June 27, 2024
READ AND DOWNLOAD THE FULL MEETING NOTES HERE
This month was Erin Boltz’s last call with us. We wish to extend a massive THANK YOU to Erin for all her work bringing us together, connecting us with the resources to make a difference, and to helping raise our collective voices in the housing discourse. Myself (Emily) and Konstantin will remain primary points of contact for questions or comments related to the Housing Working Group, alongside Jose. You can stay in touch with Erin and Boltz Public Affairs at erin@boltzpublicaffairs.com.
Special Guests: Office of Majority Leader Aguiar Curry, ACA 1 Update
ACA 1 will lower the necessary voter threshold from a two-thirds supermajority to 55 percent to approve local general obligation (GO) bonds for affordable housing and public infrastructure projects, giving communities a stronger tool for creating local funding solutions to local problems, crafted for local housing and infrastructure needs.
ACA 1 passed last year and will be on the November ballot, but is going through some clean up in the form of ACA 10 (passed Thursday) and AB 2813 (up for a vote today) – the measure will now be known as ACA 10.
The ASK: the ACA 10 campaign needs community organizations and local partners across the state to help get the message out about how important and valuable the measure is ahead of the November election.
The campaign is working on a toolkit to help you get these important messages out, to share this call to support with your communities. They are developing this now and will share as much as they can as soon as they can with this group.
Reach out to Brooke (California YIMBY Legislative Advocate, brooke.pritchard@cayimby.org) to connect with the Majority Leader’s office and the ACA 10 campaign – whether to ask questions or to learn more about how to support!!
HWG Spotlight: Cre8Innovations
Founded in 2022, Cre8Innovations rose out of advocacy for unhoused students, particularly for first generation, formerly foster, and formerly incarcerated students.
The Cre8Innovations team is made up of formerly incarcerated students working for their chance at redemption through higher education, and want to be able to pass that opportunity on to other students who need a hand up. They created their non-profit to acquire and generate more resources for those students.
Currently fundraising to acquire a property that can provide both housing and be a hub of resources / wrap around services!
To learn more about the work Cre8Innovations is doing, or to support their efforts, you can visit their website or reach out to Jonathan and his team, jon.dena@berkeley.edu.
Sacramento Update
June 27 was the deadline to get legislative ballot measures passed, or cut legislative deals on voter initiatives to remove them from the ballot.
Wednesday, July 3, is the deadline for bills to pass their policy committees in the second house, and then the legislature will go on recess until August 3.
Most members go back to their districts during recess – this is a great time to schedule meetings WITH your representatives in their district offices! To speak to them about local and state level issues that you care about while the Member themselves is in the district.
August 31 is the last day of session – everything needs to be passed off the floor in both houses by midnight on August 31 to go to the Governor’s office!
The state budget has passed, with some interesting math and compromises.
SB 1123 (Caballero), the follow up to SB 684 that many HWG members are either co-sponsoring or supporting, has been moving along well. .
It is starting to get some late opposition from local governments, so we need your help to counterbalance that opposition from NIMBY cities and show legislators that this bill has the support of their constituents and communities.
You can reach out to Emily (emily@cayimby.org) to add your organization to our coalition support letter and floor alert, or learn how else to get involved!
Local Updates
Scott Epstein, Abundant Housing LA
The LA Times Editorial Board recently embraced AHLA’s call to action about the City of LA’s rezoning program!
AB 2667 (Santiago) has passed all policy committees!
All AHLA chapters are setting up meetings with their legislators in the district during the July recess.
Reach out to Scott (scott@abundanthousingla.org) and Jaime (jaime@abundanthousingla.org) to learn more.
Nikki Beasley, Richmond Neighborhood Housing Services
There are rumblings about a significant number of dollars coming to Solano/Napa/Contra Costa County from California Jobs First.
Interested in learning how to help access those dollars.
Reach out to Nikki (nikki@eastbaynhs.org) to learn more.
Elias Garcia, CCEDA
Working with the CDFI Fund and the Treasurer’s office to address some complications they’ve seen with certain CDFI’s having trouble retaining their CDFI status due to changes made to the certification process.
Reach out to Elias (elias@cceda.com) to learn more.
Alex Contreras, Greenlining Institute
Hiring a new Senior Director for Economic Equity soon.
Reach out to Alex (alex.contreras@greenlining.org) to learn more.
Diana Alfaro, New Way Homes
Entered into a new contract to work with a church in unincorporated Santa Cruz county to build 60-100 new homes!
Also working with another church that may have three projects they can work together on, two in Santa Cruz county and one in Alameda County. This could bring a lot of new housing!
Reach out to Diana (diana@workbenchbuilt.com) to learn more.