Housing Justice Advocates Applaud First-of-Its Kind Bill Becoming Law That Will Help House More Poor and Working Californians

Newly Signed Legislation Will Help House More Families by Improving California Public Housing Authority Management of Voucher Program

SAN FRANCISCO, CA—Housing justice advocates today applauded a new law signed by Governor Newsom that will help more people and families who receive a federal housing voucher be able to live where they want at a cost they can afford. Authored by Assemblymember Eloise Reyes, the legislation (AB653) will increase transparency and improve Public Housing Authorities’ (PHAs) administration of the voucher program so that more tenants can use them in the private rental market to have greater choice over where they live. This will prevent Californians from falling into homelessness and maximize the state’s use of critical federal resources. The legislation was co-sponsored by a noteworthy team of strong advocates–the National Housing Law Project, Corporation for Supportive Housing, Housing California, United Ways of California, California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, Western Center on Law and Poverty, and the Residents United Network.

The Housing Choice Voucher program, a federal affordable housing program, delivers over $5.6 billion to California each year to help low-income tenants afford housing. However, 40% of Californian families who receive vouchers are unable to use them to secure housing, often after waiting years. This results in low-income families and a disproportionate number of families of color being denied access to a safe and stable home.

“I am so thankful that Assemblymember Reyes allowed me to share my story and work with her on this bill. This is going to be a wonderful thing for a lot of families,” said Residents United Network Leader and voucher recipient Margo Velez. “This bill is doable, it’s a start and place to begin reforming the system. This will help a lot of family’s have more success in utilizing their voucher. Thank you Governor Newsom for signing this wonderful bill!” 

“Vouchers are a lifeline for the many tenants who can’t afford market rate rent, and it’s a shame that each year, thousands of families are forced to return their voucher after spending years on a waitlist. This bill will help improve California PHAs’ administration of vouchers so that more of the lowest income people and families of color find a safe and stable home,” National Housing Law Project Deputy Director Deborah Thrope said. “We look forward to supporting the bill’s implementation with Assemblymember Reyes, California Public Housing Authorities, and a coalition of organizations dedicated to fixing the housing crisis across the state.”

“Vouchers are a proven solution to homelessness, but only one in four families eligible receives a voucher. Given our housing and homelessness crisis, it’s more critical than ever before to make the most effective use of this valuable resource,” said Corporation for Supportive Housing California State Policy Director Sharon Rapport. “We commend Assemblymember Reyes for her vision and hard work to pass this legislation and the Governor for signing it.”

“Housing vouchers are a critical tool to rapidly house people and increase access to high-opportunity neighborhoods. AB 653 is an important step toward ensuring that low-income Californians who receive long-awaited vouchers can overcome the barriers to using them,” said Housing California Policy Director Christopher Martin. “We are grateful to Assemblymember Reyes for her leadership and Governor Newsom for his support.”

“High housing costs occupy a disproportionate share of most families’ budgets in California, but this is particularly true for struggling households. The lowest income households living below the Real Cost Measure report spending as much as 81% of their income on housing, which leaves very little room to cover basic needs such as food and childcare,” said President and CEO of United Ways of California Pete Manzo. “Housing vouchers are one of the most effective ways to connect families with very low incomes to affordable housing, and here in California we have witnessed how it can help remove barriers to access and mitigate homelessness. We applaud the Governor for signing AB 653 by Assemblymember Reyes which will increase transparency in the administration of the housing voucher program, and will help more households secure safe and affordable housing.”

“The efficient and effective use of housing vouchers opens up a wide spectrum of affordable rental housing opportunities to low-income individuals and families, the elderly, and people with disabilities. It’s unconscionable to make affordable housing tenants wait for years on a waiting list or to have to return their voucher due to lack of housing. Our housing and homelessness crisis can’t be leveraged on the backs of the most needy, and we celebrate the passage of AB 653 as a critical tool to help remove barriers to access for securing safe and affordable housing,” said Western Center on Law & Poverty Policy Advocate Tina Rosales-Torres. “By increasing transparency in the administration of the housing voucher program, California’s Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) are now on notice that voucher recipients deserve equal housing opportunities. We are grateful to Assemblymember Reyes for proposing this impactful solution, and to Governor Newsom for signing the bill.”

AB 653 will require PHAs to work with the California Department of Housing and Community Development to help more voucher-holders’ successfully use them to secure housing by applying evidence-based policies like providing landlord incentives and increasing search times for housing. In California, vouchers help over 710,000 people in 304,000 households afford safe and decent housing, 60% of whom are families with children, 19% are older adults, and 27% are people with disabilities. California’s voucher families are disproportionately families of color.

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The National Housing Law Project’s mission is to advance housing justice for poor people and communities. We achieve this by strengthening and enforcing the rights of tenants and low-income homeowners, increasing housing opportunities for underserved communities, and preserving and expanding the nation’s supply of safe and affordable homes.

Housing California is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to prevent and end homelessness, increase the supply of safe, stable, affordable housing, and protect renters.

Through the lens of economic and racial justice, Western Center on Law & Poverty litigates, educates, and advocates in courts, cities, counties, the State Capitol, and the public arena to secure just housing, health care, economy, and legal systems for Californians with low incomes.

Corporation for Supportive Housing is a national non-profit and community-development financial Institution that advances housing as a platform for services to address the needs of the most marginalized populations, maximize public resources, and build strong communities.

United Ways of California mobilizes the caring power of communities to improve health, education, and financial results for low-income children and families. In partnership with California’s local United Ways, United Ways of California implements community impact programs and advocates for policies that advance opportunities for Californians, working toward an equitable California where every individual has the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.