Thread by @TenantsTogether

🧵 🧵 🧵 BIG THREAD 🧵 🧵 🧵

We're glad many pressing issues were addressed in this proposal. But let's be clear: the expertise & experiences of renters experiencing hardship & the orgs who serve them were marginalized in the creation of this bill, despite months of planning.

https://twitter.com/SenToniAtkins/status/1353789159282855936

1. Extending AB 3088's eviction protections must to be passed by January 31st. But disbursing federal rent relief did not.

Is sooner better to get money out the door? Yes! But badly designed or rushed programs mean tenants & small landlords fall through the cracks. Here's how.

2. #AB15 & #AB16, driven by a broad coalition of tenant, labor, legal aid, public health, & social justice groups on the ground, was to extend existing protections by 1/31... then do the hard work of a thoughtful, efficient relief program that works for all Californians.

3. What happened once again, as last year, was a rushed attempt to implement both the extension of eviction protections and the rent relief programs at once.

We simply can't further undermine Californians' faith in government at such a critical time.

https://twitter.com/KJGMac11/status/1353818709241061378

4. The good: landlords who participate will have their debt recouped 80% if they forgive 20%!

The bad: landlords who refuse assistance can exploit tenants through illegal lockouts, no-fault & Ellis Act evictions, aggressive debt collection, & harassment without consequences.

5. Our coalition was led by vulnerable renters who worked overtime to share their struggles & elevate the needs of millions of indebted Californians on the verge of eviction & homelessness. They should be proud.

But #SB91 has not done them justice.

https://twitter.com/publicadvocates/status/1353874475993821184

6. For tenants who qualify for rent relief and whose landlords refuse to accept relief, only 25% of their total debt will be granted to them.

So that's 80% for landlords, 25% for tenants, and threadbare additional protections against retaliation.

7. When we talk about who informs good governance in this pandemic and beyond: it's the people who fall through the cracks. It's BIPOC & low-income communities suffering most. It's the movement we've built.

We're still fighting for our seat at the table.

https://twitter.com/Rendon63rd/status/1353829512170016768

8. Even with the vaccine, CA's economy & working class won't recover fully by 6/30, when these protections sunset once again.

We can't keep making up arbitrary dates like we have twice now. We need to tie protections to real indicators of public health and economic recovery.

9. We need to talk about a real pathway to recovery, not kick hard decisions down the road, @CAgovernor @SenToniAtkins @Rendon63rd.

We welcome your immediate support in closing the loopholes created today. Please center policy expertise from the ground & make critical fixes.

10. Every renter who told a story, signed a petition, met with their legislator all while struggling to keep the lights on, dealing with harassment & debt, caring for your families, paying your bills, putting food on the table:

This is not enough. We are still fighting for you.