Advocate
The People Concern works to educate the broader community and improve public policy. We know the effective public policy is essential for developing sustainable solutions that have a lasting positive impact on our unhoused neighbors and our communities. YOU can influence political change by making your voice heard!
Here are a few ways you can get involved today!
1. Subscribe to The People Concern’s monthly newsletter to learn more about important policy and advocacy developments and ways you can make a difference in your community.
3. Volunteer with The People Concern.
Policy We Support
2023 California Legislation
See below for bills introduced in the 2023-2024 legislative session in the state of California which we support.
AB 312 establishes the State Partnership for Affordable Housing Registries in California (SPAHRC) grant program with the purpose of creating a state-managed online database of affordable housing listings and applications.
AB 464 will reduce administrative barriers for low-income individuals seeking employment, housing, healthcare, and more by exempting individuals, based on their income, or qualification for certain public assistance, from having to pay fees otherwise required for copies of vital records or for California State Driver’s License renewals.
AB 653 creates a program to provide housing search assistance, landlord incentives, and deposit resources to help tenants with vouchers find and secure apartments in low poverty neighborhoods, and to require housing authorities that have low lease-up rates to apply evidence-based tools to increase utilization.
AB 745 provides competitive grants to counties, homeless Continuums of Care, and community-based nonprofits to fund housing and reentry services and workforce development for people recently released from incarceration who are experiencing or at risk of falling into homelessness.
AB 799 requires the State to take a more direct leadership role in working with local jurisdictions collaboratively to set homeless reduction targets; sets consequences for failing to meet goals; streamlines administrative burdens on local systems while ensuring that more detailed information is made public to improve transparency and oversight; and requires investments in balanced homeless response systems that promote equitable housing outcomes while maintaining flexible eligible uses.
The California Nonprofit Fairness in Contracting Act proposes that state contracts with nonprofit partners cover the full costs of doing business – including administrative costs, fair wages and benefits – and encourages multi-year partnerships or expedited renewals with nonprofits that are meeting performance objectives.
AB 1215 re-establishes the Pet Assistance With Support (PAWS) Program to award grants to homeless and domestic violence shelters, for food and veterinarian services for pets owned by people experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence.
AB 1738 establishes the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Mobile Homeless Connect Pilot Program to assist people experiencing homelessness, in specified areas, with obtaining State identification cards.
SB 4 provides a streamlined process for religious organizations and nonprofit colleges to develop affordable housing on their property regardless of local zoning restrictions.
SB 37 provides targeted housing subsidies to older adults and adults with disabilities who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness
SB 267 would allow a tenant with a housing voucher to submit alternative evidence showing their ability to pay their portion of the rent in lieu of a credit report
Additional bills The People Concern supports:
- AB 373 (Gipson): Intersession programs: foster children and homeless youth: priority access
- AB 785 (Santiago): California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: City of Los Angeles: affordable housing and transitional housing.
- AB 1085 (Maienschein): Medi-Cal: housing support services
- AB 1386 (Gabriel): Veterans housing: tenant referrals
- AB 1734 (Jones-Sawyer): Local government: surplus land: exempt surplus land
- SB 225 (Caballero): Community Anti-Displacement and Preservation Program: statewide contract
- SB 290 (Min): Domestic violence documentation: victim access
- SB 662 (Rubio): Court Reporters
- California Nonprofit Equity Initiative Package
Additional impactful legislation impacting housing, homelessness, and domestic violence tracked by other organizations:
See here for 2022 legislation we supported that was signed into law!
Questions about public policy and advocacy at The People Concern? Contact Kristen Aster at kaster@thepeopleconcern.org.
Explore these Resources and stay informed
Read California Housing Partnership’s 2022 Affordable Housing Needs Report for Los Angeles County with local policy recommendations.
Keep track of Measure J progress, sign up for the mailing list and use your voice to advocate for reform that dismantles racism in L.A.
Take a closer look at the L.A. Equity Index to understand how critical factors like socioeconomic opportunities, environment, education and access to resources contribute to challenges facing Angelenos.
Review LAHSA’s 2022 Homeless Count Results.
Learn who your local, state, and federal elected officials are to advocate for our most vulnerable neighbors.
Become an expert on supportive and bridge housing. When you hear misconceptions about homelessness, let people know why supportive housing saves lives and makes our community stronger.
Familiarize yourself with the models and philosophies that guide the work of the most effective service providers including Housing First, Harm Reduction and Trauma-Informed Care.
Learn about the current status of affordable rental housing in the U.S. and how the shortage contributes to LA’s homelessness crisis.
Review the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy’s (LCHP) report, “The Making of a Crisis: A History of Homelessness in Los Angeles.”
Read about our partnership with FlyawayHomes and our plan that will end homelessness in Los Angeles, Vision 2028.
Check out California’s Housing Future: Challenges and Opportunities report published by the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
Click around the National Alliance to End Homelessness’ website. They cover everything you need to know to understand the current crisis and the policy changes that would end it.