May 31, 2024

READ AND DOWNLOAD THE FULL MEETING NOTES HERE.

Legislative Guest: Assemblymember Chris Ward

• The state budget is a top priority right now, as the deadline for the Legislature to pass a final budget is June 15. 

• The Assembly has been a strong partner in advocating for keeping housing elevated in the budget agreement between the three parties (Senate, Assembly, and Governor).

• The current crisis and the number of housing programs being cut highlights the importance of finding permanent and ongoing funding for housing programs.

• Ward’s housing/legislative priorities

• Student housing & Senior housing

• Affordable housing construction, including pre-construction financing

• Removing red tape at HCD that is preventing state and local governments from being thoughtful with housing dollars

• Always interested in hearing thoughts or observations from local organizations that can help inform policy.

HWG Spotlight: Habitat for Humanity California, CalHOME Campaign

• Habitat for Humanity CA is leading the fight to save CalHome, the only source of funding for affordable homeownership construction. Below are action items from Habitat for how you can help: 

• Raise your voice by personally taking action today – action center.

• Please do this today, and ask everyone you can to do the same! Every single email sent adds up!

• Activate your advocacy networks by asking them to take action for homeownership – action center.

• Join the effort by granting permission to include your logo as a coalition partner on the campaign website only – please email your logo.

• Please click here to learn more about the campaign, and thank you for taking action today!

• You can also reach out to Debbie (debbie@habitatca.org) and Ellen (ellen@habitatca.org) to get involved.

Sacramento Updates

• We are in the process of determining what legislation HWG members may be interested in collaborating on next year.

• We are VERY interested in hearing from HWG members what bills you are interested in or plan to run, or what policies you’d like to see turn into legislation – start thinking about it now and let us know!

• As we’ve done for the last couple of years, we would love to find an opportunity (or opportunities) for Housing Working Group members to collaborate on something that aligns with our shared priorities.

• Bold ideas, big swings, are welcome! 

• Reach out to Erin (erin@boltzpublicaffairs.com) with ideas!

Local Updates

• Housing Working Group Advocacy Day

• The HWG Advocacy Day in Sacramento was a huge success! Please visit the notes from this month’s call for comments from those who attended and check out this blog post on the luncheon panel on exclusionary zoning.

• Eric Payne, Central Valley Urban Institute:

• Save The Date • Queer Housing Summit August 24, 2024 Fresno, CA

• https://www.instagram.com/queerhousingsummit/ 

• Scott Epstein, Abundant Housing LA

• AB 2667 (Santiago) has cleared the Assembly.

• LA Rezoning Program Coalition recently delivered a letter to city hall with 45 signatures – if you are based in or have a chapter in Los Angeles, you are invited to get involved. Reach out to Scott (scott@abundanthousingla.org) to learn more. 

• Mahdi Manji, InnerCity Law Center

• Working in coalition to strengthen and expand Los Angeles’ ED1 – Please reach out to Mahdi (MManji@innercitylaw.org) if you are based in LA and are interested in supporting this effort.

• Aditi Shakkarwar, United Way LA

• The Affordable Housing Homelessness Solutions and Prevention Now Initiative coalition recently submitted over 400,000 signatures, more than enough to qualify the local ballot measure – which will create a sales tax measure to fund affordable housing and tenant protections – for the November ballot in Los Angeles!

• Reach out to Aditi (ashakkarwar@unitedwayla.org) to get involved.