Housing California

Shifting and Building PowerHousing California is a big tent organization that connects, supports, and aligns cross-sector partners and individuals most impacted by the lack of safe, stable affordable homes to advance shared priorities, strengthen democracy, and solve the housing and homelessness crisis. Housing California connects state, local, and regional partners and represents the movement at key state and federal tables.Activities aimed at shifting and building power during 2023 included:Bolstered the voice and presence of impacted people: Established systems and processes to strengthen RUNs governance model and supported the newly launched RUN Steering Committee- a body of elected RUN members representing the membership. Housing California also strengthened relationships with RUN Steering Committee members, and among RUN and the broader organization and cross-sector network. Engaged in strategic planning to strengthen RUN, and produced a plan to guide the next three-to-five years of the RUNs work. Launched a new policy engagement and decision making model for RUN. Leaders now choose three multi-year priority issues and campaigns which are aligned around a set of shared values guiding RUNs work. Built leadership and development of RUN members through a training series. Hosted trainings in anticipation of Virtual Lobby Day as well as two training sessions about power and affordable housing.Increased work to align and strengthen Californias affordable housing and homelessness movement: Participated in, and helped shape, the Statewide Housing Advisory Committee (SHAC). SHAC members came together to build a more strategic, aligned, and powerful housing advocacy field. Housing California is working to align this with the Roadmap Home 2030 and is one of the anchor organizations leading this coordination. Created spaces for cross-sector partners to explore challenging issues, including the creation of a new policy work group to explore and develop solutions to the challenges faced by permanent supportive housing providers, and participated in a working group focused on the challenges developers and providers are facing over insurance costs. Increased reputation of non-profit affordable housing developers and engagement with other key cross-sector partners. Strengthened coalitions and partnerships that Housing California leads or is engaged in, including Bring California Home, a broad multi-sector budget coalition, Equal Rights for Every Neighbor coalition, and Stable Homes. Brought together over 2,000 cross-sector leaders during annual conferences in 2023 to network, learn from one another, and move collectively toward new ways of thinking and achieving results. Hosted new quarterly policy town halls featuring special guests from the legislature and administration with four- to five-hundred partners attending each event.Educated legislators, the public, and other potential partners about Roadmap Home 2030 - a bold, long-term plan to create Californias future by building affordable homes, protecting low-income renters, ending homelessness, and advancing racial equity and economic prosperity for all: Held seventy legislative meetings to introduce elected officials to Housing California and the Roadmap and engage in discussions about policy priorities. Organized the successful and well received educational Legislative Staff Lunch and Learn Series that reached fifty-seven offices and over one-hundred legislative staff. Co-hosted a red carpet premiere, and post-screening conversation, about Unzipped, a documentary focused on the housing crisis in California. Housing California worked with the producers to create a community learning guide that lifts up Roadmap solutions.

Shaping the NarrativeHousing California elevates powerful narratives that center people who have experienced homelessness or housing instability. By framing housing as an intrinsic public good that benefits everyone, cultivating messages of belonging and mutual care, and reinforcing the value of government as a powerful protagonist in Housing Californias quest for change, the Organization works to shape how Californians think about housing and creates broader opportunities for solutions to be embraced and adopted.Activities aimed at shaping a new narrative during 2023 included: Elevated Housing Californias vision and work with policymakers, housing leaders, funders, and other partners through presentations, briefings, hearings, webinars, expansion of the Organizations social media reach, and twenty-six radio and print media placements. Activated Housing Californias base of supporters via email and social media messaging, often amplified by partners and advocates, through which followers signed petitions, contacted elected officials, and expressed public support for policy priorities. Increased statewide narrative capacity to advocate more effectively for progressive affordable housing and homelessness policies and systems change. Launched Residents United Network (RUN) Multimedia Story project. Working with RUN leaders, Housing California designed and produced a series of videos to help engage and educate the general public, new potential RUN leaders, and state legislators. Piloted joint cross-sector, narrative-shift strategies through the Housing and Health Narrative Shift Task Force.The Organizations primary means of communication include its website www.housingca.org, newsletter (9,600 subscribers), Facebook (4,100 followers), Instagram (600 followers) and X (7,400 followers). For Roadmap Home 2030: newsletter (3,783 subscribers), Facebook (5,900 followers), Instagram (1,500 followers) and X (6,400 followers).

Changing PolicyHousing California advocates for equitable, people-focused, and evidence-based state level policy solutions that create structural change. The Organizations activates the collective strength of its diverse network through state legislation and budget advocacy, administrative and regulatory change, statewide electoral campaigns, and legal change. Housing California also partners with national allies to help pass key federal laws and investments. Accomplishments during 2023 included:Housing California continued to provide critical leadership on housing and homelessness solutions in the state legislative process. Launched a new Policy Committee Structure made up of board members and strategic partners from across the housing and homelessness sector and other related sectors to provide a clear process to generate, vet, and propose policy priorities to be championed by Housing California and support greater cross-sector learning, integration, and alignment. Reactivated the Roadmap Home 2030 Policy Committee. Re-established and grew relationships with legislators and the Governors office so Housing California is viewed as a go to partner and bridge to the broader community Sponsored eight bills, supported twenty-six bills, and opposed two bills during 2023. These priorities were advanced through direct and grassroots advocacy, email action alerts, targeted social media, earned media, and educational opportunities for partners, the general public, and legislators and their staff. The Roadmap Home 2030 coalition championed a package of twelve Roadmap aligned bills that were broadly supported by partners across the housing field. RUN members advanced three priority bills via in person in-district meetings, a virtual lobby day, testifying at hearings, providing official testimony during hearings, and contacting legislators. As a result of the collective advocacy among Roadmap Home 2030 partners, Housing California, and RUN leaders, the Governor signed thirteen bills into law that facilitate development of affordable housing, expand tenant rights, and advance structural reforms to tax and finance systems. Helped lead a powerful new cross-sector budget coalition for joint budget advocacy. The coalition worked to align advocates from across the housing and homelessness sector around a shared set requests to increase collective impact. This coalition was successful in securing resources in 2023 despite a budget deficit. Held Housing Californias first Policy Summit to guide the Organizations 2024 policy objectives.Administrative Advocacy: continued to engage in advocacy to ensure equitable implementation of state policy. In 2023, Housing California: Submitted a letter to the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) about the implementation of the Neighborhood Change Maps and made a recommendation that affordable housing be prioritized in neighborhoods experiencing change. Strengthened relationships with administrative leaders from businesses, the Consumer Services and Housing Agency, the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council, HCD, and the California Housing Finance Agency. These growing relationships have positioned Housing California to act as an advisor in shaping ongoing policy work and equitable (both demographically and geographically) development of guidelines for, and implementation of, existing and emerging programs.Electoral Advocacy: Participated in the Schools and Community First Campaign and a committee working on the lower-the-voter threshold campaign.Federal Advocacy: Although not Housing Californias primary area of focus - supported the federal policy agenda of our national partners, including the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the National Alliance to End Homelessness, through social media posts, letters, and advocacy meetings to ensure that the needs of low-income Californians were heard during federal policymaking processes.