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Community Conversations - 7/31/23 - What's Housing Policy Got to Do with It?

  • 1.  Community Conversations - 7/31/23 - What's Housing Policy Got to Do with It?

    Posted 07-26-2023 12:09 PM

    Updated 7/31 at 3:20pm - Recording now available to watch on-demand!

    We hope to see you on Monday, July 31, 2023 at 11am PT for our next Community Conversations call featuring a presentation by Founder & Executive Director of Housing Equity & Advocacy Team (HEART LA)  @Dianne Prado, "What's Housing Policy Got to Do with It?"

    A pet owner walks into your local animal shelter or calls your organization and says they can't keep their pet because their landlord or management has told them they need to choose the roof over their head or keep their pet. While some protections exist for tenants and for tenants with a disability, the advocacy of animal welfare in the housing space is necessary to create the change needed in housing policies to ensure we keep people and their companion animals together and housed. Join our conversation to learn more about how to intentionally engage in housing policy to create true pet-inclusive housing.

    About HEART LA: 

    Founded in Los Angeles in 2018, Housing Equity & Advocacy Resource Team (HEART L.A.), is a nonprofit public interest law firm that keeps people and their companion animals housed through technical assistance, education, and policy advocacy.

    HEART was created to combine housing rights with animal welfare to fight housing insecurity amongst pet owners. HEART works to empower renters and pet owners through direct legal service and education, educate animal welfare groups in the legal rights of pet owners, and provide housing advocates and attorneys with the expertise and knowledge to best support their pet-owning clients.

    Register here for our Monday Community Conversations Calls: maddies.fund/CommunityConversationsRegistration

    If this topic interests you, be sure to check out our July Resource Drive on all things pet-friendly housing: https://maddies.fund/petfriendlyhousingresourcedrive

    As always, if you are unable to make it live on Monday, this thread will be updated with the recording and resources so you can watch and share whenever you'd like.  After you watch the recording or attend the call live, be sure to complete this July entry form to enter to win a grant: https://www.maddiesfund.org/weekly-community-conversations-jul23-giveaway.htm


    #AccesstoCare
    #CaseManagement*
    #Diversity,Equity,InclusionandJustice
    #EducationandTraining
    #LawsandPublicPolicy
    #PetSupportServices*

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    Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
    Maddie's Fund
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  • 2.  RE: Community Conversations - 7/31/23 - What's Housing Policy Got to Do with It?

    Posted 07-31-2023 10:12 AM

    I am SO incredibly excited to host Dianne. Immediately giving me chill bumps. We appreciate you Dianne!



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    Shonyae Johnson
    Dallas Animal Services
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Community Conversations - 7/31/23 - What's Housing Policy Got to Do with It?

    Posted 07-31-2023 03:53 PM
      |   view attached

    Thank you to the 177+ attendees who joined us on today's call! The recording is now available to watch on-demand. And of course, thank you to the incredible @Dianne Prado from HEART LA  for being our guest speaker today. Below you'll find a recap of the agenda, resources and highlights from the chat. If you have any additional questions you'd like to ask Dianne and the HEART LA team, please leave them in the comments below. 

    Agenda

    Presentation: What's Housing Policy Got to Do with It? 

