California’s Prop 21 Endorsed by Over 300 Organizations and Elected Officials

Housing justice advocates and champions of Proposition 21 are proud to announce that a coalition of over 300 key leaders and organizations from all over the state of California have endorsed Prop 21. The November 2020 state ballot initiative will give local municipalities control to address California's housing affordability crisis.

With election week here and families still waiting for affordable housing, Prop. 21 is necessary ailment to the millions of renters in California. Over 300 federal and state elected officials; local city councils; and social, housing, and racial justice organizations have agreed that Prop. 21 is a key answer to addressing California’s affordable housing crisis. The measure has received the endorsement of the California Democratic Party, the California Nurses Association, California Federation of Teachers, as well as the endorsements of Leilani Farha, former United Nations special rapporteur on the Right to Housing and global director of The Shift. Additional endorsers include U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez, former Ohio State Senator and former National Co-Chair, Bernie 2020 Nina Turner, Congresswomen Karen Bass, and a suite of California’s tenant advocacy and social justice organizations, including the statewide Housing Now! California coalition (which consists of over 100 labor and housing justice organizations), Housing California, CHIRP LA and Property Owners for Fair and Affordable Housing, as well as major labor unions, such as AFSCME California PEOPLE. The Campaign has also locked-in the endorsements of every elected rent control board member in the state. (See Full List Below)

"Our initiative is more urgent than ever, as millions of renters face the worst economy in this country for a century. We cannot afford to carry on as we have to address our deteriorating housing crisis," said René Christian Moya, campaign director of YES on 21. "Onward with Prop. 21!"

The measure first qualified for placement on the November California ballot in early February after the backers submitted over one-million voter signatures in support of the measure. Signatures of 623,212 California voters were needed to qualify the measure. (For random sample qualification, the number was 685,534 signatures).

"As someone who has traveled the world investigating the grave impact that the global housing affordability crisis has had on human rights, I understand how important Prop 21 is to the health and well-being of every family and individual in California.” Said Leilani Farha, former United Nations special rapporteur on the Right to Housing and global director of The Shift. “Prop 21 will protect renters made vulnerable by the business practices of corporate landlords. Through staggering rent hikes and stagnant wages, these tenants are often one paycheck away from displacement or homelessness. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this has the potential to be a death sentence. This is why I support Prop 21 and its measures to ensure that tenants in California can stay in their homes."

The rent control ballot measure has gained increasing urgency during the COVID-19 pandemic, as millions of Californians already struggling with the state’s high housing costs have now lost work and income in the nation’s shuttered economy.

California is home to one in four homeless people in the United States. Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) released its 2020 Los Angeles homeless count—which took place in January before the coronavirus pandemic wreaked medical, social, and economic havoc across the region. The report showed a double-digit percentage increase: up 13% in Los Angeles County to 66,433 individuals despite hundreds of millions spent by city and county officials. In the City of Los Angeles, the count jumped 14% to 41,290 homeless individuals living unsheltered or on the streets.

Proposition 21

When passed, Proposition 21 will remove current state law restrictions, giving cities and counties the power to implement and expand rent control policies that limit how much rents can increase each year. It would allow local communities to:

• Expand rent control to more buildings while exempting newly constructed buildings
• Exempts Single-Family homeowners who own up to two homes
• Allow limits on rent increases when a new renter moves in

Housing Is A Human Right (HHR) is the housing advocacy division of AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), and the leading sponsor of Proposition 21. The full slate of endorsements includes:

Federal Leaders

Senator Bernie Sanders

Congresswoman Maxine Waters

Congresswoman Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Karen Bass

U.S. Representative, Jimmy Gomez

Leilani Farha, former United Nations special rapporteur on the Right to Housing and global director of The Shift

Nina Turner, former Ohio State Senator, former National Co-Chair, Bernie 2020

State Leaders

California Democratic Party Senior Caucus Chair, Ruth Carter

California Democratic Party Delegate AD39, Roxann Nazario

California State Assembly Member & Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, Lorena Gonzalez

