Fixing our housing crisis is possible, but only if we take decisive, bold action! As a member of Congress, I'll work to ensure everyone has access to affordable housing, by fighting for a number of policies:

New home development

While there is ample housing available overall, many vacant homes are simply too expensive for most home buyers. Companies can use tax loopholes to leave properties vacant until someone is willing to pay a substantially inflated price. Imagine the city you live in has a ton of vacant million-dollar homes. There may be sufficient housing available, but if it’s out of the reach of the people who need housing, it may as well not exist. 

We need public-funded home development that matches the income needs of local communities. Most of this development should be for multi-family, dense housing units, supported by local infrastructure such as public transit. These new units can be tailored to the buying power of local residents by adjusting size, build style, and location. State or local governments can then sell new housing units directly to residents, undercutting the greed of private developers. These developments can put downward pressure on private markets, provide job opportunities to local residents, and promote green infrastructure.

As a member of Congress, I will fight for the allocation of funding for new home development, bolstered by fixes to local zoning laws and federal tax laws that minimize penalties for vacant units and short-term rentals.

Public home insurance

I will fight to develop a public home insurance program covering all climate impacts, including flood and fire, funded through taxes on the biggest polluters. These public insurance programs would not be tailored toward making a profit, but rather toward providing people with the security that they will be okay in the event of a disaster or hardship. These programs should be primarily implemented in areas where private insurance companies refuse to insure homes or institute policy rates incongruous with local hazards and risks. 

For private insurance companies, we need to disincentivize them from ripping off their policyholders and refusing to insure certain properties. We can implement escalating penalties including fines on the company, criminal sanctions for executives and shareholders, and even the corporate death penalty. 

In some cases, homes have been built in areas that are prone to disasters like wildfires and floods. Public home insurance should cover those areas for existing builds, but not for new builds. If builders choose to construct new homes in high-risk areas, as designated by state and federal guidelines, public home insurance should not be an option. The ability to be insured should provide an incentive for building homes in environmentally sustainable areas using sustainable practices.

Housing for the unhoused 

The main causes of homelessness are stagnant wages, an artificially restricted housing supply, rent collusion from corporate landlords, and insufficient medical and mental health care resources caused by our for-profit healthcare system.

A housing-first plan is the most important step. Without a stable place to live, it is next to impossible to hold down a job, receive medical and mental health treatment, and develop community. The federal government should allocate funding to states to create and maintain public housing for low-income individuals and families.

Financial aid for hardship

When someone loses a job, it can threaten their entire livelihood as well as their family’s. Unemployment assistance is vital, but we can also create short-to-medium-term financial aid for rent, mortgage payments, security deposits, and utility bills to help people keep their homes when they face hardship. This could come in the form of zero- or low-interest loans with appropriate repayment periods, serviced by the state. 

California already provides down payment assistance programs for first-time home buyers, which we can use as a model for temporary financial assistance programs. As a member of Congress, I will push for the creation and distribution of grants so states can develop these programs.

Legal help for renters

Renters are almost always in financially precarious situations. If a landlord decides to increase rents, seek new tenants, or transition the property to a short-term rental, there is little recourse for renters. Congress should allocate funds for state-level programs to provide legal aid, mediation, and case management services for renters.