Tell Senator Wiener to support tenant protections and vote YES on AB1436
State Senator Scott Wiener (CA District 11)
Sacramento Office: (916) 651-4011
SF Office: (415) 557-1300
My name is __________. I am a constituent, and my zip code is _______. I am a member of Indivisible SF.
I’m calling to ask Senator Wiener to support AB 1436 (Chiu), a bill that would allow tenants impacted this pandemic to stay in their homes and not be evicted due to an inability to make rent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic is escalating in California, as are illegal evictions and lockouts, often conducted with police intervention. Working class and low income renters, especially members of the BIPOC communities, have been hit particularly hard by job loss and higher hospitalization and mortality rates due to COVID-19 on top of long-term homelessness. Assemblymember Chiu's legislation will help stabilize 18 million California renters who are at risk of losing their homes, their jobs, and their lives. AB 1436 will help stave off a homelessness crisis and help us all safely weather this pandemic with the dignity and safety every Californian deserves.
I urge Senator Wiener to pass AB 1436 when it comes up for a vote in the Legislature. California's 18 million tenants are counting on your vote.
Background
Since Governor Newsom declared a State of Emergency on March 4, 2020 due to COVID-19, millions of Californians have lost their jobs or significant income. In recognition of this situation, on April 6, 2020, the California Judicial Council adopted an Emergency Rule to effectively halt evictions; this Rule is set to expire 90 days after the Governor’s COVID-19 State of Emergency ends.
Before COVID-19, many California tenants struggled to pay rent, as over half of renters were considered rent-burdened, paying over 30 percent of their income on rent. During the COVID-19 emergency, this number has only gotten worse, as the state’s unemployment rate has skyrocketed.
Without action to prevent evictions, hundreds of thousands of renters are at risk of losing eviction and homelessness.