Advocacy
Policy Advocacy to Expand Affordable Housing in California
The California Housing Partnership advocates at the state and federal levels to increase public investment in affordable housing and decarbonization and environmental investments that benefit affordable housing communities. We work closely with partners and our Equity Policy Advisory Board to shape and directly advocate for policies that emerge from our work and those championed in the Roadmap Home– a bold 10-year plan to end homelessness, expand affordable housing, and advance racial and economic equity across the state.
What California Housing Partnership is Doing to Help
- Advance state and federal housing policy
Coordinate legislative and regulatory advocacy
- Issue action alerts and co-sponsor key housing legislation
- Support coalitions and cross-sector partnerships
- Provide policy guidance and technical support during crises like COVID-19
Our Records
An extensive list of advocacy resources and legislation
Budget Responses & Request Letters to Governor and the Legislature
Affordable Housing Bond of 2026: AB 736 (Wicks), SB 417 (Cabaldon)
- AB 736 Fact Sheet (PDF)
- SB 417 Fact Sheet (PDF)
- AB 736 and SB 417 Sign On in Support (Google Form)
2025 Sponsored Bills
AB 480 (Quirk-Silva) to Increase the Value of State Low-Income Housing Tax Credits
AB 726 (Avila Farias) to Incentivize Local Investment In the Rehabilitation of Deeply-Affordable Housing
- AB 726 Fact Sheet (PDF)
- AB 726 Sample Support Letter (Word)
AB 801 (Bonta) to Establish a State Community Reinvestment Act
- AB 801 Fact Sheet (PDF)
- AB 801 Sign on in support (Google Form)
AB 913 (C. Rodriguez) to Allow HCD to Assist Financially Struggling Developments
- AB 913 Fact Sheet (PDF)
- AB 913 Sample Support Letter (Word)
AB 1244 (Wicks) to Fund TOD Affordable Housing with VMT Mitigation Resources
- AB 1244 Fact Sheet (PDF)
- AB 1244 Sample Support Letter (Pending)
Enacted Legislation
2024:
SPONSORED:
- AB 1053 (Gabriel) reduces affordable housing costs by allowing HCD loans to fund during construction.
- AB 2353 (Ward) allows developers to not pay property taxes on affordable units while a welfare exemption application is pending.
- AB 2926 (Kalra) strengthens the ability of preservation purchasers to buy affordable housing at risk of conversion to market rate.
SUPPORTED: AB 1878, AB 1886, AB 2023, AB 2199, AB 2243, AB 2304, AB 2347, AB 2430, AB 3093, AB 3177, ACA 10, SB 393, SB 440, SB 924, SB 1037, and SB 1527
2023
SPONSORED:
- AB 84 (Ward) allows the welfare property tax exemption for affordable housing to take effect upon recordation of deed-restrictions.
- AB 346 (Quirk-Silva) allows TCAC to pair enhanced state low-income housing tax credits with either 9% or 4% federal credits in years when CDLAC is competitive.
- AB 1307 (Wicks & Rivas) specifies that unamplified voices of residents is not a significant effect on the environment under Californian Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
- AB 1449 (Alvarez) provides a Californian Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption for certain housing developments where all units are affordable.
- AB 1633 (Ting) specifies that the wrongful denial or withholding of a CEQA clearance to which a housing development is legally entitled is a violation of the Housing Accountability Act.
- SB 341 (Becker) more appropriately aligns prohousing incentives to programs where local governments are the applicants.
- SB 355 (Eggman) broadens the eligibility for the Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) program. *
- SB 469 (Allen & Weiner) exempts LIHTC and HCD-funded developments from Article 34.
- SB 482 (Blakespear) requires HCD to offer capitalized operating subsidy reserves for supportive units under the Multifamily Housing Program.
SUPPORTED: ACA 1, ACA 13, AB 50, AB 434, AB 480, AB 529, AB 1114, AB 1218, AB 1319, AB 1386, AB 1418, AB 1485, AB 1679, AB 1764, AJR 3, SB 4, SB 34, SB 229, SB 267, SB 326, SB 406, SB 410, SB 423, SB 439, SB 567, SB 593, SB 713, SB 789.
2022
SPONSORED:
- AB 2006 (Berman) Streamlining of state compliance monitoring activities
- SB 948 (Becker) HCD pooled transition reserve
SUPPORTED: AB 1551, AB 1654, AB 1837, AB 2011, AB 2094, AB 2179, AB 2233, AB 2234, AB 2244, AB 2334, AB 2483, SCA 2
2021
SPONSORED:
- AB 447 (Grayson) California Debt Limit Allocation Committee: income taxes: low-income housing tax credits
SUPPORTED: AB 721, AB 1043, AB 1124, AB 1304, SB 8, AB 215, AB 602, AB 816, AB 1398, AB 1584, and SB 791
2020
SPONSORED:
- AB 434 (Daly) Streamlining HCD Rental Housing Programs into a Single Application and Award Process
November 2024: Proposition 5 March 2024: Proposition 1
Equity Policy Advisory Board
The Partnership’s Equity Policy Advisory Board (EPAB) uplifts the voices of low-income renter perspectives to be engaged more directly in the organization’s legislative initiatives and annual policy/advocacy work priorities. Founded in early 2022, the EPAB meets semi-annually and includes diverse representation from tenant empowerment and legal service organizations from across California to ensure that the Partnership’s core equity values are guided and upheld by an inclusive and diverse range of stakeholders.
- Amy Schur, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment
- Annalee H. Trujillo, Pala Housing Resource Center
- Azalia Gomez, Lift to Rise
- Carlos Aguilar, Coalition for Economic Survival
- Felicia Scruggs, East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation
- Francisco Duenas, Housing NOW!
- Dohee Kim, Greenlining Institute
- Marcos Segura, National Housing Law Project
- Moriah McGill, Northern Circle Indian Housing Authority
- Maria Patiño Gutierrez, Strategic Actions for a Just Economy
- Shashi Hanuman, The Public Interest Law Project
- Sochiata Vutthy, Community Housing Works
