Just 3 California lawmakers say they’re renters. Now they’re starting a renters’ caucus

Three California lawmakers who are among the only tenants in the Legislature are starting a renters’ caucus to improve representation for financially vulnerable Golden State residents.

Democratic Assemblymen Matt Haney of San Francisco, Isaac Bryan of Los Angeles and Alex Lee of San Jose on Thursday announced they are forming an Assembly renters’ caucus to boost tenant housing priorities.

Haney, Bryan and Lee are the only members of the 120-person Legislature who declare that rent their primary housing. But they believe there are other representatives who could join them.

About 44% of California housing is renter-occupied, according to U.S. Census Data. Tenants who spend more than one-third of their income on rent are considered cost-burdened. Nearly 53% of California renters pay 30% or more of their salaries toward housing, Census data shows.

About 28% of state tenants spend more than 50% of their income on rent, making them severely rent-burdened.

What can a renters’ caucus do?

Haney, Lee and Bryan think they are best-equipped to help tenants dealing with this situation. The lawmakers say they understand the day-to-day struggles of renting because it’s part of their lived reality.

Haney rents a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood and has been a tenant his entire adult life.

Lee lives at home with his family, which a housing interest political action committee used in an attempt to smear him during the June primary election. A mailer from a PAC sponsored by groups like the California Apartment Association and the California Association of Realtors said Lee is a “socialist Democrat who ‘lives with his mom.’”

Lee, who advanced to the November general election, said the ad “actually backfired on them pretty spectacularly in my district.”

“That’s the true reality of so many people in my district, who work really hard to have stable jobs but really out of economic survival have to live their family,” Lee said.

Caucus members know they will need build coalitions to be able to take on the well-funded housing interests that hold significant sway in the Capitol. They also welcome non-renter allies.

Assemblyman Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, on Thursday expressed his support for the caucus on Twitter.

“This is great!” Kalra said. “I look forward to being an ally of my colleagues in the first Renters’ Caucus! Kudos to y’all for bringing an important voice that needs more amplification to the forefront as we develop housing policies that should protect the most vulnerable.”

California housing policies

The group has some specific legislative goals in mind. Haney said they would like to bring back rental registry legislation, which could provide data to help illuminate housing policy discussions.

Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, authored a rental registry bill during the previous legislative session, but she pulled it from the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee in April.

Increasing renter tax credits is also on the list, after Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, was unable to get funding to support higher payments and pulled his bill in August.

Caucus members would also like to bolster a rent cap and tenant protections lawmakers passed in 2019. Assembly Bill 1482 limited rent increases and said landlords must have a “just cause” to evict tenants.

Haney said there has been “widespread violation” of the law, and there may be possibilities for reform.

“I think we’re going to have to work with everyone,” Haney said. “We’re going to have to be smart about the policies we put forward and strategic, and the goal is to get things done. We’re not going to go on suicide missions here. The goal is to pass policy, and to do that, we’ll have to recognize where our colleagues are, and educate them and and convince them that this is the right thing to do for the people that they represent. Ultimately, they all represent renters.”

This story was originally published October 21, 2022 at 6:15 AM with the headline "Just 3 California lawmakers say they’re renters. Now they’re starting a renters’ caucus."