AB3088 Stakeholder Engagement

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, loss of employment income has exacerbated challenges facing tenants, landlords and homeowners in California. In response to this crisis, the Legislature passed, and the Governor signed AB 3088 (Chapter 37, Statutes of 2020), the Tenant, Homeowner, and Small Landlord Relief and Stabilization Act of 2020. AB 3088 charged the Business, Consumer Services and Housing (BCSH) and Department of Finance (DOF) with engaging relevant stakeholders about strategies and approaches to direct potential future federal stimulus funding to most effectively and efficiently provide relief to distressed tenants, landlords, and homeowners.

The Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency held a robust stakeholder and partner engagement process from October 20 – November 23, 2020, using an online survey as the primary source of input and facilitating several convenings. Three hundred and ninety-nine (399) survey respondents participated, representing a variety of professional and personal backgrounds as well as cross-state geographical representation. They indicated that the following three eligible uses were the most important:

  1. Assisting persons experiencing homelessness with high risk of COVID-19 exposure;
  2. Rehousing assistance to support people to exit homelessness successfully, including short- to medium-term rental assistance; and
  3. Assistance for low- and moderate-income tenants and landlords.

Many survey participants also noted that limited housing-related COVID-19 relief funds should go to the most vulnerable populations - individuals experiencing homelessness and most at risk for COVID-19 exposure. However, it is also clear that need extends more broadly, and the survey demonstrated a high demand for other programs and services as well. There was not clear consensus on the best methods of distribution, which may reflect both the restricted nature of the federal programs as well as the wide variation in survey respondents.

December 7, 2020 Stakeholder Findings Meeting Materials

October 20, 2020 Stakeholder Engagement Kick-off Meeting Materials