HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions 89-293 N.C.S. 09/18/1989.-
RCS®lU~i(~rl No. 89-29.3 N C.S.
of the City of Petaluma, California
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6 RESOLUTION SUPPORTING HOUSING NOW
7 AND THE CALIFORNIA RIGHT TO HOUSING CAMPAIGN
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10 WHEREAS, a recent report on the housing needs of
11 poor people in the United States reveals that 45 percent of
12 all poverty level renters pay more than 70 percent for rent;
13 and
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15 WHEREAS, more than 1.5 million households in
16 California -- as many as 4.2 million people -- earn less
17 than $7,050 per year and pay more than 600 of that income
18 for rent; and
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20 WHEREAS, current federal housing assistance
21 programs reach fewer than one-third of all poverty level
22 renters and less than one-quarter of all those eligible for
23 assistance; and
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25 WHEREAS, recent studies indicate that as many as 3
26 million people are homeless in the United States during the
27 year and indications are that there may be nearly 250,000
28 homeless in California; and
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30 WHEREAS, the fastest growing element of the
31 homeless population in the United States are families with
32 children and estimates are that one third of the homeless in
33 California are families, and that 10,000 to 30,000 of
34 California's homeless are children under 18 years of age who
35 are members of a homeless family; and
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37 WHEREAS, federal funding for housing assistance
38 problems serving low-income people have sustained a 78o cut
39 from 1981-1987 and the number of new federally assisted
40 units has plummeted from above 200,000 per year to about
41 25,000 and annual appropriations for HUD have shrunk from 40
42 of the total federal budget to less than .01a for the
43 current fiscal year; and
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45 WHEREAS, California, once a leader in the area of
46 affordable housing, currently lags behind comparable states
47 in both total and per capita funding for homeless and
48 affordable housing programs; and
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5Q WHEREAS, the National Low Income Housing
51 Preservation Commission found in 1988 that as many as
52 500,000 affordable homes could be converted to other uses or
53 eliminated in the next 10 years without immediate,
54 aggressive federal action and indications are that 130,000
k~s. N~.._.8.9.-293....... v.cs.
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4 federally assisted housing units in California may also be
5 eliminated or converted by the year 200.8; and
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7 WHEREAS, .national, state and local organizations
8 throughout the country have joined together to create the
9 Housing Now campaign and sponsor a major peaceful
10 demonstration. on Qctober 7, 1989 to demand an end to the low
11 income housing crisis; and
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13 WHEREAS, individual citizens and organizations
14 concerned with housing and homelessness have banded together
15 to launch the California Right to Housing Campaign; and
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17 WHEREAS, the City of Petaluma finds that every
18 state in the nation including California faces a housing
19 crisis for low and moderate income people, and that this
20 crisis is fueled by the absolute shortage of affordable
21 housing, and that recent cutbacks in federal housing
22 programs and eros°-ion of the state suppgrt for housing needs
23 have aggravated this crisis by denying help to those most in
24 need; and
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26 WHEREAS., the City of Petaluma finds that the
27 federal government must fulfill the promise made in 1949 to
28 provide a decent home fo.r all Americans, and that lack of
29 affordable housing is one of the primary causes of
30 homelessness, and that homelessness is unacceptable; and
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32 WHEREAS, the City of Petaluma finds that the state
33 of California needs a new commitment to affordable housing
34 and a meaningful level of funding to help local communities
35 address the rapidly growing housing problems of not only the
36 homeless but all low income people, the elderly, the
37 handicapped, veterans, the mentally ill, single mothers, and
38 young families with children and others for whom affordable
39 housing is unavailable;
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41 NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of
42 Petaluma endorses the Housing Now campaign and activities on
43 October '7, :1989, and supports its three goals -- an end to
44 homelessness, the provision of permanent, affordable housing
45 opportunities .for all Americans, and restoration of federal
46 housing assistance funds to meet these goals -- and will
47 work with community-based groups, churches, synagogues, the
48 private sector, volunteers and others to participate in
49 Housing Now activates; and
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Reso. 89-'~g3 N.C.S.
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5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Petaluma
6 endorses the California Right to Housing Campaign and its
7 efforts to bring the issue of affordable housing to the
S attention of all policy makers, public officials and the
9 general public and create new state and local initiatives to
10 address the housing needs of California's most vulnerable
11 and needy populations.
Under the power and authority conferred upon this Council by the Charter of said City.
REFERENCE; I hereby certify the foregoing Resolution was introduced and adopted by the, ,ELpprfoved as to
Council of the City of Petaluma at a (Regular) (~~ meeting
on the ..-•---~.~ kYl,-....-.. day of ..............S ~.p1;.emhex....................-., 19-~.9.-., by the - .
following vote: ..-.........-~ .. ........................
l ~/City ttorney
AYES: Tencer, Woolsey, Cavanagh, Balshaw, Davis, Vice Mayor Sobel, Mayor Hilligos~s
NOES: ~
ABSENT:
ATTEST:
CA 10-85
% ' /~
0 ~/
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it Clerl: ~ Mayor
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Gbuncil File---•-• ...............--°----•°-•
Hes. N~.....8.9.-...2.93; ..... N.c.s.