CHC's Industry Insight
A Note from our Executive Director

As CHC members well know, the legislative session that began with a roar on housing - a call for $1.3 billion to restore investment in crucial affordable home programs - ended with a whimper a short time later. Legislators failed to take up Governor Jerry Brown's "by-right" proposal in bill form, allowing the $400 million set-aside in the budget for affordable housing investment to evaporate.  A new Census report this week illustrates the human cost of delay in tackling the affordability crisis - soaring poverty rates attributable to housing costs (see our "In Case You Missed It" section below).

From the leaders and companies who build quality homes and improve communities to the struggling Californians counting on us to succeed, it's clear we can't wait for action from the State Capitol - we must create it.  That's why CHC is working collaboratively on efforts like the influential California Economic Summit, where we are a leading voice shaping an ambitious agenda to create one million more homes for Californians.  The Summit convenes top housing officials from the Administration and the Legislature alongside the state's most influential business and civic groups to develop transformative policy ideas and break the political logjam that has left Californians stranded in crowded homes, living in their cars, or giving up food and medicine to pay the rent. 
  
As co-leader of the Summit's Housing Action Team, I invite CHC members to shape this important dialogue by participating in the fifth-annual California Economic Summit on December 13-14 in Sacramento.  Learn more about the event and register below.  I hope to see you there.

  Sincerely,
  





  Ray Pearl 
  CHC Executive Director 
In Case You Missed It...

  • The legislature adjourned on August 31 with little discussion and even less action on crucial housing measures. The Governor has until September 30 to sign the remaining housing bills that made it to his desk.
  • The California Budget and Policy Center analyzed new census data on how high housing costs contribute to California's poverty rate of 20.6% - the highest of any state in the nation. CHC's Executive Director, Ray Pearl, issued the following statement in response: "Today's reports of increase in incomes are great news - unless you are trying to afford a place to live in California. The new census data illustrates that California's housing costs are still outpacing incomes and creating poverty.  When housing costs are taken into account, California's poverty rate soars from 15% to over 20% -- tarnishing the Golden State with the distinction as the home to the highest poverty rate in the nation. California simply can't tackle inequality and achieve our economy's potential while ignoring the state investment and policy solutions needed to create affordable homes for workers, families, and vulnerable Californians.  With state investment in affordable homes down 69% in the last decade, Californians struggling to pay the rent, the utilities, and the grocery bills need leadership - not the inaction they saw from the State Capitol this year."
  • The affordable housing conference season is upon us! Join our partners for their annual conferences by following the links below:
Remembering Natalie Gubb - Affordable Housing Advocate

CHC is mourning the loss of Natalie Gubb, a dedicated, powerful and passionate advocate for the affordable housing community. We remember and celebrate Natalie and the leadership role she took in advancing the development of thousands of affordable homes, which enhanced so many lives. We honor Natalie and the incredibly impactful legacy she has left behind.


 Natalie's family has asked that donations be made to the UCSF Foundation.Please make checks payable to the UCSF Foundation with "UCSF Center for BRCA Research in memory of Natalie Gubb" noted on the memo line. The mailing address is UCSF, PO Box 45339, San Francisco, CA 94145-0339. Gifts can also be made online at the Center for BRCA Research website (In section two, check the box indicating that it is a memorial gift and enter Natalie's name).

Take Action, Make Your Voice Heard and Make Room! 
 
Across America 20 million families can't afford their homes. This crisis is felt most poignantly in California, where residents face the largest shortage of affordable rental units and the highest average home price in the nation. To compound this crisis, California leads the nation in percentage & number of severely rent-burdened households (households paying more than 30% of their income on rent), This is an unprecedented crisis, but NOT one that CHC will shy away from.

Families need help affording homes, whether to rent or to own. This problem is solvable and educating California's policy-makers, legislators, and residents to its magnitude is the first step. If CA residents demand action and our Federal and State Legislators respond accordingly to increase resources and improve policies, we can make sure that every Californian has a safe, affordable place to call home.

From now until Election Day (Nov 8th), California Housing Consortium is joining the 'Make Room' campaign to send 1 million messages to our legislators in Sacramento and D.C. Join us. Let's make some noise, make some change, and make room! Sign the national letter and learn how you can be part of the campaign at http://www.makeroomusa.org/take-action-organizations/
Affordable Housing in the News

When the final gavel closed on the 2015-2016 legislative session, Governor Brown's plan to reduce barriers to building affordable homes "by right" without a single legislative vote.  The Los Angeles Times' Liam Dillon (September 12) offered a post-mortem on the proposals' demise.  Meanwhile, the affordability crisis continues to have spill-over effects:  The SF Gate  (September 1) reports Oakland residents are suffering from increased rates of hypertension, depression and asthma to name a few. Health officials began analyzing the link between health and the housing crisis after seeing hundreds of their clients get displaced from East Bay homes. 

CHC Policy Director Marina Wiant's comments explore the newest set of data from the Census Bureau's supplementary poverty measure - which takes into account housing costs.  When housing costs are accounted for, California's poverty rate surges from 15 to 20% - the highest in the nation. Marina's comments were aired across the state, below was a video shown on NBC 24 (Fresno):

CHC's 2016 Silver Sponsors

Thank you to our 2016 renewing Silver Sponsors, your continued $10,000 annual support makes a huge impact on our efforts for California's neediest families.




wakeland




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CHC is a non-partisan advocate for the production and preservation of housing affordable to low- and moderate-income Californians. We represent the development, building, financial, and public sectors united in their goal that every Californian has a safe, affordable place to call home.