The San Diego County Housing Need Report released today underscores that the severe shortage of affordable homes and the crisis of unaffordability facing San Diego residents continues unabated. Even before the pandemic hit, only one in ten of the lowest income households in San Diego could afford their current rent. More than half of very low-income renters spend upwards of 50 percent of their income, leaving them one economic shock away from displacement.
The affordable housing shortage is even more concerning as San Diego has seen a steady decline in private rental housing that low-income households can afford, due to rising rents and displacement. We are proud to stand with our partners in San Diego to support a potential $500 million investment from California’s budget surplus to create the Community Acquisition and Preservation Program, which would provide financing for communities to acquire housing, stabilize residents, and preserve apartment buildings as permanently affordable homes. Additionally, we support Senate Bill 490 (Caballero), which would create a technical assistance program for mission-driven organizations and public agencies acquiring these homes. We need a diversity of strategies to address our state’s housing and homelessness crisis, and it is essential that acquisition and preservation is part of our approach.
Matt Schwartz, President and CEO, California Housing Partnership
Heather Hood, VP and Market Leader Enterprise Community Partners, Northern California
Jimar Wilson, VP and Market Leader Enterprise Community Partners, Southern California
Lisa Hershey, Executive Director, Housing California
Andrés Ramos, Legislative Counsel, Public Advocates
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California Housing Partnership (The Partnership)
The California Housing Partnership creates and preserves affordable and sustainable homes for Californians with low incomes by providing expert financial and policy solutions to nonprofit and public partners. In addition, the Partnership provides statewide publications and data tools for housing research and outcomes tracking. | chpc.net
Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise)
Enterprise Community Partners is a national nonprofit that develops technical and capacity building programs, advocates for policies, and delivers the capital to create and preserve affordable housing for low-income families. Enterprise’s mission is to make home and community places of pride, power and belonging, and platforms for resilience and upward mobility for all. | https://www.enterprisecommunity.org
Housing California
Housing California is one of the state’s largest non-profit housing and homelessness advocacy organizations – dedicated to improving life in our golden state. Housing California opens minds and organizes people most impacted housing injustice, and their allies, to effectively advance equitable solutions grounded in social and economic policy research.
Public Advocates
Public Advocates is a nonprofit law firm and advocacy organization that challenges the systemic causes of poverty and racial discrimination by strengthening community voices in public policy and achieving tangible legal victories advancing education, housing, transportation equity, and climate justice. | https://www.publicadvocates.org/