National Housing Law Project Celebrates Introduction of Bill Protecting California Tenants and Housing Providers From Benefits Cuts, Loss of Housing

Bill Would Act as Bulwark Against Harmful Federal Proposal That Could Force California Housing Authorities to Take Away Housing From Families

LOS ANGELES, CA—The National Housing Law Project (NHLP) today celebrated the introduction of a California bill that aims to protect federally-assisted tenants from strict federal requirements that could take away their housing. Assembly Bill (AB) 2128 introduced by Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, would protect California public housing authorities without a Moving to Work designation, as well as providers offering housing through a federal housing program administered by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), from political pressure to impose harsh work and strict time limit requirements on the poor and working families they help house. 

“Proposals to take away evidence-based benefits and force more of our neighbors into homelessness will worsen the housing crisis across our state. Rather than taking housing away from families, this bill will protect their housing stability, and insulate public housing authorities from pressure to implement harmful policies,” said California Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva (LD-67), the bill’s author.

AB 2128 would proactively shield Californians from HUD’s proposal to kick families out of their homes if they exceed strict time limits or cannot meet harsh work requirements. If adopted, these harmful policies would put millions of people at risk of losing their homes by forcing “work eligible” adults to work up to 40 hours a week, and kicking families out of their homes in as little as two years. 

Harmful policies that take away housing – such as work requirements and time limits – can worsen self-sufficiency, employment prospects, and economic mobility, according to the Congressional Research Service and HUD itself. These policies particularly hurt tenants who struggle to resolve administrative errors, such as people with disabilities, elderly people, or people whose first language isn’t English. 

“Communities thrive when everyone has a safe and affordable place to call home. Taking away housing from poor and working families would punish people just trying to make ends meet, fuel housing instability, and increase homelessness. Public housing authorities already have limited funds that should be used to keep people housed, not diverted for additional, harmful administrative barriers,” said National Housing Law Project Staff Attorney Lila Gitesatani.

Read the full text of the bill here.