners, and legislative champions. As state leaders examine affordable housing bills and Congress considers the Senate’s budget resolution in housing and transportation, we need continued bold, long-term investments to end homelessness. In a new blog piece, our policy director Chris Martin reflects on how we got to this unprecedented budget, how state leaders can make the most of this opportunity in California, and what Congress can take away from this to solve affordable housing nationwide. Read his blog piece: California made a historic investment in affordable housing and homelessness. Now it’s Congress’ turn. Legislature The State legislature wrapped up the first year of the 2-year Legislative session on September 10th. The Governor now has Until October 10th to sign or veto legislation. Housing California has one remaining sponsored bill on the Governor’s desk, AB 816 (Chiu), which prioritizes national Housing Trust Fund resources to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness. To see other bills Housing California is tracking please visit here. Budget Summary Housing California partnered strategically and leaned heavily into budget advocacy this year. This collective advocacy contributed to the unprecedented $12 billion investments in affordable housing and homelessness. The Legislature and Governor finalized the budget in early July after much debate. The final budget was signed soon after, representing the most significant and historic investment in housing and homelessness resources in our state’s history. Notably included in the final budget was $1.75 billion for backlogged California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) projects, $2.75 billion for Homekey, and the first-ever multi-year homelessness commitment with the intention of creating an ongoing stream of funding to address homelessness, due in large part to the efforts of Housing California and our partners in the Bring California Home coalition. We are additionally pleased by the significant investments in programs at the Department of Social Services, many of which Housing California played a critical role in establishing. These include the Housing Support Program, Housing and Disability Advocacy Program, Home Safe Program, and the Bringing Families Home Program. |
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| | | Urging Congress to Prioritize Housing On August 24th, the US House of Representatives followed the lead of the Senate, and voted to approve a budget resolution that allows Congress to proceed with the $3.5 trillion infrastructure and economic recovery package, which includes $322 billion in housing and transportation investments. |
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| In the next phase of the budget reconciliation process, Committees draft their respective bills for the budget package, with the Speaker of the House, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, aiming for a vote on the reconciliation package by mid-September. Housing California has been advocating with Speaker Pelosi, House Financial Services Committee Chair Maxine Waters and Housing Financial Services Committee members Congressman Juan Vargas and Congressman Brad Sherman for the inclusion of the hoUSed priorities in the budget reconciliation package. Organizations can help build support for these critical investments by joining more than 1,000 organizations nationwide who have signed the hoUSed campaign letter and circulating it among your networks. This letter is one of the most effective ways to show congressional leaders the broad support for the hoUSed campaign’s priorities for the infrastructure and economic recovery bill. |
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| | | Housing California
1107 9th Street, Suite 560 | Sacramento, California 95814
916-447-0503 | staff@housingca.org |
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