PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Will Depoo, Senior Campaign Organizer at Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development (ANHD) on the Housing Recovery and Resident Protection Act
2:15:54
·
143 sec
Will Depoo, representing ANHD, testifies in support of the Housing Recovery and Resident Protection Act (formerly known as TPT), emphasizing its importance in holding negligent landlords accountable and ensuring access to safe, affordable housing for low-income communities of color.
- Recommends financial and technical support, stricter criteria for class 1 vs class 2 properties, and clear information for tenants in multiple languages
- Suggests properties should be transferred to the city or qualified non-profit organizations rather than for-profit developers
- Calls for improved interagency communication and cross-training to streamline the process for property owners and tenants
Will Depoo
2:15:54
Okay.
2:15:55
Thank you, Sherry, and members of the Housing Billings Committee for the opportunity to testify today.
2:16:00
I also wanna express my appreciation to council member Sanchez for her commitment to fostering collaboration through this process.
2:16:07
My name is Will Deepu, and I'm a senior campaign organizer at ADHD.
2:16:11
ADHD is one of the city's leading policy advocacy and technical assistance and capacity building organizations.
2:16:18
We we maintain a membership of 80 plus neighborhood based in city wide nonprofit organizations that have affordable housing and or equitable economic development as a central component of your mission.
2:16:30
We see the housing and rescue, resident protection act, formerly known as CPT as a crucial step in holding negligent landlords accountable and ensuring low income communities of color can access safe and affordable housing.
2:16:43
At ADHD, preserving affordable housing and protecting tenants, it's central to our mission.
2:16:49
It's essential for the city to have an effective mechanism to transfer distressed properties from irresponsible landlords to responsible nonprofit preservation purchasers.
2:16:59
In order to best support our members, CDC's, and tenant organizing groups, we recommend the following.
2:17:05
Financial and technical support throughout the process, stricter criteria for class 1 versus class 2 tend to show bad landlords do not take advantage.
2:17:14
Of off ramps designed for homeowners, applying extenuating circumstances to slowly to class 1 violations and excluding BC violations from prior ownership or duplicate violations, We we recommend that the property be transferred either to the city or to a qualified third party.
2:17:34
We believe that property meant for affordable housing should not go to for profit developers unless no other nonprofit developer, Community Land Trust has applied and qualified for it.
2:17:43
There should be clear information for tenants under rights that is in multiple languages and incorporate text and email notifications.
2:17:50
There needs to be interagency communication, cross training for a staff from DLF, DDP, and NHPD.
2:17:57
I just have one point left.
2:17:59
To ensure that they understand their roles and responsibilities for each other promoting streamline process for the property owners and tenants alike.
2:18:08
So we call on the council to take meaningful steps and short any reforms not only address Our housing challenges would also safeguard our rights and dignity for tenants.
2:18:16
Thank you for the time.