California State Assembly Member, Adrin Nazarian

California State Assembly Member, Ash Kalra

California State Assembly Member, Miguel Santiago

California State Assembly Member, Richard Bloom

California State Assembly Member, Rob Bonta

California State Assembly Member, Wendy Carrillo

California State Assembly Member, David Chiu

California State Board of Equalization, Tony Vazquez

California State Senate President Pro Tempore Emeritus, Kevin De Leon

California State Senator, Ben Allen

California State Senator, Maria Elena Durazo

California Insurance Commissioner, Ricardo Lara

Dolores Huerta, Founder, Dolores Huerta Foundation & Co-Founder, UFWA

Former Executive Director, Emerge California, Kimberly Ellis

Cities and Local City Leaders

Antioch Unified School District Board of Trustees Member, Debra Vinson

City Council of the City of East Palo

City of Alameda Council Member, Jim Oddie

City of Artesia Mayor, Ali Sajjad Taj

City of Berkeley Council Member, Ben Bartlett

City of Berkeley Council Member, Kate Harrison

City of Berkeley Council Member, Rigel Robinson

City of Berkeley Mayor, Jesse Arreguin

City of Delano Council Member, Brian Osorio

City of Farmersville Council Member, Ruben Macareno

City of Farmersville Mayor, Greg Gomez

City of Hawthorne Mayor, Alex Vargas

City of Hayward City Councilmember, Aisha Wahab

City of Kingsburg Council Member, Jewel Hurtado

City of Los Angeles Council Member, Herb Wesson

City of Los Angeles Council Member, Mike Bonin

City of Los Angeles Council Member, David Ryu

City of Los Angeles Council Member, Paul Koretz

City of Madera Council Member, Santos Garcia

City of Monterey Council Member and Vice-Mayor, Alan Haffa

City of Oakland Council Member, Dan Kalb

City of Oakland Mayor, Libby Schaaf

City of Porterville Council Member, Daniel Peñaloza

City of San Jose Council Member, Magdalena Carrasco

City of San Luis Obispo Mayor, Heidi Harmon

City of Santa Monica

City of Santa Monica Council Member, Sue Himmelrich

City of Santa Monica Mayor, Kevin McKeown

City of Simi Valley Council Member, Ruth Luevanos

City of West Hollywood

City of West Hollywood Commissioner, John Erickson

City of West Hollywood Commissioner, Sepi Shyne

City of West Hollywood Council Member, John Duran

City of West Hollywood Council Member, John Heilman

City of West Hollywood Mayor, Lindsey Horvath

Council on American Islamic Relations Los Angeles President, Hussam Ayloush

Democratic Delegate for the 41st Assembly District, Joseph Salas

Ducor Community Services District Member, Ruth Martinez

Forgiving for Living Inland Empire CEO, Wendy Gladney

Former Richmond City Councilmember, Richmond Progressive Alliance leader, Jovanka Beckles

Los Angeles Community College Board Trustee, Andra Hoffman

Los Angeles Community College Board Trustee, Scott Svonkin

Los Angeles Community College Board Trustee, Steve Veres

Los Angeles County Supervisor, Sheila Kuehl

Los Angeles Unified School District Board Member, Jackie Goldberg

Monterey County

Monterey County Board of Supervisors

Muslim Democratic Club of Southern California Board Member, Lisa Ali

Riverside Community College Board of Trustees, Jose Alcala

San Francisco Board of Supervisors

San Gabriel Valley Youth Advocacy Program President, Richard Nichols

Santa Barbara City College Trustee, Jonathan Abboud

Tulare County Supervisor, Eddie Valero

Local Rent Stabilization Board Members

Berkeley Rent Board Commissioner, Alejandro Soto-Vigil

Berkeley Rent Board Commissioner, Igor Tregub

Berkeley Rent Board Commissioner, James Chang

Berkeley Rent Board Commissioner, John Selawsky

Berkeley Rent Board Commissioner, Mari Mendonca

Berkeley Rent Board Commissioner, Maria Poblet

Berkeley Rent Board Commissioner, Paola Laverde

Berkeley Rent Board Commissioner, Soli Alpert

Berkeley Rent Board Vice Chair, Leah Simon-Weisberg

Santa Monica Rent Board Chair, Nicole Phillis

Santa Monica Rent Board Member, Anastasia Foster

Santa Monica Rent Board Member, Caroline Torosis

Santa Monica Rent Board Vice Chair, Naomi Sultan

Statewide Democratic Organizations

Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club

California Black Women's Democratic Club

Cal Berkeley Democrats

California Democratic Party

California Democratic Party's Renters Caucus

East Area Progressive Democratic Club

Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club

Heart of L.A. Democratic Club

Pacific Palisades Democratic Club

Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains

San Diego Democrats for Equality

San Francisco Democratic Party

Santa Monica Democratic Club

Sonoma County Democrats

Southern CA Americans for Democratic Action

Stonewall Democratic Club

The East Bay Young Democrats

Wellstone Progressive Democrats of Sacramento County

West Los Angeles Democratic Club

Statewide Progressive Organizations

Courage California

Democratic Socialists of America

Green Party of California

KmB / Pro-People Youth

LA Progressive Community

LA Progressive Community

Our Revolution

San Francisco Berniecrats

San Francisco League of Pissed off Voters

San Francisco Women’s Political Committee

Housing Justice, Homelessness Services and Advocacy Organizations

ACCE Action

Affordable housing NOW (Santa Cruz County)

Affordable Housing Network of Santa Clara County

Alameda Renters Coalition

Berkeley Tenants Union

Beverly Hills Renters Alliance

Burbank Tenants’ Rights Committee

Burrito Project L.A.

