SACRAMENTO, CA – Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) today introduced legislation establishing a grant program to be administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development that will allow for the distribution of funds to homeowners in need.

“Housing is a human security issue, and California is not living up to this fundamental ideal of our institution,” said Senator Hurtado. “We are in a critical moment that action or lack thereof, will further worsen the crisis we have at hand. Every Californian has their own unique housing story of struggle to share.  SB 847 aims to help those that have been overlooked and forgotten.”

SB 847—The Homeowners Relief Act—will close the coverage gap for tenants and homeowners who have applied and been rejected from the state rental assistance program. As of July 2021, more than 1.8 million homeowners were behind on their mortgages, many of which own rental property. SB 847 will establish a grant program administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development, which will allow funds to be distributed to homeowner applicants.

While the Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program has provided $5.2 billion to California to pay rent for low-income tenants who have been unable to pay their rent, the program only provides rental relief for tenants who make 80% of the area median income—leaving many without support or assistance.

A California law has allowed tenants to pay 25 percent of their past due rent, and in return tenants have received protection from eviction for the remainder of unpaid rent. Tenants are not required to apply for funding through the Rental Assistance Program, leaving rental property owners only the ability to collect unpaid rent through small claims court.

Media Contact: Michelle.Sherwood@sen.ca.gov

About Senator Melissa Hurtado

Senator Melissa Hurtado represents a new generation of Latina leaders as the youngest woman ever elected to the California State Senate and a product of immigrant parents. Senator Hurtado represents the 14th Senate District and focuses on rural community issues that often go unheard — access to clean air and water, food insecurity and poverty, inequities in environmental policies, agriculture and access to health care. In July 2020, she was appointed to the national Biden Latino Leadership Committee alongside former Labor Secretary and current Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis – the only two California Latinas on the Committee.

For more information, visit Senator Hurtado’s Website here or find her on Twitter at @Senator_Hurtado

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