Citywide Residential AntiDisplacement Strategy
Status Report
Ragan Henninger
Deputy Director
Emily Hislop
Division Manager
Kristen Clements
Division Manager
Community and Economic
Development Committee
September 26, 2022
Item (d) 1
2 Top 4 Recommendations:
1. Equitable COVID-19 Response and Recovery
2. Anti-Displacement and Neighborhood Tenant
Preferences
3. Community Opportunity to Purchase Program (COPA)
4. Underrepresented Communities on Commissions,
including Lived Experience with Homelessness seat on
Housing & Community Development Commission
(Commission)
Citywide Residential Anti-Displacement Strategy
3 For San José, as of September 17, 2022:
• $128.1M paid on behalf of 10,702 households
• $107.8M (84%) to 9,152 Very and Extremely LowIncome households* • 49.3% of applicants are Latino/a/x-headed households
• 62.6% are Extremely Low-Income households*
COVID-19 Response: State Emergency Rental
Assistance
*Very Low-Income (VLI) households earn 31-50% of Area Median Income Extremely Low-Income households earn ≤ 30% of Area Median Income 4 Lawsuit against state Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) brought in June 2022
Legal Aid and Tenant Advocacy Orgs allege HCD ran program in an “opaque and discriminatory manner”
Also alleged many denials were unjust, tenants provided with inadequate information and no meaningful way to appeal
Preliminary Injunction issued against HCD mid-July barring the program from issuing final denial decisions
Legal Challenge to CA COVID-19 Rental
Assistance Program
5 Temporary, targeted program to intervene in evictions of tenants based on non-payment of rent
Currently administered by City and Sacred Heart Community Services
Other partners are Destination: Home and Project Sentinel Court Mediation Program
Voluntary program for tenants at imminent risk of eviction and who meet other criteria
Federal monies used to fund program must be obligated by September 30, 2022
Eviction Diversion and Settlement Program
6 Launched weekly holistic unlawful detainer clinic at the Superior Court Courthouse on June 1st
Clinic Partners: Court, County, Self-Help Center, Sacred Heart, Destination: Home and the Project Sentinel Court Mediation Program
Open to tenants and landlords in UD (eviction) actions
Assistance with court filings or legal referrals, access to mediation services and other resources to help resolve the Court action, avoid judgment and work towards stable housing
Goal to have Clinic be a permanent part of the UD process Unlawful Detainer Court Clinic
7 4th Quarter FY 2021-22 results of staff work at Eviction Prevention Help Centers and at Court:
• 625 households assisted in-person completing or appealing rent relief applications; 2,241 assisted by phone
• 239 households received legal services (10 in-person, 229 by phone) • 18 outreach events and community engagements
• at least 60 households assisted at Court
Eviction Diversion and Settlement Program
• 68 cases since May launch
• $295K paid out or promised to property owners so far, stabilizing 19 tenant households
Eviction Diversion Efforts
Anti-Displacement Activities
8 Topic Activities
Tenant Preferences
• SB 649 (Cortese) outcome
• Hire FUSE fellow to do analysis and program draft
• Proceed with analysis based on State’s draft guidance Community Opportunity
to Purchase Program
(COPA)
• Deferred due to Housing Element
• Resume work in fall
• Coordinate with community partner
Lived Experience
Commissioner + Stipends
• New City staffer
• Amend application with Clerk’s Office
• Conduct outreach on opportunity, help to recruit
• Implement program supports
Citywide Residential AntiDisplacement Strategy
Status Report
Ragan Henninger
Deputy Director
Emily Hislop
Division Manager
Kristen Clements
Division Manager
Community and Economic
Development Committee
September 26, 2022
Item d.1
EHC Monthly In-Person Visits
10 EHC In-Person Visits July 18, 2022 – Aug 24, 2022
11