Policy Updates

✧San Mateo County Tenant Protections Ordinance✧

Building a movement to support tenants

Over almost six hours on Monday morning, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors held a study session for the newly proposed Tenant Protections Ordinance (TPO). As proposed on Monday, the TPO would prevent tenant displacement and harassment, increase language accessibility, and protect school children and educators from being displaced during the school year without cause, among other protections for unincorporated San Mateo County. 

Supervisor Warren Slocum began working on the tenant protections ordinance approximately ten months ago, partnering with Supervisor Noelia Corzo to co-sponsor the draft ordinance after her 2022 election and seating in January 2023. The ordinance would strengthen and build upon AB 1482, a set of statewide tenant protections. Though impactful, AB 1482’s provisions leave a number of loopholes that continue to allow tenants that follow the rules of their lease to be evicted, increasing homelessness.

Supervisor Corzo assembled a factsheet about the Tenant Protections Ordinance with more than 25 organizational supporters from across the county, incorporated and unincorporated, coast side and bayside. Backing her up, Supervisor Slocum said, “Everyone should have a safe and dignified place to live; housing tenure should not determine our ability to live in peace, thrive, and achieve our dreams. By moving forward complementary policy changes simultaneously … the county will best ensure tenants of all incomes are protected from displacement, harassment, and eviction, both formal and informal.”

Despite the support of Supervisors Slocum and Corzo, the TPO is tabled as of now to undergo further revisions. Other supervisors, particularly Supervisors Ray Mueller and David Canepa, expressed various forms of opposition to the bill. Supervisor Dave Pine also raised a handful of concerns, though less vigorously than the other two.

Supervisor Mueller spent over an hour and a half asking county staff questions, thoroughly combing through each portion of the ordinance. He identified some potential ambiguities in the law, raising a handful of areas in which the regulations can be improved or clarified by staff in future rounds of revisions. However, he voiced strong objections to changes that would increase language access, among other complaints.

Supervisor Canepa stated his opinion more bluntly: “I don’t think we should move forward with any part of this tenant protections ordinance.” Instead of strengthening the county’s tenant protections, he proposed investing more resources into educating county residents about existing protections under AB 1482 and supporting their rights to seek legal aid. 

According to the County’s most recent budget for the 2022-2023 financial year, the County gave $1.08 million to Community Aid Legal Services; other tenant-serving organizations have known and promoted information widely about AB 1482. Later on in this very email, you can learn about a July 27 Know Your Rights Training co-hosted by HLC that will, in part, discuss AB 1482 protections. Though we would support increased funding to promote information about existing tenant protections, HLC and our partners primarily support the TPO because AB 1482 is well publicized among tenant-serving groups, yet loopholes remain. 

The discussion is far from over! More than 25 supporters spoke in favor of the TPO, and over 150 sent letters. You can still make your voice heard: Use HLC’s automated letter sender to tell the supervisors you support tenant protections today.

✧Project Homekey: Supportive Housing in Millbrae✧

County to acquire 100-unit hotel, convert to housing for high-need residents

The County action continues! On Tuesday night, more than 100 Millbrae residents showed up at city hall to discuss a new permanent supportive housing development.

At the meeting, County Executive Mike Callagy described the County’s plans to purchase Millbrae’s La Qinta Inn, comporting himself gracefully despite vocal boos from the audience. Under the County’s plan, the Inn will be converted to 100 units of permanent supportive housing to help local unhoused residents transition out of homelessness. HLC wholeheartedly supports the county’s plans to support some of San Mateo’s highest-need residents.

Vice Mayor Maurice Goodman led support for the proposal. “This isn't just about the money,” he said in approval of the county’s plans, “This is about humanity. This is about anti-exclusionary policy. It's about breaking the cycle of bad practices, dangerous rhetoric, and, as our mission says … embracing diversity. This puts us on a path to make sure that housing for all creates a safer and more just community.” Councilmember Angelina Cahalan also supported the project, describing her personal experience working with the unhoused community.

Though the meeting was rife with booing and impassioned comments, the proposal will move forward. County Executive Callagy repeatedly expressed the County’s openness to continuing to partner with Millbrae on security and other issues throughout the community.

✧Bay Area Housing Finance Authority - Regional Bond✧

Support Funding for Affordable Homes!

It’s not too late for you and your organization to endorse the nine-county Bay Area affordable housing bond!

Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) was established by the California State Legislature in 2019 to come up with and implement region-wide solutions to the Bay Area’s affordable housing issues and raise funding for affordable housing across all nine counties. Its focus is rooted in the “3P’s” of affordable housing. These are:

• Protection for current residents to prevent displacement
• Preservation of existing homes affordable to lower- and middle-income community members
• Production of new (especially affordable) homes at all income levels

Many of our cities and counties in the Bay Area address their housing needs individually, usually with limited to no staff and financial resources. BAHFA’s success is important because it takes a more regional approach through coordination and provides access to funds and resources -- it helps create a level playing field among all 101 cities and 9 counties in the Bay Area.  

For San Mateo County, the Bay Area affordable housing bond will generate $1 billion for the protection of at-risk renters and the creation and preservation of affordable homes, but it won’t happen without your support. Please pass this along AND sign on to support Affordable Housing funding HERE! 

If you have any questions, please direct them to kchan@hlcsmc.org! 

SB4 Updates

✧SB4 and SB 423 Are Alive and Well!✧
By Rev. Penny Nixon, HLC Faith Director

I had the pleasure of going to Sacramento on Monday, July 10th, and once again, witnessing our exhilarating and messy democratic process as SB4 and SB423 went before the Assembly’sNatural Resources Committee. Even when people want to do the right thing and share in building more housing, there are competing priorities; therefore, compromises and amendments are all part of the deal. I wish all of you reading this could have seen the hundreds of supporters lined up to voice their support for both SB423 and SB4. Almost 200 hundred people stood in the hall for over three hours waiting their turn, many of them from the carpenters’ union. They were joined by folks from other unions, YIMBY activists, faith leaders, and even META!

Senators Weiner and Wicks were passionate and patient as the hearings on these two bills combined went well past 9 PM before deals were made to send the bills on. This committee was the biggest hurdle the bills would face, so we feel confident that we will triumph in the long run. Senator Weiner reminded the committee that “California is 49 out of 50 in meeting our housing goals”, and Senator Wicks unapologetically contended that “Saying ‘No’ to housing is no longer an option.”

At the end of a very long day, with tremendous work done by a number of housing advocates supporting these bills, SB4 passed 9-1-1 with some amendments, and SB423 passed 7-0-4.

Stay tuned….and Onward!!!

Opportunities

✧Join Our Team - We're Hiring!✧

Exciting news! HLC is expanding, and we're currently seeking passionate individuals to join our team. We have two open positions: Associate Director and Operations Coordinator. If you're committed to making a difference in affordable housing and have the skills and drive to contribute, we want to hear from you. 

Visit our hiring page to learn more about these positions and how to apply. Don't miss out on this opportunity to be part of our mission of creating equitable housing solutions.