CAIR-CA

California Coalition for Rural Housing

Chinatown for Equitable Development (CCED)

CHIRP LA

Coalition for Economic Survival

East Palo Alto Council of Tenants (EPACT)

East Palo Alto Council of Tenants (EPACT) Education Fund

Eviction Defense Network

Glendale Tenants Union

Healthy Housing Foundation

HEART LA (Housing Equality & Advocacy Resource Team)

Housing California

Housing Now! California

Inner City Law Center

Inquilinos Unidos

LA CAN

LA Community Legal Center and Educational

Los Angeles Center for Community Law and Action (LACCLA)

Los Angeles Tenants Union (LATU)

Oakland Tenants Union

Pasadena Tenants Union

Peninsula for Everyone

Pomona United for Stable Housing (PUSH)

POWER (People Organized for Westside Renewal)

Property Owners for Fair and Affordable Housing

San Diego Tenants United

San Francisco Tenants Union

Santa Monicans for Renters Rights

Small Property Owners for Reasonable Controls - Long Beach

Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housin

Tenants United Santa Ana

Tenants Together

The Anderson Valley Housing Association

Union de Vecinos, Eastside Local of LATU

Community Health Organizations

African American Wellness Center for Children & Families

AIDS Healthcare Foundation

APLA Health

Healthy Active Streets

California Nurses Association

CALOR (AIDS Service Organization)

Community Health Council

JWCH Wesley Health Center

Latino Health Access

Reed For Hope Foundation

San Francisco Human Services Network

TransForm

WORLD (Women Organized to Respond to Life-Threatening Diseases)

Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative

Labor and Economic Rights Organizations

AFSCME California PEOPLE

Bay Rising Action

California Federation of Teachers

Pomona Economic Opportunity Center

SEIU California

Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE)

TechEquity Collaborative

UAW Local 2865

UNITE HERE Local 11

United Auto Workers ( UAW) Region 8

Environmental Advocacy Organizations

ACT-LA

Active San Gabriel Valley

CEJA - California Environmental Justice Alliance

Healthy Active Streets

Sierra Club

Sunrise Claremont Colleges

Sunrise Movement Sacramento

The California League of Conservation Voters

TransForm

Social and Racial Justice Organizations

ACLU of California

ACLU of Northern California

ACLU of Southern California

Advancement Project

American Federation of Teachers 1521

APIENC (API Equality - Northern CA)

Asian American Pacific Islanders for Civic Empowerment Education Fund

Asian Law Alliance

Black Lives Matter Los Angeles

Black Lives Matter Long Beach

Black Skeptics Los Angeles

Brown Beret National Organization (BBNO)California Alliance for Retired Americans

California LULAC

Chinese for Affirmative Action

CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights)

Courage California

Dolores Huerta Foundation

El Clan Theater Company

Ground Game Los Angeles

Helping Hands of USA

Hollywood National Organization for Women

Impulse Group

L.A. LGBT Center

LA Voice

Latinas for Reproductive Justice

Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE)

Los Angeles Urban League

National Action Network Los Angeles

National Forum for Black Public Administrators

National Lawyers Guild - Los Angeles

National Organization of Black County Officials, Inc. (NOBCO)

Oakland Rising Action

Our Own

People's City Council - Los Angeles

Project Islamic HOPE

RootsAction

Social Security Works

Somos Familia Valle

Sweet Alice Harris, Parents of Watts

The Fund for Santa Barbara

TransLatina Coalition

UC Student Association (UCSA)

UnidosUS

Veteran Voices

Western Center on Law and Poverty

News and Media Community Organizations

Artistry Group

Bay Area Reporter

Consumer Watchdog

Daily Bruin

KnockLA

L.A. Times

Los Angeles Blade

Mountain View Voice

Random Lengths News

San Diego Jewish World

San Jose Inside

Silicon Valley De-Bug

The Shift

This Filipino American Life Podcast

Thomas Morrow, Publisher, Inland Valley Newspaper (Ontario/Upland area)

Faith-Based Community Organizations

3CLA Christian’s Community Center of Los Angeles

Baptist Ministers Conference of Los Angeles and Southern California

Bend the Arc: Jewish Action

Black Jewish Justice Alliance

Concord Church

Echo Park United Methodist Church

Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace

Los Angeles Catholic Worker

National Council Of Jewish Women Los Angeles

St Rest Friendship Church

Faith-Based Community Leaders

Apostle Derrick Butler, Jesus Joy Jubilee National Fellowship, Inc.

