Affordable Housing & Homelessness
Like too many Californians, I know what it’s like to be without a safe place to call home — struggling to find stable housing after fleeing an abusive marriage. I know that at its core, homelessness is a housing issue.
Survivors of intimate partner violence, teens who have been kicked out of their home, parents who just can’t pay the rent, workers who get laid off from the assembly line, people who just have a stroke of bad luck: they’re now ending up on our streets.
Meanwhile, in California today, there is virtually no city or town where a full-time minimum wage worker can afford a decent, two-bedroom apartment.
I believe it’s high time we make housing a human right.
I have been a voice for renters, working people, and unhoused people in the House — and I will be their strong advocate in the Senate. I will continue to push for a comprehensive policy that guarantees dignified, affordable housing for all:
Investing In Affordable Housing
- I authored the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act in partnership with Bernie Sanders — legislation that has helped families across the country find affordable housing.
- In the Senate, I will work to invest more than $1 trillion in the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund to build millions of affordable units in both urban and rural areas, offer assistance for first-time home buyers, and provide rent relief for lower-income renters.
- I secured millions of dollars for housing projects in my district, and over $16 billion for housing initiatives nationwide last year alone.
Supporting Renters
- I wrote the Renters’ Bill of Rights, which advocates to pass a national cap on annual rent increases and support efforts to pass stronger rent control standards.
- I also introduced the DEPOSIT Act to support working people with security deposits and other essential moving costs, which can be a prohibitive barrier for individuals and families otherwise ready to move into a stable home.
An All-Sides Homelessness Approach
- To aid local governments in their efforts to end homelessness, I will prioritize passing The Housing for All Act, investing $500 billion in federal rental assistance, housing vouchers, HUD grants, and affordable housing.
I will fight to pass the Ending Homelessness Act of 2023, which will make the Housing Choice Voucher program a federal entitlement, end renter discrimination, invest in outreach and case management, and put $10 billion into permanent affordable housing.