Sacramento, CA – The California Housing Consortium released the following statement from Executive Director Ray Pearl on Governor Jerry Brown’s revised budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2017-2018:

“California has made a bold commitment to protect the health and well-being of our residents from federal action that undermines these priorities, so it is deeply disappointing to see a budget that falls short of upholding these values by ignoring the state’s affordable housing crisis.

“One in three Californians can’t afford rent. Our state has the worst poverty rate in the nation. California will never change that embarrassing reality without new investments to jumpstart affordable home construction and fixing broken policies that have made the housing crisis worse.

“While we continue to believe that General Fund resources should not be off the table given the magnitude of the crisis, housing advocates have heeded the call from Governor Brown to increase affordable housing construction without affecting the General Fund. A package of bills making its way through the Legislature would make a significant dent in the housing shortfall, and must be acted on immediately. That includes AB 71 (Chiu) and SB 2 (Atkins) that will allow California to invest in proven affordable home programs, boost the economy, and create jobs – all without General Fund commitment.

“Still, families with children, students, veterans, people with disabilities and seniors who are spending more than half their incomes on rent need the Governor and legislative leaders to utilize every tool at their disposal to alleviate California’s poverty-inducing affordability crisis. It will take legislative and budget action to accomplish that challenge, and it’s incumbent upon our leaders to uphold their commitment to inclusion, health, economic opportunity through investments in affordable homes.”