Senator Wiener’s Statement on Being Named Chair of the Senate Housing Committee

December 22, 2018

San Francisco –  Today, Senator Scott Wiener issued the following statement upon being named Chair of the Senate Housing Committee:

“I am deeply honored and humbled to be named Chair of the Senate Housing Committee. I am extremely grateful to our President Pro Tem, Senator Toni Atkins, for the confidence she has placed in me. California is grappling with an unprecedented and severe housing shortage of 3.5 million homes. This shortage undermines our state’s economic, climate, and equity goals. Too many Californians are struggling with housing. Too many people are being evicted or otherwise displaced. Too many working families are being pushed into crushing commutes, unable to afford housing near where they work. Too many young people are unable to get a foothold or to live anywhere near where they grew up. We are pricing out a generation, and forcing people into over-crowded conditions or homelessness. We have a solemn obligation to fight for California’s future by taking bold action to address our housing crisis. Much work lies ahead to make up for years of inaction, and that work needs to happen at both the local and state level. We’re all in this together. I look forward to advancing a progressive housing agenda - one that ensures we are building enough housing at all income levels, investing in affordable and public housing, and protecting tenants from eviction.”