    Highlights From the Chat

    • "People experiencing homelessness call our office to find pet friendly homeless shelters.  Our website lists as many as we know about.  We would love to list more.  If you know of a shelter, please email me at gf@petsofthehomeless.org and share." - Genevieve Frederick
    • "Added that question to my templates when evictions are mentioned!  It's devastating." - Lucy Fernandez
    • "We are located in a college town with a major university, and policies are quite ridiculous." - Ashley Rodriguez
    • "They charge pet deposits but most landlords I've talked to said they've had more damage from kids than pets. Most apartments have security deposits that cover damage. There's really no reason it doesn't include the pet." - Penny Leisch
    • "Half the people that want to adopt in Las Vegas cannot have pets in their rentals …." - Arina Hanciulescu
      • "I recently moved to Las Vegas (working for my shelter in Boise remotely). I work in cat rescue and want to adopt a cat. I saw so many rentals that were "pet friendly" that only allowed small dogs, and no cats. It was hard enough to find pet-friendly rentals, but seeing how little were actually cat-friendly was very disheartening. I found a place, but it was not easy! We have the same issue in Boise. I'd say about every fourth cat surrendered is due to pet policies." - Maddie Corey
      • "I am in Vegas.  It is very difficult to find rental housing that allow pets especially cats and large breed dogs.  It is terrible." - Maris Brown
      • "Yes, I agree. We need laws in place HERE! They get to do what they want..... owners make the calls here and they're not even in the country!" - Arina Hanciulescu
    • "and those are just official / reported evictions :(" "and it doesn't take into account how many people find strays or take in pets for friends/family. Not everyone is waking up one day and going out to get a new pet! Pets often find us :)" - Maria S
    • "Such an excellent point. Doubling rent IS eviction!" - Lisa Pearce
    • "South Florida is similar. Rent prices have risen among the highest in the country, while "pet deposits" and restrictions increase. As a result, we are seeing record high surrender and dump rates." - Elizabeth Jones
      • "here as well, 45 days to even surrender a pet at our local shelter... it is not good, and rents keep going up! I also do real estate so I know very well...we need help" - Arina Hanciulescu
    • "That's so encouraging that those cities have done it. We need to look at protections here in South Carolina." - Lisa Pearce
    • "We need more ways to help people buy their own homes! The goal of rentals is to make the landlord money, not provide housing. Unfortunately. :( I agree that housing is a right. But rentals are a business for the landlord. So, I'm not sure how those two things can be managed long term. We need more ways for people to buy their own homes!" - Maria S
    • "Here in Austin TX, there are two additional problems. The city shelter takes in no animals except severe injuries. Also, the governor is working on making sure the cities cannot create local policies." "Re Cats, I found out that some of the government assisted apartments require cats to be declawed. That's an area that needs to be investigated and changed too." - Penny Leisch
    • "housing and food are human rights" - Nadia Oseguera
    • "Love all of this!!" - Cecilia Oliveros
    • "Actually, rent control doesn't minimize an owner's profits, but it does limit it to an community-agreed amount, usually tied to the rate of inflation, property taxes, etc." - April King
    • "Love your passion. Charged up on a Monday! Thank you." - Lisa Pearce
    • "Dogs Matter in Dallas fosters dogs while their owners enter addiction treatment and then we try to find Sober Living Housing for many of them afterwards, but 90% of landlords won't except their pet, even if they an ESA." - Stephen Knight - Dogs Matter Dallas
    • "That was great thank you!" - Jordana Moerbe
    • "Hire HEART LA for a training." - Allison Cardona
    • "Excellent points!  Thank you!" - Debra DeVries
    • "Thank you for your presentation." - Elizabeth Iannelli
    • "Can we clone you to create a HEART Austin?" - Lucy Fernandez
    • "Thank you so much for this excellent presentation!!" - Mary Flores
    • "Great presentation - learned so much!" - Susan Austin 


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    Charlotte Otero
    Community Strategist at Maddie's Fund
    she/her
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Community Conversations - 7/31/23 - What's Housing Policy Got to Do with It?

    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
    Posted 07-31-2023 03:54 PM
    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

    Unanswered question from the chat:

    "Something I've seen a lot in Boise is a landlord selling their properties. The previous landlord allowed pets, but the new one doesn't, so people are forced to give up their pets or get evicted because the new landlord has a no pet-policy. If it's in their lease that they are allowed to have pets, is that even technically allowed to just change it because they have a new landlord?" - Maddie Corey


    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Community Conversations - 7/31/23 - What's Housing Policy Got to Do with It?

    Posted 08-04-2023 10:54 AM

    It looks like in Idaho, a landlord can change the terms of the tenancy with 15 days notice. I have reached out to an Idaho Legal Aid attorney to see if they have any further insight on this and make a connection. I will update the thread with any response. In LA City rent control we have a specific provision that does not allow one-sided changes in lease terms and another provision that specifically prohibits changes regarding pets:

    "D.   A landlord shall not change the terms of a tenancy to prohibit pets and then evict the tenant for keeping a pet which was kept and allowed prior to the change, unless the landlord can establish that the pet constitutes a nuisance and the nuisance has not been abated upon proper notice to the tenant." 

    This could be possible policy advocacy to insert this type of language into the current Idaho change of lease terms code.  I have attached two Idaho landlord/tenant guides, one created by Idaho Legal Aid and another by the Idaho Attorney General.  Here is also the link to contact Idaho Legal Aid:  https://www.idaholegalaid.org/node/2170/contact-us

    Please feel free to reach out to me with any more questions or to chat about the possible policy advocacy!

    -Dianne 



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    Dianne Prado
    Housing Equality & Advocacy Resource Team (HEART L.A.)
    Los Angeles CA
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Community Conversations - 7/31/23 - What's Housing Policy Got to Do with It?

    Posted 07-31-2023 03:57 PM

    What's your opinion on new construction of large rental structures with limited below market rate housing?



