ACCE contra HCD

Justicia en materia de vivienda

Exigir responsabilidades a California por sus fallos en la aplicación del programa COVID-19 de reducción de alquileres

The COVID-19 Rent Relief program (also referred to as the Emergency Rental Assistance Program or ERAP) was created by the federal government to keep low-income tenants housed if they faced difficulty paying rent because of the COVID-19 pandemic. California identified over $6 billion in state and federal funds, and the California Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD) was charged with creating an application process, screening tenants for eligibility, and distributing the program funds.

However, the application process for California’s COVID-19 Rent Relief program (Housing is Key) was burdensome for many of the most vulnerable people who needed such assistance. It required extensive paperwork and documentation, access to email and the ability to check it regularly, and the ability to navigate the system in English, even if it isn’t the tenant’s preferred language. If they managed to apply, tenants still waited months for a response and received a variety of vague responses, including approval for partial payments or a full denial of payment without adequate explanation.

The process was profoundly unfair, didn’t meet constitutional standards, and failed to achieve its most basic aim in many instances: keeping Californians housed. That’s why community-based tenant organizations Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) Action and Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE), along with research and action institute PolicyLink, filed a lawsuit against HCD for administering COVID-19 Rent Relief in a way that is opaque and disproportionately harms tenants on the basis of race, color, and national origin. The suit also challenges HCD’s refusal to provide public records that would shed light on its administration of the program. 

Public Counsel, Western Center on Law & Poverty, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, and Covington & Burling LLP joined forces to represent the plaintiffs and, in Mayo 2023, reached a historic agreement with the State of California to settle the COVID-19 rent relief cases. The settlement will bring resolution and hope to over 100,000 households who have been waiting for a year or more for the chance to receive support from the State of California. The settlement will provide new opportunities for those denied rental assistance to appeal, will add clarity to application denials, and will expand a network of community partners to assist tenants in responding to denials and appeals. People who still have pending applications as of the date of the settlement should expect to receive a new series of communications from the State and, if their applications are denied, will have 30 days to file an appeal to receive rental assistance. 

Because of this lawsuit, the State of California will improve its administration of a crucial pandemic relief program to comply with due process. As a result, low-income Californians will have a better shot at receiving the rental assistance they need to avoid eviction and stay housed. 

Tribunal

Superior Court of The State Of California, County Of Alameda

Estado

Establecido

Caso No.

22CV012263

Archivado en

06/06/2022

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Evolución de la jurisprudencia y documentos clave

Liquidación

Settlement Reached

Plaintiffs and defendants have reached a landmark settlement on behalf of Californians struggling with pandemic rent debt. The agreement holds the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) accountable for failures in implementing the Covid-19 Rent Relief Program. The settlement will provide new opportunities for those denied rental assistance to appeal, will add clarity to application denials, and will expand a network of community partners to assist tenants in responding to denials and appeals. People who have pending applications as of the date of the settlement should expect to receive a new series of communications from the State and will have 30 days to file an appeal to receive rental assistance if their application is denied.

Documentos

Gobernando

Judge Orders State to Create Denial Notices that Satisfy Due Process

In modifying the Preliminary Injunction to comply with the Court of Appeal order, Alameda Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch said the state’s denial notices must “specify the facts supporting the denial” to satisfy due process, meaning the notice must provide enough information for applicants to understand why the state does not believe their application meets program requirements. The Court acknowledged that being told why tenants are being denied is important to allow applicants a meaningful opportunity to appeal and correct their paperwork.

Documentos

Gobernando

Court of Appeal Orders Superior Court to Narrow Preliminary Injunction

In Noviembre 2022, HCD filed a Petition for an Extraordinary Writ with the Court of Appeal asking the court to overturn the Preliminary Injunction. The Court of Appeal issued an order in Diciembre 2022 ordering the Superior Court to modify the scope of the Preliminary Injunction. However, the Court’s order said the Preliminary Injunction could only be modified in a way to still ensure due process so that “it prohibits the Department from denying applications for rental assistance only if the applicant has not been informed of the specific reason(s) for the denial or provided with the documents that the Department relied upon in denying the applications.”

Documentos

Gobernando

Judge Grants Preliminary Injunction

An Alameda County court sided with tenant advocates and ordered California’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) not to deny any pending rental assistance applications until the court can determine if HCD’s process meets constitutional due process standards. Alameda Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch said California’s denial notices are too vague, don’t tell applicants which of their documents led to denial, and make it difficult for denied applicants to appeal.

Documentos

Archivo

Denuncia presentada

Three community groups sue the State of California over its COVID-19 rent relief program (also known as the Emergency Rental Assistance Program or ERAP). The lawsuit said the program operates in an unclear and discriminatory way, and doesn’t provide adequate explanation to renters who are denied help, violating due process and fair housing laws.

Documentos

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Clientes

Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) Action

The Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) Action is a grassroots, member-led, statewide community organization working with more than 15,000 members across California. ACCE is dedicated to raising the voices of everyday Californians, neighborhood by neighborhood, to fight for the policies and programs we need to improve our communities and create a brighter future.

