As part of our commitment to equitable tenant protections, the SFF is proud to support the Homelessness Prevention Act to better protect California’s renters from unjust evictions and exorbitant rent increases. More than half of California’s renters are cost-burdened, and already sky-high rents are continuing to rise.
The Homelessness Prevention Act makes important improvements to the Tenant Protection Act which established a statewide rent cap and eviction protections in 2019.
Our letter is excerpted below:
[The Homelessness Protection Act] responds to the present-day reality millions of California renters are facing and provides greater protections by:
- Closing loopholes that allow for rampant abuse of the no-fault just causes for eviction; and
- Providing clear mechanisms for accountability and enforcement against violations of the Tenant Protection Act.
Between 2017 and 2022 alone, homelessness increased 30% across the state, faster than anywhere in the U.S. Now that eviction moratoriums and many of the pandemic protections that kept families in place are gone, homelessness will continue to rise at an even faster rate- unless we act quickly. It’s critical to limit excessive rent increases, strengthen eviction protections to ensure families stay housed and our diverse California communities can continue to remain together.
Loopholes in just cause protections have allowed landlords to evict long term tenants, leaving many unprotected during the most vulnerable years since 1482’s adoption, which have included the pandemic, an economic recession, and times of historically high inflation.
SB 567 offers permanent protections that seal off loopholes in AB1482 which have been routinely exploited by bad actor landlords, causing a rise in homelessness and a rental market most Californians are already struggling to keep up with.
Read the full letter.
We are proud join partners such as ACCE, PICO California, Western Center on Law and Poverty, Public Advocates, East Bay Housing Organizations, Housing California, and Power California in supporting this legislation.
Learn more:
- Read more about SFF’s all-in on housing work
