|

We Need REAL Solutions to the Housing Crisis

Californians are living in overcrowded, uninhabitable conditions and are paying more than half their income in rent. Meanwhile cities primarily produce luxury market-rate housing (if they produce any at all), lack basic anti-displacement policies, and code enforcement departments don't prioritize the needs of tenants.

We need to change our priorities to protect people first, not profits. Instead of housing policy for the few, we propose these guiding principles to inform state and local legislative solutions:

Gentrification Has Virtually No Effect on Homeowners

Gentrification is the hottest of hot-button urban issues. Many activists and critics see it as essentially a process by which more affluent and educated white newcomers displace poorer, working-class black residents. But those who have studied the subject closely, like Columbia University urban planner Lance Freeman, believe that the issue of displacement is more myth than reality. In fact, Freeman’s detailed empirical research has found that the probability of a family being displaced by gentrification in New York City was a mere 1.3 percent.

37-Year Mission Tenant, Spouse Battle OMI Eviction

Juan Carlos Ramirez has lived in his Mission District home for 37- years. Although he and his wife Rebecca Suval are parents to a fragile infant of 2 pounds an 10 ounces born at just 28 weeks, they have also been under owner move-in assault since April 2016. The eviction has truly taken its toll on their mental and physical well-being.

Project Sentinel: Sacramento Office

Project Sentinel assists individuals with housing problems such as discrimination, mortgage foreclosure & delinquency, rental issues including repairs, deposits, privacy, dispute resolution, home buyer education, post purchase education and reverse mortgages.

Sacramento Office, Housing Discrimination:

Project Sentinel's Fair Housing Center provides education and counseling to community members, housing providers, and tenants about fair housing laws. We also investigate complaints and advocate for those who have experienced housing discrimination.

Project Sentinel: Redwood City Office

Project Sentinel assists individuals with housing problems such as discrimination, mortgage foreclosure & delinquency, rental issues including repairs, deposits, privacy, dispute resolution, home buyer education, post purchase education and reverse mortgages.

Redwood City Office, Housing Discrimination:

Project Sentinel's Fair Housing Center provides education and counseling to community members, housing providers, and tenants about fair housing laws. We also investigate complaints and advocate for those who have experienced housing discrimination.

Project Sentinel: Modesto Office

Project Sentinel assists individuals with housing problems such as discrimination, mortgage foreclosure & delinquency, rental issues including repairs, deposits, privacy, dispute resolution, home buyer education, post purchase education and reverse mortgages.

Modesto Office, Housing Discrimination:

Project Sentinel's Fair Housing Center provides education and counseling to community members, housing providers, and tenants about fair housing laws. We also investigate complaints and advocate for those who have experienced housing discrimination.

Eviction Wars

Rents continue to skyrocket. People continue to get evicted. Poor residents and people of color continue to be pushed out of the city. People are moving here faster than new units can be built.

Los Angeles Tenants Union

Yvette

I am being threatened with an eviction due to my request for reasonable accommodation to have a service animal.

Mandy

I am disabled .I renting a room in the rooming house .it's a Living room converted into the bedroom and living with landlord and many other tendency since May , 2009 the landlord was building extra rooms in her garage, & and kitchen,plus splits up the master bedroom into two intended for many people to rent..without permits and breaking numerous city codes. we were have 10 people only one bathroom to take shower . the house don't have Air conditioner and heater she even not allowed us to use .I bought small portable heater.