1107 9th Street Suite 700, Sacramento CA 95814 T. 916.442.0753 F. 916.442.7966 Sacramento Office Elizabeth A. Landsberg Director of Legislative Advocacy Brian Augusta Legislative Advocate Jessica Bartholow Legislative Advocate Michael E. Herald Legislative Advocate Michael Moynagh Policy Analyst Linda T. Nguy Legislative Advocate March 20, 2015 The Honorable David Chiu California State Assembly State Capitol Sacramento, California Re: AB 418 – Co-sponsor and Support Dear Assembly Member Chiu: On behalf of our low-income clients, we are pleased to co-sponsor and support AB 418. Your bill would remove the sunset (December 31, 2015) on the current statute allowing a survivor of domestic violence and other forms of abuse to terminate a residential lease by providing specified documentation. AB 418 would also decrease the survivor’s remaining rent obligation from 30 days to 14 days. As introduced, the bill would have required the return and accounting for a security deposit in 14 days also. That portion of the bill will be removed in Assembly Judiciary Committee on 3/24. Current law allows a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, elder/dependent adult abuse, human trafficking, or stalking to terminate a residential lease early, based upon giving a statement to a health professional, domestic violence counselor, a sexual assault counselor, or a human trafficking caseworker that he or she has been a victim of abuse. This provision is due to sunset on January 1, 2016. After that date, a survivor may only terminate a lease early by obtaining a temporary restraining order, or through a police report. Many survivors are unable to take either of those actions. A termination under either current law or the more restrictive former provisions obligates the tenant for 30 days of further rent. For those on month-to-month rental agreements, even the current law does not provide a great advantage—month-to-month tenancies normally permit a 30-day notice to terminate. Survivors seeking to extricate themselves from an abusive living situation are hindered by the rent obligation continuing for 30 days. DV and other abusive relationships lead to homelessness. Over 80% of survivors entering shelters identified “finding housing I can afford” as a need, second only to “safety for myself” (85%). Reducing one’s rent obligation will help more survivors find replacement housing. Between 22 and 57% of all homeless women report that domestic violence was the immediate cause of their homelessness. In a 2006 report by the U. S. Conference of Mayors, 44% of the cities surveyed identified domestic violence as the primary cause of homelessness. www.wclp.org The Centers for Disease Control’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey found that, among both men & women, 2.4% will require housing services as a result of DV at some point in their lives. Over half of the women needing housing services received none at all. AB 418 would address these problems in two ways. First, it would remove the sunset date of December 31, 2015 on the ability for a survivor to terminate a residential tenancy early, based upon giving a statement to a healthcare and other enumerated professionals. These provisions would become permanent. Second, it would decrease the maximum rent liability following a notice to terminate from 30 days to 14 days. This change will make the ability to terminate far more effective in allowing victims to escape abusive relationships. To the extent that victims will have the financial resources to move rather than stay, the change may be of benefit to landlords and neighbors who might otherwise be in proximity to further abusive acts. Several states have similar statutes. New York has a 10-day rent obligation. Oregon, the District of Columbia, and the US Virgin Islands all have a 14-day limit. Washington has a variable time frame. RCW 59.18.575 provides that the tenant’s rent obligation ends at the end of the month in which notice was given. Thank you for authoring this important legislation. We look forward to continuing to work with you and your staff to secure enactment of AB 418. Sincerely, Brian Augusta Legislative Advocate cc: Members, Assembly Judiciary Committee Anthony Lew Paul Dress
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