Bend the Arc: Jewish Action

Bishop Nathaniel C. White, Greater Bethel Missionary Baptist Church

Bishop Robert Douglas, President, Inglewood Ministerial Alliance, Jacob’s Ladder — Inglewood, CA

Dr. Cynthia Jimmerson

Dr. Donald R. Robinson, Community Missionary Baptist Church

Dr. T. Elliott, The Ship

Minister Jennifer Starr Batieste

Minister Jerri Fair, Weller Street Missionary Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Overseer Janice Brown, First Faith World Ministry

Pastor Al James

Pastor Alex Toussaint, St. Andrews Baptist church, Los Angeles

Pastor Anthony Green, Second Baptist Church

Pastor Bill Hemphill, Concord Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Bill Turner, New Revelations Baptist church, Pasadena

Pastor Craig Worsham, Agape Church of Los Angeles/ National Director of Faith-Based & Community Partnership for National Association of Real Estate Brokers — Los Angeles, CA

Pastor Curtis Smith, Destiny Christian Center, Stockton, CA

Pastor Donald Robinson, Community Baptist Church, Redlands

Pastor Donald Wilson, New Mt. Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Donnell Townsend, Pilgrim Baptist Church, San Diego

Pastor E. Wayne Gaddis, Greater St. Augustine Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Eddie Anderson, McCarty Memorial Church — Los Angeles, CA

Pastor Edward Flowers, Freewill Baptist Church, San Diego

Pastor Eric Miller, True Vine Baptist Church, San Diego

Pastor Eugene Bryant, New Philadelphia Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Eugene Gordon, Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, San Diego

Pastor George Underwood, Emmanuel Bible church, Los Angeles

Pastor Gerald Burgess, First Antioch Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor J L Sorrells, Greater Holy St. John Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor J W Brown, Welcome Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Jack Wilson, Solid Rock Mission Church, Los Angeles

Pastor James McKnight, Congregational Christian Fellowship— Los Angeles, CA

Pastor James Perkins, True Frienship Baptist Church, Inglewood

Pastor Jared Moton, Ebenezer Baptist Church, San Diego, CA

Pastor JoAnnette Dixon, Ambassadors for Christ, Los Angeles

Pastor Joy Johnson, President, Sacramento Area Congregations Together, Sacramento

Pastor KW Tulloss, President Baptist Ministers Conference of Los Angeles & Southern California

Pastor LA Keese, bethany Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Larry Aaaron, Hallelujah Temple Penecostal Church

Pastor Linda Wright, Do- Right Christian Center, Los Angeles

Pastor Louis Lewis, Southern Baptist Church

Pastor Marvin Dean, Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Melvin King, Divine Deliverance Ministries—Los Angeles, CA

Pastor Michael Fisher, Greater Zion Church Family — Compton, CA

Pastor Michael Island, Weller Street Missionary Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Najuma Smith-Pollard, Word of Encouragement Community Church/Center for Religion & Civic Culture—Los Angeles, CA

Pastor Nathaniel Haley, United Christians Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Nathaniel Martin, New Light Institutional Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Norris Dean Jarmin, Linda Vista Second Baptist Church, San Diego

Pastor Patrick Ross, Greater True Light Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Prentis Lewis, Greater Star Light Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Quan Morgan, Calvary Baptist Church, Santa Ana

Pastor Regina Young, Calvary CME Church, Pasadena, CA

Pastor Ronald Bolden, Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Roshod Hall, People’s Independent Community Church — Los Angeles, CA

Pastor Rueben Ford, Parks Chapel, San Fernando

Pastor Stan Richards, Beacon of Light Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Sylvester Washington, New Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Tecoy Porter, Genesis Church, Sacramento, CA

Pastor Terri Wilson, Good News Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Thom Washington, Christian’s Community Center of Los Angeles—Long Beach, CA

Pastor Torrey Collins, St. Rest Friendship Church, Los Angeles

Pastor Troy Vaughn, Inglewood Community Church/Christ Centered Ministries —Inglewood, CA

Pastor Welton Pleasant, Christ Second Baptist Church, Long Beach

Pastor William Smart, SCLC - LA Chapter

Pastor, Philip Lewis, New Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church — Inglewood, CA

Reverend Dwight Pledger

Rev. John W. Carr

Reverend Margaret Winn

Reverend Al Sharpton

Reverend Johnathan Moseley, Western Regional Director, National Action Network

Reverend Ricco Daughtery, United Christians Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Reverend Ricky Williams, United Christians Baptist Church, Los Angeles

Proposition 21 is sponsored by Homeowners & Tenants United, with significant funding by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. To learn more, visit yeson21ca.org and housinghumanright.org.

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