PolicyLink

PolicyLink is a national research and action institute that works to advance racial and economic equity. PolicyLink seeks to promote economic inclusion to eliminate poverty, shrink inequality, and increase mobility, creating and maintaining opportunity-rich communities through equitable development. PolicyLink uses research to create resources that will ensure that all systems and institutions are just, free of racial bias, and lead to a vibrant democracy where all, especially the most vulnerable, can participate and prosper.

Acciones estratégicas para una economía justa (SAJE)

SAJE is dedicated to securing economic justice and building community power in South Los Angeles by advocating for tenant rights, healthy housing, and equitable development. SAJE provides tenants’ rights education, direct tenant services, and tenant organizing support. SAJE has engaged in extensive educational campaigns and conducted direct services to assist tenants in accessing rental assistance.

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Equipo jurídico

Consejo Público

Nuestros abogados

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) is a nonprofit law firm that seeks to achieve equal justice for people living in poverty across Greater Los Angeles. LAFLA changes lives through direct representation, systems change, and community empowerment. It has five offices in Los Angeles County, along with four Self-Help Legal Access Centers at area courthouses, and three domestic violence clinics to aid survivors.

Western Center on Law & Poverty fights in courts, cities, counties, and in the Capitol to secure housing, health care, and a strong safety net for Californians with low incomes, through the lens of economic and racial justice.

Covington & Burling LLP: In an increasingly regulated world, Covington & Burling LLP provides corporate, litigation, and regulatory expertise to help clients navigate their most complex business problems, deals, and disputes. Founded in 1919, the firm has more than 1,300 lawyers in offices in Beijing, Brussels, Dubai, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, and Washington. Since its founding, Covington has demonstrated a strong commitment to public service. The firm is frequently recognized for pro bono service, including 11 times being ranked the number one pro bono practice in the U.S. by The American Lawyer. 

Pulse

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Preguntas más frecuentes (FAQ)

El 30 de mayo de 2023, los defensores de los inquilinos llegaron a un acuerdo en un importante pleito contra el Estado de California por cuestiones relacionadas con el debido proceso en la administración del Programa de Ayuda al Alquiler COVID-19 del Estado, también conocido como Programa de Ayuda al Alquiler de Emergencia (ERAP) o La vivienda es la clave, que dio lugar a que se denegara la ayuda a los inquilinos que cumplían los requisitos. Como resultado, el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Comunitario de California (HCD) ha acordado varias reformas importantes de los procedimientos en torno a las denegaciones y apelaciones en el programa. 

Estas preguntas frecuentes ofrecen una visión general del acuerdo alcanzado en la demanda y de lo que significa para los inquilinos. Para obtener más información sobre la demanda y una copia completa del acuerdo, utilice las pestañas de esta página web para acceder a más información. Para difundir este acuerdo, comparta esta dirección web: CARentRelief.org

Si tienen preguntas sobre el estado de una solicitud, los inquilinos deben ponerse en contacto con el centro de llamadas del Estado Housing Is Key en el (833) 430-2122. Para comprobar el estado de su solicitud en el portal de solicitudes Housing Is Key, los inquilinos pueden visitar: https://hornellp-ca.neighborlysoftware.com/CaliforniaCovid19RentRelief/Participant.
Para ponerse en contacto con una organización de la comunidad que puede proporcionar asistencia de aplicación, los inquilinos deben llamar a la Red de Socios Locales en(833) 687-0967.

1. ¿A quién afecta este acuerdo?

2. ¿Qué va a pasar ahora con los inquilinos que están esperando una decisión sobre su solicitud de ayuda al alquiler?

3. ¿Cómo serán las nuevas notificaciones de denegación?

4. ¿Cómo se enviarán las nuevas notificaciones de denegación a los inquilinos?

5. ¿Introduce este acuerdo algún cambio en el procedimiento de recurso?

6. ¿Qué ocurre si a un inquilino sólo le aprueban una parte de la ayuda que solicitó?

7. ¿Cómo afecta este acuerdo a los inquilinos que anteriormente recibieron notificaciones de "recaptura"?

8. ¿Qué ocurre si un inquilino ha presentado varias solicitudes y una de ellas se ha marcado como "duplicada"?

9. ¿Ayudará este acuerdo a un inquilino al que anteriormente se le denegó la ayuda al alquiler?

10. ¿Ofrece este acuerdo algún tipo de ayuda adicional a los inquilinos que no utilizan el inglés como lengua materna?

11. ¿Dónde puede dirigirse un inquilino para obtener más información si no está seguro del estado de su solicitud?

12. ¿Dónde pueden acudir los inquilinos para obtener ayuda con su solicitud?

13. ¿Dónde puede pedir ayuda un inquilino que aún está esperando una decisión sobre su solicitud, pero que ahora se enfrenta a un desahucio?

14. ¿Cómo se ejecutará el acuerdo?

15. ¿Dónde puedo encontrar documentos legales y más información sobre este pleito, ACCE contra HCD?

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