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    Irene Chansawang
    Senior Grants Specialist
    Maddie's Fund
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Community Conversations - 7/31/23 - What's Housing Policy Got to Do with It?

    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
    Posted 07-31-2023 03:59 PM
    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

    Comment shared in the chat by Jesse Oldham: "Below market" is also really subjective. Here in Philly, we see developers use a % of average income of Philly residents but especially in areas with a lower income range, they should consider a % of that vs the full city average. So "below market" can be almost anything...


    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Community Conversations - 7/31/23 - What's Housing Policy Got to Do with It?

    Posted 08-04-2023 10:59 AM
      |   view attached

    Much of the new construction with limited below market rate housing is done without any community-based input & planning and fails to address race inequities. It is also either fast-tracked by skirting environmental protections or deregulating these protections because the development will include "low-income" units. The result is continued harm perpetuated on BIPOC communities disguised as addressing the housing crisis. 

    We can't build our way out of homelessness while continuing to violently evict families and companion animals from their homes. Eviction is violence. Having the sheriff arrive armed, forcing you out of your home with only the belongings you can take in your arms, is violence. While we continue to commodify housing and choose profit over people, we will continue to need advocacy for stronger tenant protections, a right to counsel, and effective strategies to achieve true inclusive development. 

    Attached is an amazing article written by two powerful and brilliant housing attorneys, Nisha Vyas and Shashi Hanuman, "Race, Place, and Housing in Los Angeles" (the article begins on page 97), that provides race-and place -based solutions that will help measure housing as one essential part of community health.



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    Dianne Prado
    Housing Equality & Advocacy Resource Team (HEART L.A.)
    Los Angeles CA
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Community Conversations - 7/31/23 - What's Housing Policy Got to Do with It?

    Posted 08-04-2023 03:06 PM

    Thanks @Dianne Prado!


    I really appreciate your perspective. This situation often pits community members against one another if some think that the BMR units will help address the affordable housing crisis. However, the number of "market rate" units seems awfully disproportionate to the number of BMR units allowed for a project to get approved. Then we end up with these high-rises with high turnover (or worse, eviction scenarios because they are too expensive) cropping up all over the state. 

    It looks like other states might face similar situations, and I agree with Jesse that the BMR threshold seems arbitrary and lacks transparency. 

    I've heard from other call participants that this issue needs to be discussed more! Thank you for your time and expertise, and for all you're doing to keep people and pets housed!



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    Irene Chansawang
    Senior Grants Specialist
    Maddie's Fund
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Community Conversations - 7/31/23 - What's Housing Policy Got to Do with It?

    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
    Posted 07-31-2023 04:08 PM
    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

    Unanswered question from the chat:

    "Do you own a home?" - Alina Hanciulescu


    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Community Conversations - 7/31/23 - What's Housing Policy Got to Do with It?

    Posted 08-04-2023 11:02 AM

    Home is where the HEART is- pun intended given my organization's name is HEART. My overall message is housing is a right. If there is a question regarding my overall message or different point of view as to why housing is not or should not be right, I am open to listening. As for questions regarding personal information that only distract from the message and are a form of discrediting the messenger without ever addressing the message- they won't be answered. Conversations that push back on the traditions of property rights, which are rooted in racism, are not easy and don't feel comfortable. To get to know ourselves better we need to ask ourselves questions we don't know the answers to.  Instead of asking questions of the person giving the message, look in the mirror and ask yourself: What does home mean to you? How does housing as a right make you feel?  Because at the end of the day, this has nothing to do with me or whether I own a home.



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    Dianne Prado
    Housing Equality & Advocacy Resource Team (HEART L.A.)
    Los Angeles CA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Community Conversations - 7/31/23 - What's Housing Policy Got to Do with It?

    Posted 08-14-2023 07:53 AM

    It is affirming to know that so many are dedicated to both ends of the leash. The phrase, we care for people and the pets who love them exemplifies the human-animal bond. In our market of Charleston County, South Carolina, there has been an alarming trend for the last 10 years of "planned eviction" by doubling and tripling rents for both private families as well as businesses.  Charleston may be the number one voted tourist destination but it is how we care for the most vulnerable that presents the greatest challenge. At any time, at any moment, animals and people become unhoused. Thank you to Maddies' for continuing this thoughtful conversation and for engaging such an exceptional speaker in Dianne Prado. We need a hundred of her! 



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    Lisa Pearce
    Senior Grants Administrator
    Charleston Animal Society
    North Charleston, SC
    843-329-0769
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    Original Message


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