HOUSING FOR ALL 2022

As of January 2020, California had an estimated 161,548 experiencing homelessness on any given day, as reported by Continuums of Care to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Of that Total, 8,030 were family households, 11,401 were Veterans, 12,172 were unaccompanied young adults (aged 18-24), and 51,785 were individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.

We want more exposure for the Housing for All Act of 2022!

On Friday, February 25th, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla visited Sacramento to unveil a new federal housing and homeless bill. The “Housing for All Act of 2022” would invest nearly $532 billion over ten years to address our homelessness and affordable housing crises. Specifically, this bill would:

• Address the affordable housing shortage by investing in the National Housing Trust Fund, the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program, the Section 811 Supportive Housing for People with Disabilities, and the HOME Investment Partnerships program. It would also authorize a grant program to help jurisdictions most efficiently navigate federal and state housing funding sources, and establish a commission on racial equity within USICH.

• Address the homelessness crisis by investing in Housing Choice Vouchers, Project-Based Rental Assistance, the emergency solutions grant program (which helps with street outreach, rapid re-housing assistance, emergency shelter, and homelessness prevention), and Continuums of Care. It would also commission a report on the relationship between emergency rental assistance and evictions.

• Support innovative, locally developed approaches to these crises by investing in hotel and motel conversions to permanent supportive housing with supportive services; investing in the Eviction Protection Grant Program, which supports experienced legal service providers in providing legal assistance to low-income tenants at risk of or subject to eviction; investing in mobile crisis intervention teams to help those with medical or psychological needs avoid the criminal justice system; investing in programs that offer a safe place to park overnight and facilitate access to rehousing services and essential services; investing in library programs that support people experiencing homelessness; and investing in inclusive transit-oriented development and infill development.

Signing and sharing will help bring exposure and attention to the bill. Currently, the bill is under review in the House and Senate. Do your part to help the housing crisis and aid in fighting homelessness!