The Water Equity and Climate Resilience (WECR) Caucus’s federal advocacy focuses on closing water access and affordability gaps in the United States while increasing the capacity of frontline water justice organizations to effectively engage in federal policy and advocate for safe, affordable, and reliable water for all. Download to learn about our 2024 federal policy priorities.

The City of Salinas is working on a rental stabilization ordinance. This fact sheet provides a comprehensive overview of housing affordability in Salinas, highlighting the housing and economic challenges renters face.

Key Findings

• More than half (53 percent) of households in Salinas are renters, a proportion that has grown significantly over the years.
• With rents increasing at a rate much faster than incomes, many renters are struggling to afford their housing costs.
• As a result, a majority (52 percent) of the city's renters are now considered rent-burdened, spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing.
• Rent affordability is a racial and gender equity issue, with people of color, especially women of color, more likely to be renters and rent-burdened.
• If renters only paid what they could afford, each rent-burdened household would save a yearly average of $8,300.

About the Salinas Rental Stabilization Ordinance

If passed, the ordinance drafted by the Salinas Housing & Land Use Committee will:
• Implement reasonable rent stabilization,
• Provide protections against arbitrary and unjust evictions,
• Ensure healthy living conditions for renters, and
• Prevent tenant harassment.

Additional Information

• Learn more at tinyurl.com/salinasrenters.

Partners

This fact sheet was created by the Bay Area Equity Atlas — a partnership between the San Francisco Foundation, PolicyLink, and the USC Equity Research Institute. It was developed to support the housing advocacy efforts of Public Advocates and BHC Monterey County, a member of the Salinas Coalition for Housing Rights.

This fact sheet provides a comprehensive overview of housing affordability in Redwood City, highlighting the housing and economic challenges renters face. It highlights an upcoming ballot measure, including a proposed fair and affordable housing ordinance, and underscores the importance of local policies that protect renters and stabilize housing costs.

Key Findings

• More than half (52 percent) of households in Redwood City are renters, a proportion that has grown significantly over the years.
• With rents increasing at a rate much faster than incomes, many renters are struggling to afford their housing costs.
• As a result, nearly half (49 percent) of the city's renters are now considered rent-burdened, spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing.
• Rent affordability is a racial and gender equity issue, with people of color, especially women of color, more likely to be renters and rent-burdened.
• If renters only paid what they could afford, each rent-burdened household would save a yearly average of $15,300. 

About the Redwood City Fair and Affordable Housing Ordinance

Faith in Action Bay Area leaders and community allies are working to pass the Redwood City Fair and Affordable Housing Ordinance for the November 2024 ballot. If passed, this grassroots ballot measure will:
• Implement reasonable rent stabilization,
• Provide protections against arbitrary and unjust evictions,
• Ensure healthy living conditions for renters,
• Prevent tenant harassment, and
• Establish a city-run rent program for transparent oversight.

Additional Information

• Learn more and get involved at affordableredwoodcity.com.
• Follow the campaign on Instagram at @affordableredwoodcity.

Partners

This fact sheet was created by the Bay Area Equity Atlas — a partnership between the San Francisco Foundation, PolicyLink, and the USC Equity Research Institute. It was developed to support the housing advocacy efforts of Public Advocates, Faith in Action Bay Area, and Affordable Redwood City.

Se están eligiendo más personas de diferentes grupos étnicos como funcionarios en el Área de la Bahía. Sin embargo, la mayoría de los principales cargos electos siguen ocupados por personas blancas. Si bien la diversidad en los cargos electos no conduce automáticamente a políticas equitativas, ayuda a garantizar que las personas de comunidades subrepresentadas y excluidas estén en condiciones de liderar y dar forma a los sistemas y políticas que afectan sus vidas. Para fortalecer nuestra democracia, nuestros funcionarios electos deben reflejar las diversas experiencias de las comunidades a las que sirven y gobiernan para promover el bienestar colectivo de la región.

More people of color are being elected in the Bay Area. Yet most of the top elected positions remain held by white people. While diversity in elected office doesn’t automatically lead to equitable policies, it helps ensure that people from underrepresented and excluded communities are positioned to lead and shape the systems and policies that affect their lives. To strengthen our democracy, our elected officials must reflect the diverse experiences of the communities they serve and govern to advance the region’s collective well-being.

The Fifth National Climate Assessment, released November 14, 2023 summarizes the latest scientific consensus on climate science in the United States. The report finds safe, reliable water supplies in the United States are threatened by drought, flooding, and sea level rise. Climate change is degrading water quality for people and ecosystems, and threatening public health. While many communities across the country are already investing in climate-water solutions, adaptation efforts aren’t moving fast enough to keep up with the speed of climate change impacts on water resources. This summary highlights the water-related subject-matter findings of the assessment.

Art credit: "Redrawing the Earth" is a 2023 colored pencil drawing submitted by Ritika S. in Grade 8 as part of the National Climate Assessment's Art x Climate gallery.

The Fifth National Climate Assessment, released November 14, 2023 summarizes the latest scientific consensus on climate science in the United States. The report finds safe, reliable water supplies in the United States are threatened by drought, flooding, and sea level rise. Climate change is degrading water quality for people and ecosystems, and threatening public health. While many communities across the country are already investing in climate-water solutions, adaptation efforts aren’t moving fast enough to keep up with the speed of climate change impacts on water resources. This summary highlights the water-related subject-matter findings of the assessment.

Art credit: "Redrawing the Earth" is a 2023 colored pencil drawing submitted by Ritika S. in Grade 8 as part of the National Climate Assessment's Art x Climate gallery.

Fact sheet for federal legislators on the importance of water assistance, needed improvements to the temporary Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), principles for establishing a permanent program, and the need to shift toward long-term water affordability.