>> APRIL IS WHEN THE HOUSE
PASSED THEIR VERSION OF THIS
BILL.
GARRETT HAAKE.
FOR MANY AMERICANS THE HOUSING
CRISIS IS ALREADY HERE.
THE NIGHT BEFORE THANKSGIVING
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL
OFFICERS WENT DOOR TO DOOR TO E
VEKT MORE THAN A DOZEN FAMILIES
THAT MOVED INTO VACANT
STATE-OWNED HOMES.
THEY CLASHED WITH ACTIVISTS WHO
ARE FAILING TO PROVIDE SHELTER
FOR PEOPLE DURING A PANDEMIC.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME.
I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
RIGHT NOW YOU’RE UNEMPLOYED, HOW
HARD IS IT TO FIND A JOB IN
CALIFORNIA BEFORE THE PANDEMIC
AND HOW HARD IS IT NOW?
>> IT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HARD.
I HAVE WORKED AT THE SAME PLACE
FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS.
I HAVE NOT HAD TO LOOK FOR A JOB
IN AWHILE, BUT RIGHT NOW I’M AT
HOME, HOMESCHOOLING MY DAUGHTER,
AND YOU KNOW I WOULD HAVE TO
TAKE A REMOTE POSITION ON TOP OF
THAT, YOU KNOW MY DAUGHTER NEEDS
A LOT OF ONE-ON-ONE INSTRUCTION,
SO EITHER WAY IT IS JUST TOUGH.
>> HOW HARD IT WAS TO FIND
HOUSING IN CALIFORNIA?
>> OH, HOUSING IN CALIFORNIA
IS -- IT IS A JOKE.
THE RENTS ARE CRAZY.
THERE IS A MILLION LUXURY
DEVELOPMENTS GOING UP CONSTANTLY
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST A MYRIAD OF
PEOPLE BEING DISPLACED AND A
GROWING NUMBER OF UNHOUSED
PEOPLE ON OUR STREETS.
>> WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW?
>> RIGHT NOW I’M AT MY
APARTMENT.
SO MY SITUATION IS THAT ABOUT
THREE YEARS AGO MY APARTMENT WAS
PURCHASED BY A INVESTMENT FIRM FROM SILICON VALLEY.
FROM SILICON VALLEY.
I’M IN LOS ANGELES IN A HIGHLY
GENERALITY
GENTRIFIED NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY HAVE TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES
TO EVICT ME AT NO FAULT OF MY
OWN.
AT THIS POINT NOT HAVING A JOB I
OWE A TON OF BACK RENT AND OUR
CURRENT TENANT PROTECTIONS ARE
EXPIRING AT THE END OF JANUARY.
SO FEBRUARY I WILL BE EXPECTED
TO PAY MY FULL RENT PLUS START
MAKING MAMTS PLUS THE BACK RENT
TO STAY HERE WHICH IS JUST NOT
FEASIBLE RIGHT NOW.
>> I KNOW YOU COULD HEAR THE
LAST SEGMENT THAT I WAS DOING
WITH GARRETT HAAKE TALKING ABOUT
THE NEGOTIATIONS IN CONGRESS,
WHAT’S YOUR MESSAGE TO CONGRESS?
>> WE’RE NOT GOING TO WAIT AROUND ANY MORE, THEY HAVE BEEN
AROUND ANY MORE, THEY HAVE BEEN
DRAGGING THEIR FEET MORE MONTHS.
HOUSING, SHELTERS, WE’RE NOT
GOING TO WAIT ANYWHERE.
MYSELF AND OTHER FAMILIES TOOK
THAT BOLD ACTION TO OCCUPY THESE
VACANT STATE OWNED HOMES.
YOU KNOW THESE HOMES WERE TAKEN
FROM THE COMMUNITY AND WE
BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, IT IS SUCH A
MISUSE OF RESOURCES.
TO LET THESE HOMES SIT VACANT,
ROT, AND USE STATEMENT CHP TO
GUARD AND TAKE PEOPLE OUT OF
VACANT HOMES.
IT MAKES NO SENSE.
>> HOW IS YOUR DAUGHTER?
>> MY DAUGHTER IS OKAY.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT HAS BEEN
TOUGH FOR A LOT OF KIDS NOT
HAVING THAT SOCIAL INTERACTION.
SHE IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN
THROUGH A LOT, AND SHE HAS A LOT
OF ANXIETY.
AND SHE IS GETTING, YOU KNOW,
SUPPORT FOR THAT.
BUT IT HAS BEEN TOUGH.