Tenant Protections

In June 2016, PANA released its first report, “San Diego Refugee Experiences” the conclusion of 50 house meetings led by San Diego refugee residents to study how the community is faring in areas such as health, education, jobs and housing. What we found was that across all of our communities, for our families fleeing conflict from Africa, Southeast Asia, or the Middle East, housing insecurity follows them here in the United States.

In our 2020 survey, we interviewed 544 refugees and first-generation community members about health, employment, housing, COVID-19, education, and their sense of safety and belonging. The updated report can be found here.

 We know that if we can solve the housing crisis for our most marginalized communities, we can solve it for everyone. That's why on Human Rights Day in December 2016, PANA launched the #RightToARoof campaign for affordable, quality homes for all. Through this campaign, we organized over 200 community members to participate and give testimony at city council meetings regarding the need for more affordable housing. 

While many rights exist within federal, local and state law, these laws are often not enforced. This leaves low-income seniors and families at the mercy of bad landlords.

This is why we are pushing for stronger tenant protections!

The Solution

Pass a strong and enforceable Tenant Protections Ordinance

Our proposed Tenant Protections Ordinance would expand current protections in place for tenants and close loopholes by placing limits on landlords who are wrongfully evicting tenants within the City of San Diego. The updated law will provide robust protections for renters, close loopholes that landlords use to wrongfully evict families, and provide relocation assistance to renter families who have done everything right and still face eviction of no fault of their own.

tenant protections ordinance: FACT SHEET