Housing Rights Advocates Take on Corporate Landlord Lobbyists California Apartment Association and Stage Socially-Distant Protest

Wednesday, August 26, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. socially-distant protest will take place at 980 Ninth Street, Sacramento

As millions of Californians face severe housing insecurity due to the devastating economic loss brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and expiring eviction moratoriums, housing justice and health care advocates will stage action to defend against corporate landlord greed

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With millions of Californians facing expiring eviction moratoriums and severe housing insecurity, advocates from Housing Is A Human Right (HHR), the housing advocacy division of AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), and the Proposition 21 campaign will stage a socially-distant protest against the California Apartment Association (CAA).

The CAA is the most powerful landlord lobbying group in the state. The organization represents Big Real Estate special interests and has shelled out millions in campaign cash to oppose responsible rent control initiatives that call for limiting unfair rent increases. In 2018, through tricks and deception, the lobbying group unsuccessfully attempted to repeal tenant protections in Mountain View. And in 2019, the CAA successfully forced the El Cerrito City Council to repeal tenant protections. During the coronavirus pandemic, the CAA unsuccessfully tried to repeal a temporary rent freeze in Santa Ana. The CAA is now operating a key campaign committee that's raising millions to defeat Prop 21, a November ballot initiative that will limit unfair rent increases, preserve affordable housing, and keep CA families in their homes.

"The CAA continues to leverage its deep pockets to stop every attempt by housing advocates to implement renter protections in California," said René Christian Moya, campaign director for the Yes On 21 campaign. “It is time for greedy corporate landlords and the entities that shamelessly do their biddings to be held accountable for their actions that have fueled the state’s ongoing housing affordability and homeless crises."

The SOCIALLY-DISTANT PROTEST will start at 4:00 p.m. and runs until 5:00 p.m. at 980 Ninth Street, Sacramento.

WHAT:	HOUSING RIGHTS PROTEST led by housing justice advocates to defend against lobbying efforts by CAA in support of corporate landlord greed
WHEN:	Wednesday, August 26, 2020 - 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
WHERE:	980 Ninth Street, Sacramento
B-ROLL:	10-foot tall puppet, 30+ advocates will hold a socially-distant protest, in which they will stand six feet apart and wear facemasks, in observance of COVID-19 protocol.

The housing rights activists will also send a clear message to Steve Maviglio, president of Forza Communications and paid spokesperson for the No On Prop 21 campaign, funded by corporate landlords and led by the CAA: Stop putting profits above people. Keep California families in their homes.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the parent non-profit of Housing Is A Human Right and Healthy Housing Foundation, has long addressed public health emergencies -- from the AIDS epidemic to the Ebola crisis to California’s homeless crisis. AHF will do everything it can to help the vulnerable during this difficult time.