Tenants Protections

At PANA, not only do we educate our members about issues that are affecting them, but we ensure they are part of the process in identifying and winning our campaigns. Our members have spoken in front of city council to advance policies such as Inclusionary Housing, affordable housing, and responsible and transparent use of surveillance technology measures. The community is also at the front of our policy campaigns, pushing the agenda forward and having decision making power. 

In June 2016, PANA released it's 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: https://www.panasd.org/refugee-experiences-report

 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. 

Currently, our Steering Committee is engaged in a campaign to ensure that tenants are afforded protections from wrongful evictions and displacement. Our goal is to work with leaders in City Council to create Tenants Rights Board that would be responsible for enforcing state and local laws related to rental housing, regulate rent increases, and mediate landlord and tenant hearings in regards to disputed wrongful evictions. 

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 protections for tenants!

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. 

Create Rent Board for the City of San Diego that will:

• Enforce local, state and federal laws regarding tenant protections

• Provide Legal Assistance to All Low-income Tenants.

• Track Rental Vacancies for Affordable Housing Units Throughout the City

FACT SHEET