Empowering Renters: Inside the Movement of California’s Renter Caucus Fighting for Housing Justice

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WHAT CAN A RENTERS’ CAUCUS DO?

Matt Haney, Alex Lee and Isaac 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. Caucus members know they will need to 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.

A small group of assembly members in Sacramento joined a renter’s caucus to improve representation of those struggling to cover the cost of their housing month to month.

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 they 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.
Among Latinos, more than 50% of the population pay rent.