California Housing Defense Fund
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
California state law prevents cities from denying housing proposals that comply with objective zoning standards, general plans and environmental laws.\n\nIn practice, cities often deny housing proposals anyways because there is no statewide enforcement agency. New housing production inevitably plays a role in the lives of California renters. Denial of housing proposals means fewer options available to renters as our population grows and our rental stock ages; Home owners have housing security while renters depend on new housing.\n\nCities that deny housing proposals are denying renters a home in California.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Housing Law Enforcement
We enforce state housing law against malicious jurisdictions that implement exclusionary zoning.
Avocado Watch Network
Legal education for community organizers. We give people the tools to fight back against exclusionary zoning and segregation through legal means.
Where we work
External reviews
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
CaRLA is a 501(c)3 that holds municipal governments accountable when acting in violation of California State laws. We pursue legal action where developers have not, bringing suit against cities that fail to approve compliant housing. We work for California’s renters, not homeowner wealth.\n\nOur mission is to restore a legal environment in which California builds housing equal to its needs.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Legal Aid:\nHomebuilders rely on project approvals for revenue and are unlikely to go on the offensive against malicious jurisdictions. Developers prefer to negotiate with cities rather than pursue relief in court. These negotiations are unnecessary when a housing project is protected by the HAA; yet, many developers do not understand their rights and lack an independent advocate.\n\nCaRLA provides free legal aid to these homebuilders. You have rights. We will help you secure them.\n\nEnforcing Housing Law:\nThere is no statewide enforcement agency responsible for housing law.\n\nCaRLA pursues legal action where developers have not, bringing suit against cities that fail to approve compliant housing. In doing so, we seek to change the political and legal norm of the Housing Accountability Act and other laws sitting on the books, unenforced.\n\nWe rely on our statewide network of on-the-ground housing organizers to keep informed of housing law violations. We will build this network through development of workshops, forums, and other educational resources targeted at housing organizers statewide.\n\nEducation:\nCaRLA can’t be everywhere at once. We must carefully consider what we focus on.\n\nThat doesn’t mean that housing law should go unenforced elsewhere in the state. CaRLA is curating a publicly available research library with information on housing law.\n\nOur library includes sample court petitions, briefs, legal opinions, and other materials that enable other organizations and individuals to secure their own rights under the HAA and other laws.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have a staff of three: two powerful and capable community organizers, and a staff attorney with immense knowledge of housing law.\n\nWe are also tightly connected with various housing organizations across the state of California, including East Bay for Everyone and People for Housing Orange County. We leverage our allies' community organizing capacity to build public support for changing housing law to produce a more equitable California.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
So far we have entered into 5 lawsuits. We've won all three that have concluded, and our other two are proceeding to litigation against the cities of San Francisco and San Mateo.\n\nWe've helped countless homeowners get their backyard homes approved against the efforts of malicious anti-tenant jurisdictions. The State of California, inspired by our effectiveness and successes, has now begun enforcing state housing law in collaboration with us.\n\nWe are universally recognized in the state legislature as the statewide experts on how cities deny housing to people who need it with exclusionary zoning, procedural hurdles, and endless process that grinds meager homeowners into dust.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
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California Housing Defense Fund
Board of directorsas of 02/23/2023
Alex Gourse
Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld LLP
Term: 2022 -
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as: