Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development in the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and makes the department responsible for administering various housing programs throughout the state, including, among others, the Multifamily Housing Program, the Housing for a Healthy California Program, and the California Emergency Solutions Grants Program.

This bill would require the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to develop and administer the Pets Assistance With Support Grant Program (PAWS), to award grants to qualified homeless shelters and qualified domestic violence shelters, as defined. The bill would require grant recipients to meet certain availability and service requirements as they relate to the pets of people experiencing homelessness and people escaping domestic violence. The bill would authorize the department to use up to 7% of the funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act for those purposes for its costs in administering the program.

Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development in the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and makes the department responsible for administering various housing programs throughout the state, including, among others, the Multifamily Housing Program, the Housing for a Healthy California Program, and the California Emergency Solutions Grants Program.

This bill would require the department department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to develop and administer the Pets Assistance With Support Grant Program (PAWS), to award grants to qualified homeless shelters and qualified domestic violence shelters, as defined. The bill would require grant recipients to meet certain availability and service requirements as they relate to the pets of people experiencing homelessness and people escaping domestic violence. The bill would authorize the department to use up to 7% of the funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act for those purposes for its costs in administering the program.

Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development in the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and makes the department responsible for administering various housing programs throughout the state, including, among others, the Multifamily Housing Program, the Housing for a Healthy California Program, and the California Emergency Solutions Grants Program.

This bill would require the department to develop and administer the Pets Assistance With Support Grant Program (PAWS), to award grants to qualified homeless shelters and qualified domestic violence shelters, as defined. The bill would require grant recipients to meet certain availability and service requirements as they relate to the pets of people experiencing homelessness and people escaping domestic violence. The bill would authorize the department to use up to 7% of the funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act for those purposes for its costs in administering the program.

Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development in the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and makes the department responsible for administering various housing programs throughout the state, including, among others, the Multifamily Housing Program, the Housing for a Healthy California Program, and the California Emergency Solutions Grants Program.

This bill would require the department to develop and administer the Pets Assistance With Support Grant Program (PAWS), to award grants to qualified homeless shelters and qualified domestic violence shelters, as defined. The bill would require grant recipients to meet certain availability and service requirements as they relate to the pets of people experiencing homelessness and people escaping domestic violence. The bill would provide that the program would only become operative upon appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would set forth the Legislatures intent to make a future appropriation for these purposes. The bill would authorize the department to use up to 7% of the funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act for those purposes for its costs in administering the program.

Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development in the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and makes the department responsible for administering various housing programs throughout the state, including, among others, the Multifamily Housing Program, the Housing for a Healthy California Program, and the California Emergency Solutions Grants Program.

This bill would require the department to develop and administer the Pets Assistance With Support Grant Program (PAWS), to award grants to qualified homeless shelters and qualified domestic violence shelters, as defined. The bill would require grant recipients to meet certain availability and service requirements as they relate to the pets of people experiencing homelessness and people escaping domestic violence. The bill would provide that the program would only become operative upon appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would set forth the Legislatures intent to make a future appropriation for these purposes.

GOVERNOR'S VETO

GV Bill Id:AB 1215

Author:(Wendy Carrillo)

As Enrolled Ver:September 18, 2023

2/3 vote

SUMMARY

Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to establish a grant program to provide funding to homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence, as specified.

Senate Amendments:

Require HCD to develop and administer the program upon an appropriation by the Legislature.

Governor's Veto Message

This bill, upon appropriation of the Legislature, would establish the Pets Assistance With Support Grant Program, to provide services to pets whose owners are experiencing homelessness or are escaping domestic violence.

I have supported funding for shelters to care for pets belonging to those experiencing homelessness through prior budget investments, including $10 million appropriated in 2019 and an additional $1 million in 2022 to fund the Pet Assistance and Support Program (PAS) administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development.

While I appreciate the author's commitment to programs like these which reduce barriers to accessing shelter, this bill would create an unfunded grant program and should be considered in the annual budget in the context of all state funding priorities.

In partnership with the Legislature, we enacted a budget that closed a shortfall of more than $30 billion through balanced solutions that avoided deep program cuts and protected education, health care, climate, public safety, and social service programs that are relied on by millions of Californians. This year, however, the Legislature sent me bills outside of this budget process that, if all enacted, would add nearly $19 billion of unaccounted costs in the budget, of which $11 billion would be ongoing.

With our state facing continuing economic risk and revenue uncertainty, it is important to remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications, such as this measure.

COMMENTS

Homelessness in California: Based on the 2022 point in time count, California has the largest homeless population in the nation with 173,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night. Over two-thirds of those people, are unsheltered, meaning they are living outdoors and not in temporary shelters. A recent report from California 100 notes that increases in housing costs contribute to the state's homelessness crisis and notes "the rate of homelessness in California, at 40.9 per 10,000 residents, is fourth highest in the nation after Washington DC, New York, and Hawaii. Indeed, more than one-quarter of people who are experiencing homelessness in the United States live in California, though the state is home to only 12 percent of the nation's overall population."^[1] The report also notes that the population of people experiencing homelessness has risen during the last five years while the national trend has been to see steady or decreased rates of homelessness.

Pet friendly shelters: The organization Pets of the Homeless estimates that 5 to 10 percent of Americans experiencing homelessness have dogs or cats.^[2] However, homeless shelters often prohibit pets from being on the premises. As noted in a paper from Seattle University School of Law's Homeless Rights Advocacy Project, "pet restrictions cause people experiencing homelessness to refuse available housing and shelter because acceptance would mean giving up a family member. Ignoring the importance of pet ownership increases the risk for long-term homelessness because pet owners must wait for pet-friendly housing and services."^[3]

Low-barrier housing policies: Evidence shows that people experiencing homelessness are more likely to accept temporary or interim housing if the housing is low-barrier. Typically, low-barrier housing allows for pets, allows individuals to keep their possessions, and provides non-congregate settings, with privacy. Over the last few years, state programs and policies have encouraged low-barrier shelters and navigation centers. HHAP provides funding to large cities, counties, and Continuums of Care to fund low-barrier navigation centers. In addition, AB 101 (Chapter 159, Statues of 2019) created a streamlined, by-right process for developing low-barrier navigation centers that allow for pets, possession, and privacy. A low-barrier navigation center can be constructed more quickly by-right because the center is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act.

Pet Assistance and Support Program (PAS): In recognition of the important role that pet-friendly shelters can provide for individuals experiencing homelessness, in 2019, the state budget included a $5 million appropriation to create the PAS program at HCD. Under the PAS program, HCD provides grants to eligible entities for shelter, food, and basic veterinarian services for the pets of people living in homeless shelters. Eligible applicants are cities, counties, and nonprofit corporations with a primary mission to shelter individuals experiencing homelessness and meeting the definition of "qualified shelter" (i.e., they have rules of conduct and responsibility, provide crates or kenneling, provide food to both homeless individuals and their and pets, and offer veterinarian services).

HCD issued the first notice of funding availability (NOFA) for PAS in December 2019. In the first round of the NOFA, 49 applications requesting approximately $9 million were submitted to HCD. In April 2020, grants of either $100,000 or $200,000 were provided to 28 shelters, with the size of the grant proportional to the applicant's operating budget and funding gap. All grant funds had to be spent by December 30, 2022. This bill effectively makes PAS a permanent program and expands its scope to include qualified domestic violence shelters with pet-friendly policies. The 2021-22 budget included $10 million for the PAS program. The NOFA for the latest round of the PAS program closed April 8, 2022 and a total of 70 applications were submitted for a requested $18 million.

According to the Author

According to the author, "AB 1215 would re-establish the Pet Assistance with Support (PAWS) Program to administer and award grants to homeless and domestic violence shelters. Individuals experiencing homelessness or DV often are denied shelter if they don't surrender their pets. Studies show that pets provide comfort and help with trauma and abuse. When pets are surrendered, less than 15% are reunited, furthering depression and anxiety. The program provides food and basic veterinarian services for pets and allows pathways for permanent housing placement."

Arguments in Support

According to supporters, this bill address a barrier to people entering shelters or domestic violence shelters, the ability to take their pet with them.

Arguments in Opposition

None on file. According to supporters, this bill address a barrier to people entering shelters or domestic violence shelters, the ability to take their pet with them.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:

1. HCD estimates annual costs of $586,000 for 3.0 PY of staff to develop and adopt guidelines, and to implement, administer, and monitor grant awards through the Pet Assistance and Support Grant Program (PAS), assuming $2 million to $3 million in funding is annually appropriated for a permanent program. To the extent the appropriations in a given year exceed this amount, HCD would likely require additional staffing. Staff notes that this bill authorizes HCD to use up to 7% of the funds appropriated for the program for its administrative purposes, but this amount appears to be insufficient to support HCD's estimated PY needs. (General Fund)
2. Estimated annual ongoing cost pressures in the millions, and potentially over $10 million, to provide PAS program grant funding in the annual Budget Act. See staff comments. (General Fund)

VOTES

ASM HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: 8-0-0

YES: Wicks, Joe Patterson, Wendy Carrillo, Gabriel, Juan Carrillo, Quirk-Silva, Sanchez, Ward

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 11-0-5

YES: Holden, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Mike Fong, Hart, Lowenthal, Papan, Pellerin, Weber, Ortega

ABS, ABST OR NV: Megan Dahle, Dixon, Mathis, Robert Rivas, Sanchez

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 80-0-0

YES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones‑Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Rendon

SENATE FLOOR: 39-0-1

YES: Allen, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Ashby, Atkins, Becker, Blakespear, Bradford, Cortese, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Eggman, Glazer, Gonzalez, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, Menjivar, Min, Newman, Nguyen, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Padilla, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Seyarto, Skinner, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Umberg, Wahab, Wiener, Wilk

ABS, ABST OR NV: Caballero

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 78-0-2

YES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones‑Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Rendon, Reyes, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Robert Rivas

ABS, ABST OR NV: Bauer-Kahan, Luz Rivas

UPDATED

VERSION: September 18, 2023

CONSULTANT: Lisa Engel / H. & C.D. / (916) 319-2085 FN: 0002568

1. https://california100.org/app/uploads/2022/03/Housing-and-Community-Development-FOT-REPORT-Single-pages-FINAL.pdf ↑

2. https://www.petsofthehomeless.org/about-us/#faqs ↑

3. Aliment, Ruby; Rankin, Sara; and Lurie, Kaya, "No Pets Allowed: Discrimination, Homelessness, and Pet

   Ownership" (2016). Homeless Rights Advocacy Project. 3. https://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/hrap/3 ↑

CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS

CSA1 Bill Id:AB 1215

Author:(Wendy Carrillo)

As Amended Ver:September 8, 2023

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to establish a grant program to provide funding to homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence, as specified.

Senate Amendments

Require HCD to develop and administer the program upon an appropriation by the Legislature.

COMMENTS

Homelessness in California: Based on the 2022 point in time count, California has the largest homeless population in the nation with 173,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night. Over two-thirds of those people, are unsheltered, meaning they are living outdoors and not in temporary shelters. A recent report from California 100 notes that increases in housing costs contribute to the state's homelessness crisis and notes "the rate of homelessness in California, at 40.9 per 10,000 residents, is fourth highest in the nation after Washington DC, New York, and Hawaii. Indeed, more than one-quarter of people who are experiencing homelessness in the United States live in California, though the state is home to only 12 percent of the nation's overall population."^[1] The report also notes that the population of people experiencing homelessness has risen during the last five years while the national trend has been to see steady or decreased rates of homelessness.

Pet friendly shelters: The organization Pets of the Homeless estimates that 5 to 10 percent of Americans experiencing homelessness have dogs or cats.^[2] However, homeless shelters often prohibit pets from being on the premises. As noted in a paper from Seattle University School of Law's Homeless Rights Advocacy Project, "pet restrictions cause people experiencing homelessness to refuse available housing and shelter because acceptance would mean giving up a family member. Ignoring the importance of pet ownership increases the risk for long-term homelessness because pet owners must wait for pet-friendly housing and services."^[3]

Low-barrier housing policies: Evidence shows that people experiencing homelessness are more likely to accept temporary or interim housing if the housing is low-barrier. Typically, low-barrier housing allows for pets, allows individuals to keep their possessions, and provides non-congregate settings, with privacy. Over the last few years, state programs and policies have encouraged low-barrier shelters and navigation centers. HHAP provides funding to large cities, counties, and Continuums of Care to fund low-barrier navigation centers. In addition, AB 101 (Chapter 159, Statues of 2019) created a streamlined, by-right process for developing low-barrier navigation centers that allow for pets, possession, and privacy. A low-barrier navigation center can be constructed more quickly by-right because the center is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act.

Pet Assistance and Support Program (PAS): In recognition of the important role that pet-friendly shelters can provide for individuals experiencing homelessness, in 2019, the state budget included a $5 million appropriation to create the PAS program at HCD. Under the PAS program, HCD provides grants to eligible entities for shelter, food, and basic veterinarian services for the pets of people living in homeless shelters. Eligible applicants are cities, counties, and nonprofit corporations with a primary mission to shelter individuals experiencing homelessness and meeting the definition of "qualified shelter" (i.e., they have rules of conduct and responsibility, provide crates or kenneling, provide food to both homeless individuals and their and pets, and offer veterinarian services).

HCD issued the first notice of funding availability (NOFA) for PAS in December 2019. In the first round of the NOFA, 49 applications requesting approximately $9 million were submitted to HCD. In April 2020, grants of either $100,000 or $200,000 were provided to 28 shelters, with the size of the grant proportional to the applicant's operating budget and funding gap. All grant funds had to be spent by December 30, 2022. This bill effectively makes PAS a permanent program and expands its scope to include qualified domestic violence shelters with pet-friendly policies. The 2021-22 budget included $10 million for the PAS program. The NOFA for the latest round of the PAS program closed April 8, 2022 and a total of 70 applications were submitted for a requested $18 million.

According to the Author

According to the author, "AB 1215 would re-establish the Pet Assistance with Support (PAWS) Program to administer and award grants to homeless and domestic violence shelters. Individuals experiencing homelessness or DV often are denied shelter if they don't surrender their pets. Studies show that pets provide comfort and help with trauma and abuse. When pets are surrendered, less than 15% are reunited, furthering depression and anxiety. The program provides food and basic veterinarian services for pets and allows pathways for permanent housing placement."

Arguments in Support

According to supporters, this bill address a barrier to people entering shelters or domestic violence shelters, the ability to take their pet with them.

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:

1. HCD estimates annual costs of $586,000 for 3.0 personnel years (PY) of staff to develop and adopt guidelines, and to implement, administer, and monitor grant awards through the Pet Assistance and Support Grant Program (PAS), assuming $2 million to $3 million in funding is annually appropriated for a permanent program. To the extent the appropriations in a given year exceed this amount, HCD would likely require additional staffing. Staff notes that this bill authorizes HCD to use up to 7% of the funds appropriated for the program for its administrative purposes, but this amount appears to be insufficient to support HCD's estimated PY needs. (General Fund)
2. Estimated annual ongoing cost pressures in the millions, and potentially over $10 million, to provide PAS program grant funding in the annual Budget Act. See staff comments. (General Fund)

VOTES:

ASM HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: 8-0-0

YES: Wicks, Joe Patterson, Wendy Carrillo, Gabriel, Juan Carrillo, Quirk-Silva, Sanchez, Ward

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 11-0-5

YES: Holden, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Mike Fong, Hart, Lowenthal, Papan, Pellerin, Weber, Ortega

ABS, ABST OR NV: Megan Dahle, Dixon, Mathis, Robert Rivas, Sanchez

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 80-0-0

YES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones- Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Rendon

UPDATED

VERSION: September 8, 2023

CONSULTANT: Lisa Engel / H. & C.D. / (916) 319-2085 FN: 0002440

1. https://california100.org/app/uploads/2022/03/Housing-and-Community-Development-FOT-REPORT-Single-pages-FINAL.pdf ↑

2. https://www.petsofthehomeless.org/about-us/#faqs ↑

3. Aliment, Ruby; Rankin, Sara; and Lurie, Kaya, "No Pets Allowed: Discrimination, Homelessness, and Pet

   Ownership" (2016). Homeless Rights Advocacy Project. 3. https://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/hrap/3 ↑

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 1215

Author: Wendy Carrillo (D)

Amended: 9/8/23 in Senate

Vote: 21

SENATE HOUSING COMMITTEE: 10-0, 6/20/23

AYES: Wiener, Ochoa Bogh, Blakespear, Caballero, Cortese, McGuire, Padilla, Seyarto, Skinner, Wahab

NO VOTE RECORDED: Umberg

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 9/1/23

AYES: Portantino, Jones, Ashby, Bradford, Seyarto, Wahab, Wiener

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 80-0, 5/31/23 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Pets Assistance With Support Grant Program: homeless shelters: domestic violence shelters: pets

SOURCE: Humane Society of the United States

Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority

PATH (People Assisting the Homeless)

DIGEST:

This bill requires, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to establish a grant program to provide funding to homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence, as specified.

Senate Floor Amendments of 9/8/23 provide that the HCD shall develop and administer the program upon appropriation by the Legislature.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (CalICH) - formerly Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC) - within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, with the purpose of coordinating the state’s response to homelessness by utilizing Housing First practices.
2. Establishes the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) under the CalICH to provide one-time grant funds to address the immediate homelessness challenges of local cities and counties.
3. Establishes the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program (HHAPP), also under CalICH, to build on HEAP and provide funds to help local jurisdictions combat homelessness.
4. Establishes the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program under HCD to fund a variety of activities to help individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

This bill:

1. Requires HCD, upon appropriation by the Legisalture, to establish the Pets Assistance with Support (PAWS) Grant Program, a grant program to provide qualified homeless shelters with shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness.
2. Defines "qualified homeless shelter" as a shelter that meets all of the following conditions:
   1. It has rules of conduct and responsibility regarding pets and their owners;
   2. It provides crates or kenneling either near bunks or in a separate area;
   3. It provides food for both people experiencing homelessness, and their pets; and
   4. It offers veterinary services, including, but not limited to, spaying and neutering services.

Comments

1. Author’s statement. According to the author, “AB 1215 would re-establish the Pet Assistance with Support (PAWS) Program to administer and award grants to homeless and domestic violence shelters. Individuals experiencing homelessness or DV often are denied shelter if they don’t surrender their pets. Studies show that pets provide comfort and help with trauma and abuse. When pets are surrendered, less than 15% are reunited, furthering depression and anxiety. The program provides food and basic veterinarian services for pets and allows pathways for permanent housing placement.”
2. Pet friendly shelters. The organization Pets of the Homeless estimates that 5-10% of Americans experiencing homelessness have dogs or cats. However, homeless shelters often prohibit pets from being on the premises. As noted in a paper from Seattle University School of Law's Homeless Rights Advocacy Project, "pet restrictions cause people experiencing homelessness to refuse available housing and shelter because acceptance would mean giving up a family member. Ignoring the importance of pet ownership increases the risk for long-term homelessness because pet owners must wait for pet-friendly housing and services."
3. Low-barrier housing policies. Evidence shows that people experiencing homelessness are more likely to accept temporary or interim housing if the housing is low-barrier. Typically, low-barrier housing allows for pets, allows individuals to keep their possessions, and provides non-congregate settings, with privacy. Over the last few years, state programs and policies have encouraged low-barrier shelters and navigation centers. HHAP provides funding to large cities, counties, and Continuums of Care to fund low-barrier navigation centers. In addition, AB 101 (Committee on Budget, Chapter 159, Statutes of 2019) created a streamlined, by-right process for developing low-barrier navigation centers that allow for pets, possession, and privacy. A low-barrier navigation center can be constructed more quickly by-right because the center is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act.
4. Pet Assistance and Support Program (PAS). In recognition of the important role that pet-friendly shelters can provide for individuals experiencing homelessness, in 2019, the state budget included a $5 million appropriation to create the PAS program at HCD. Under the PAS program, HCD provides grants to eligible entities for shelter, food, and basic veterinarian services for the pets of people living in homeless shelters. Eligible applicants are cities, counties, and nonprofit corporations with a primary mission to shelter individuals experiencing homelessness and meeting the definition of "qualified shelter" (i.e., they have rules of conduct and responsibility, provide crates or kenneling, provide food to both homeless individuals and their and pets, and offer veterinarian services).

HCD issued the first notice of funding availability (NOFA) for PAS in December 2019. In the first round of the NOFA, 49 applications requesting approximately $9 million were submitted to HCD. In April 2020, grants of either $100,000 or $200,000 were provided to 28 shelters, with the size of the grant proportional to the applicant's operating budget and funding gap. All grant funds had to be spent by December 30, 2022. This bill effectively makes PAS a permanent program and expands its scope to include qualified domestic violence shelters with pet-friendly policies. The 2021-22 Budget included $10 million for the PAS program. The NOFA for the latest round of the PAS program closed April 8, 2022, and a total of 70 applications were submitted for a requested $18 million.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:

• HCD estimates annual costs of $586,000 for 3.0 PY of staff to develop and adopt guidelines, and to implement, administer, and monitor grant awards through the Pet Assistance and Support Grant Program (PAS), assuming $2 million to $3 million in funding is annually appropriated for a permanent program. To the extent the appropriations in a given year exceed this amount, HCD would likely require additional staffing. Staff notes that this bill authorizes HCD to use up to 7% of the funds appropriated for the program for its administrative purposes, but this amount appears to be insufficient to support HCD’s estimated PY needs. (General Fund)
• Estimated annual ongoing cost pressures in the millions, and potentially over $10 million, to provide PAS program grant funding in the annual Budget Act. See staff comments. (General Fund)

SUPPORT: (Verified 9/1/23)

Humane Society of the United States (co-source)

Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (co-source)

PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) (co-source)

American Kennel Club, Inc.

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Best Friends Animal Society

California Animal Welfare Association

City of Long Beach

City of Thousand Oaks

City of Visalia

Housing Equality & Advocacy Resource Team

LA Family Housing

Los Feliz Neighborhood Council

National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter

Rover.com

San Francisco SPCA

Social Compassion in Legislation

Sycamores

OPPOSITION: (Verified 9/1/23)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 80-0, 5/31/23

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Rendon

Prepared by: Alison Hughes / HOUSING / (916) 651-4124

9/11/23 12:52:41

**** END ****

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 1215

Author: Wendy Carrillo (D)

Amended: 5/18/23 in Assembly

Vote: 21

SENATE HOUSING COMMITTEE: 10-0, 6/20/23

AYES: Wiener, Ochoa Bogh, Blakespear, Caballero, Cortese, McGuire, Padilla, Seyarto, Skinner, Wahab

NO VOTE RECORDED: Umberg

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 9/1/23

AYES: Portantino, Jones, Ashby, Bradford, Seyarto, Wahab, Weiner

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 9/1/23

AYES: Portantino, Jones, Ashby, Bradford, Seyarto, Wahab, Wiener

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 80-0, 5/31/23 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Pets Assistance With Support Grant Program: homeless shelters: domestic violence shelters: pets

SOURCE: Humane Society of the United States

Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority

PATH (People Assisting the Homeless)

DIGEST:

This bill requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to establish a grant program to provide funding to homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence, as specified.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (CalICH) - formerly Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC) - within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, with the purpose of coordinating the state’s response to homelessness by utilizing Housing First practices.
2. Establishes the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) under the CalICH to provide one-time grant funds to address the immediate homelessness challenges of local cities and counties.
3. Establishes the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program (HHAPP), also under CalICH, to build on HEAP and provide funds to help local jurisdictions combat homelessness.
4. Establishes the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program under HCD to fund a variety of activities to help individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

This bill:

1. Requires HCD to establish the Pets Assistance with Support (PAWS) Grant Program, a grant program to provide qualified homeless shelters with shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness.
2. Defines "qualified homeless shelter" as a shelter that meets all of the following conditions:
   1. It has rules of conduct and responsibility regarding pets and their owners;
   2. It provides crates or kenneling either near bunks or in a separate area;
   3. It provides food for both people experiencing homelessness, and their pets; and
   4. It offers veterinary services, including, but not limited to, spaying and neutering services.

Comments

1. Author’s statement. “AB 1215 would re-establish the Pet Assistance with Support (PAWS) Program to administer and award grants to homeless and domestic violence shelters. Individuals experiencing homelessness or DV often are denied shelter if they don’t surrender their pets. Studies show that pets provide comfort and help with trauma and abuse. When pets are surrendered, less than 15% are reunited, furthering depression and anxiety. The program provides food and basic veterinarian services for pets and allows pathways for permanent housing placement.”
2. Pet friendly shelters. The organization Pets of the Homeless estimates that 5-10% of Americans experiencing homelessness have dogs or cats. However, homeless shelters often prohibit pets from being on the premises. As noted in a paper from Seattle University School of Law's Homeless Rights Advocacy Project, "pet restrictions cause people experiencing homelessness to refuse available housing and shelter because acceptance would mean giving up a family member. Ignoring the importance of pet ownership increases the risk for long-term homelessness because pet owners must wait for pet-friendly housing and services."
3. Low-barrier housing policies. Evidence shows that people experiencing homelessness are more likely to accept temporary or interim housing if the housing is low-barrier. Typically, low-barrier housing allows for pets, allows individuals to keep their possessions, and provides non-congregate settings, with privacy. Over the last few years, state programs and policies have encouraged low-barrier shelters and navigation centers. HHAP provides funding to large cities, counties, and Continuums of Care to fund low-barrier navigation centers. In addition, AB 101 (Committee on Budget, Chapter 159, Statues of 2019) created a streamlined, by-right process for developing low-barrier navigation centers that allow for pets, possession, and privacy. A low-barrier navigation center can be constructed more quickly by-right because the center is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act.
4. Pet Assistance and Support Program (PAS). In recognition of the important role that pet-friendly shelters can provide for individuals experiencing homelessness, in 2019, the state budget included a $5 million appropriation to create the PAS program at HCD. Under the PAS program, HCD provides grants to eligible entities for shelter, food, and basic veterinarian services for the pets of people living in homeless shelters. Eligible applicants are cities, counties, and nonprofit corporations with a primary mission to shelter individuals experiencing homelessness and meeting the definition of "qualified shelter" (i.e., they have rules of conduct and responsibility, provide crates or kenneling, provide food to both homeless individuals and their and pets, and offer veterinarian services).

HCD issued the first notice of funding availability (NOFA) for PAS in December 2019. In the first round of the NOFA, 49 applications requesting approximately $9 million were submitted to HCD. In April 2020, grants of either $100,000 or $200,000 were provided to 28 shelters, with the size of the grant proportional to the applicant's operating budget and funding gap. All grant funds had to be spent by December 30, 2022. This bill effectively makes PAS a permanent program and expands its scope to include qualified domestic violence shelters with pet-friendly policies. The 2021-22 budget included $10 million for the PAS program. The NOFA for the latest round of the PAS program closed April 8, 2022 and a total of 70 applications were submitted for a requested $18 million.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:

• HCD estimates annual costs of $586,000 for 3.0 PY of staff to develop and adopt guidelines, and to implement, administer, and monitor grant awards through the Pet Assistance and Support Grant Program (PAS), assuming $2 million to $3 million in funding is annually appropriated for a permanent program. To the extent the appropriations in a given year exceed this amount, HCD would likely require additional staffing. Staff notes that the bill authorizes HCD to use up to 7% of the funds appropriated for the program for its administrative purposes, but this amount appears to be insufficient to support HCD’s estimated PY needs. See staff comments. (General Fund)
• Estimated annual ongoing cost pressures in the millions, and potentially over $10 million, to provide PAS program grant funding in the annual Budget Act. See staff comments. (General Fund)

SUPPORT: (Verified 9/1/23)

Humane Society of The United States (co-source)

Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (co-source)

PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) (co-source)

American Kennel Club, Inc.

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Best Friends Animal Society

California Animal Welfare Association

City of Long Beach

City of Thousand Oaks

City of Visalia

Housing Equality & Advocacy Resource Team

LA Family Housing

Los Feliz Neighborhood Council

National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter

Rover.com

San Francisco SPCA

Social Compassion in Legislation

Sycamores

OPPOSITION: (Verified 9/1/23)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 80-0, 5/31/23

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Rendon

Prepared by: Alison Hughes / HOUSING / (916) 651-4124

9/2/23 9:52:01

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Anthony Portantino, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular Session

AB 1215 (Wendy Carrillo) - Pets Assistance With Support Grant Program: homeless shelters: domestic violence shelters: pets

Bill Summary:

AB 1215 would require the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to develop and administer a program to award grants to qualified homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters for the provision of shelter, food, and veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence, as specified.

Fiscal Impact:

• HCD estimates annual costs of $586,000 for 3.0 PY of staff to develop and adopt guidelines, and to implement, administer, and monitor grant awards through the Pet Assistance and Support Grant Program (PAS), assuming $2 million to $3 million in funding is annually appropriated for a permanent program. To the extent the appropriations in a given year exceed this amount, HCD would likely require additional staffing. Staff notes that the bill authorizes HCD to use up to 7% of the funds appropriated for the program for its administrative purposes, but this amount appears to be insufficient to support HCD’s estimated PY needs. See staff comments. (General Fund)
  
• Estimated annual ongoing cost pressures in the millions, and potentially over $10 million, to provide PAS program grant funding in the annual Budget Act. See staff comments. (General Fund)

Background:

Existing law establishes the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (CalICH) to coordinate the state’s response to homelessness by utilizing Housing First practices, as specified. CalICH administers the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) to provide one-time grant funds to address the immediate homelessness challenges of local cities and counties. HCFC also administers the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention Program (HHAPP) to build upon the HEAP by providing funds to help local jurisdictions combat homelessness. In addition, HCD administers the California Emergency Solutions and Housing (CESH) Program to provide funding to eligible applicants through five year grants to assist persons experiencing or at risk of homelessness, as specified.

The nonprofit organization Pets of the Homeless estimates that five to 10 percent of the 3.5 million Americans experiencing homelessness have dogs or cats. The majority of homeless shelters, motels, and other assisted housing programs do not allow individuals to keep pets that do not qualify as services animals. As a result, many homeless individuals refuse housing and services if a condition of assistance requires the abandonment of their pets.

The 2019-20 budget agreement (SB 109, Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Chapter 363, Statutes of 2019) allocated $5 million to HCD for grants to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinarian services for the pets of individuals in homeless shelters. HCD issued a notice of funding availability (NOFA) for PAS in December 2019. PAS grants were available to cities, counties, and nonprofit corporations with a primary mission to shelter individuals experiencing homelessness and meeting the definition of “qualified shelter” (have rules of conduct and responsibility, provide crates or kenneling, provide food to both homeless individuals and their and pets, and offer veterinarian services). HCD received 49 applications for PAS grants, totaling $9 million. All funding was awarded to 28 shelters in April 2020; grants were set at $100,000 to $200,000, depending on the applicant’s operating budget and funding gap. All grant funds were required to be spent by December 30, 2022. The 2021-22 budget included an additional $10 million for the PAS program. The NOFA for the second round of funding closed April 8, 2022, and a total of 70 applications were submitted, requesting $18.3 million. A total of 36 grants were awarded under the second round, in amounts ranging from $100,000 to $600,000. The 2022-23 budget included $1 million for the third round of funding for the PAS program, and HCD announced in May of 2023 that 35 projects will be awarded funds, in amounts ranging from $10,634 to $63,803.

Proposed Law:

AB 1215 would require HCD to develop and administer the Pets Assistance with Support Grant Program to award grants to qualified homeless shelters and qualified domestic violence shelters for the provision of shelter, food, and veterinary services for pets owned by people experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence. A qualified homeless or domestic violence shelter must meet all of the following conditions:

• Have rules of conduct and responsibility regarding pets and their owners.
• Provide beds, crates, or kenneling either near bunks or onsite in a separate area.
• Provide food for both participants and their pets.
• Provide leashes, collars, harnesses, and vests for pets.
• Provide essential hygiene products, including flea and tick prevention medication for pets.
• Offer the services of a veterinarian, including spay and neutering services, and prescription and over-the-counter medication.

The bill authorizes HCD to use up to 7% of funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act for purposes of the PAS program for its costs in administering the grant program.

Related Legislation:

SB 513 (Hertzberg), which was held on the Assembly Appropriations Committee’s Suspense File last year, SB 344 (Hertzberg), which was held on the Assembly Appropriations Committee’s Suspense File in 2021, and SB 258 (Hertzberg), which was held on the Assembly Appropriations Committee’s Suspense File in 2019, were all similar to this bill and would have required HCD to create a grant program for the provision of shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets in homeless shelters. These measures, however, did not include grants to domestic violence shelters, and limited HCD’s administrative costs to 5% of appropriated funds.

Staff Comments:

As noted above, PAS program grants in 2019-20 were funded through a one-time appropriation of $5 million. HCD indicates that department staff attempted to streamline the administration of PAS grants by going straight through a NOFA process, rather than developing program guidelines prior to issuing a NOFA, but HCD also experienced a higher demand than expected for technical assistance requests during the application process, which eroded some of the expected efficiencies of designing the program as an over the counter, non-competitive process. Demand for the initial grant funding was also nearly double the amount of available resources, so HCD could only make 28 grant awards out of 49 applications that requested approximately $9 million in funding. An additional $10 million was made available in the 2021-22 budget, and HCD received applications requesting over $18 million in funding. HCD made 36 grant awards and declined awards to an additional 34 applicants. The 2022-23 budget included only $1 million in PAS program funding, and HCD recently announced that 35 projects will be awarded funding, but the amount of each grant is substantially lower than the previous rounds. Staff notes that in each round of funding to date, demand has far outstripped available funding. This bill also adds domestic violence shelters as eligible applicants, thereby increasing demand for funds and creating additional cost pressures.

The bill authorizes HCD to use up to 7% of funding appropriated in the Budget Act for its costs to administer the program. Based on the previous $5 million appropriation, the $9 million in demand for those funds, and the subsequent $10 million appropriation and $18.2 million in demand for those funds, this bill would create cost pressures in the millions, and potentially over $10 million annually to fund future PAS grants. HCD’s staffing and cost estimate noted above assumes the program would be funded at $2 million to $3 million each year. Staff notes that the 7% allowance for HCD administrative costs would not be sufficient to fully fund the costs for staffing required to administer the program, the estimated costs of which are closer to 20-25% of the expected appropriation amounts. HCD anticipates the need to develop and adopt a full set of program guidelines, rather than allocating grants through one-time NOFAs, and to assign dedicated staff to implement and administer a permanent program, rather than the temporary nature of administering PAS through previous intermittent budget appropriations. Staff assumes that any costs to fully fund HCD’s personnel requirements would be borne by the General Fund.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING

Senator Scott Wiener, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular

Bill No: AB 1215 Hearing Date: 6/20/2023

SUBJECT: Pets Assistance With Support Grant Program: homeless shelters: domestic violence shelters: pets

DIGEST: This bill requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to establish a grant program to provide funding to homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence, as specified.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (CalICH) - formerly Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC) - within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, with the purpose of coordinating the state’s response to homelessness by utilizing Housing First practices.
2. Establishes the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) under the CalICH to provide one-time grant funds to address the immediate homelessness challenges of local cities and counties.
3. Establishes the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program (HHAPP), also under CalICH, to build on HEAP and provide funds to help local jurisdictions combat homelessness.
4. Establishes the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program under HCD to fund a variety of activities to help individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

This bill:

1. Requires HCD to establish the Pets Assistance with Support (PAWS) Grant Program, a grant program to provide qualified homeless shelters with shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness.
2. Defines "qualified homeless shelter" as a shelter that meets all of the following conditions:
   1. It has rules of conduct and responsibility regarding pets and their owners;
   2. It provides crates or kenneling either near bunks or in a separate area;
   3. It provides food for both people experiencing homelessness, and their pets; and
   4. It offers veterinary services, including, but not limited to, spaying and neutering services.

COMMENTS:

1. Author’s statement. “AB 1215 would re-establish the Pet Assistance with Support (PAWS) Program to administer and award grants to homeless and domestic violence shelters. Individuals experiencing homelessness or DV often are denied shelter if they don’t surrender their pets. Studies show that pets provide comfort and help with trauma and abuse. When pets are surrendered, less than 15% are reunited, furthering depression and anxiety. The program provides food and basic veterinarian services for pets and allows pathways for permanent housing placement.”
2. Homelessness in California. Based on the 2022 point in time count, California has the largest homeless population in the nation with 173,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night. Over two-thirds of those people, are unsheltered, meaning they are living outdoors and not in temporary shelters. A recent report from California 100 notes that increases in housing costs contribute to the state's homelessness crisis and notes "the rate of homelessness in California, at 40.9 per 10,000 residents, is fourth highest in the nation after Washington DC, New York, and Hawaii. More than one-quarter of people who are experiencing homelessness in the United States live in California, though the state is home to only 12% of the nation's overall population."^[1] The report also notes that the population of people experiencing homelessness has risen during the last five years while the national trend has been to see steady or decreased rates of homelessness.
3. Pet friendly shelters. The organization Pets of the Homeless estimates that 5-10% of Americans experiencing homelessness have dogs or cats.^[2] However, homeless shelters often prohibit pets from being on the premises. As noted in a paper from Seattle University School of Law's Homeless Rights Advocacy Project, "pet restrictions cause people experiencing homelessness to refuse available housing and shelter because acceptance would mean giving up a family member. Ignoring the importance of pet ownership increases the risk for long-term homelessness because pet owners must wait for pet-friendly housing and services."^[3]
4. Low-barrier housing policies. Evidence shows that people experiencing homelessness are more likely to accept temporary or interim housing if the housing is low-barrier. Typically, low-barrier housing allows for pets, allows individuals to keep their possessions, and provides non-congregate settings, with privacy. Over the last few years, state programs and policies have encouraged low-barrier shelters and navigation centers. HHAP provides funding to large cities, counties, and Continuums of Care to fund low-barrier navigation centers. In addition, AB 101 (Committee on Budget) Chapter 159, Statues of 2019 created a streamlined, by-right process for developing low-barrier navigation centers that allow for pets, possession, and privacy. A low-barrier navigation center can be constructed more quickly by-right because the center is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act.
5. Pet Assistance and Support Program (PAS). In recognition of the important role that pet-friendly shelters can provide for individuals experiencing homelessness, in 2019, the state budget included a $5 million appropriation to create the PAS program at HCD. Under the PAS program, HCD provides grants to eligible entities for shelter, food, and basic veterinarian services for the pets of people living in homeless shelters. Eligible applicants are cities, counties, and nonprofit corporations with a primary mission to shelter individuals experiencing homelessness and meeting the definition of "qualified shelter" (i.e., they have rules of conduct and responsibility, provide crates or kenneling, provide food to both homeless individuals and their and pets, and offer veterinarian services).

HCD issued the first notice of funding availability (NOFA) for PAS in December 2019. In the first round of the NOFA, 49 applications requesting approximately $9 million were submitted to HCD. In April 2020, grants of either $100,000 or $200,000 were provided to 28 shelters, with the size of the grant proportional to the applicant's operating budget and funding gap. All grant funds had to be spent by December 30, 2022. This bill effectively makes PAS a permanent program and expands its scope to include qualified domestic violence shelters with pet-friendly policies. The 2021-22 budget included $10 million for the PAS program. The NOFA for the latest round of the PAS program closed April 8, 2022 and a total of 70 applications were submitted for a requested $18 million.

Related Legislation:

SB 513 (Hertzberg, 2022) — would have required the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to establish a grant program to provide funding to homeless shelters to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness, as specified. This bill was held on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file.

SB 344 (Hertzberg, 2021) — would have required the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to establish a grant program to provide funding to homeless shelters to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness, as specified. This bill was held on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file.

SB 258 (Hertzberg, 2019) — would have required HCD, within the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program, to develop and administer a program to award grants to qualified homeless shelters for the provision of shelter, food, and basic veterinary service for pets owned by people experiencing homelessness. This bill was held on the Assembly Appropriations Committee Suspense File.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on Wednesday,

June 14, 2023.)

SUPPORT:

Humane Society of The United States (Co-Sponsor)

Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (Co-Sponsor)

PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) (Co-Sponsor)

City of Long Beach

City of Thousand Oaks

Housing Equality & Advocacy Resource Team (HEART)

LA Family Housing

Los Feliz Neighborhood Council

Sycamores

OPPOSITION:

None received.

-- END --

1. https://california100.org/app/uploads/2022/03/Housing-and-Community-Development-FOT-REPORT-Single-pages-FINAL.pdf ↑

2. https://www.petsofthehomeless.org/about-us/#faqs ↑

3. Aliment, Ruby; Rankin, Sara; and Lurie, Kaya, "No Pets Allowed: Discrimination, Homelessness, and Pet

   Ownership" (2016). Homeless Rights Advocacy Project. 3. https://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/hrap/3 ↑

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 1215

Author:(Wendy Carrillo)

As Amended Ver:May 18, 2023

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to establish a grant program to provide funding to homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence, as specified.

Major Provisions

1. Requires HCD to establish the Pets Assistance with Support (PAWS) Grant Program, a grant program to provide qualified homeless shelters with shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness.
2. Defines "qualified homeless shelter" as a shelter that meets all of the following conditions:
   1. It has rules of conduct and responsibility regarding pets and their owners;
   2. It provides crates or kenneling either near bunks or in a separate area;
   3. It provides food for both people experiencing homelessness, and their pets; and
   4. It offers veterinary services, including, but not limited to, spaying and neutering services.
3. Defines "qualified domestic violence shelter" to mean a shelter serving individuals seeking to escape domestic violence, as defined, and which also meets the criteria in 2a) to 2d), above.

COMMENTS

Homelessness in California: Based on the 2022 point in time count, California has the largest homeless population in the nation with 173,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night. Over two-thirds of those people, are unsheltered, meaning they are living outdoors and not in temporary shelters. A recent report from California 100 notes that increases in housing costs contribute to the state's homelessness crisis and notes "the rate of homelessness in California, at 40.9 per 10,000 residents, is fourth highest in the nation after Washington DC, New York, and Hawaii. Indeed, more than one-quarter of people who are experiencing homelessness in the United States live in California, though the state is home to only 12% of the nation's overall population."^[1] The report also notes that the population of people experiencing homelessness has risen during the last five years while the national trend has been to see steady or decreased rates of homelessness.

Pet friendly shelters: The organization Pets of the Homeless estimates that 5 to 10% of Americans experiencing homelessness have dogs or cats.^[2] However, homeless shelters often prohibit pets from being on the premises. As noted in a paper from Seattle University School of Law's Homeless Rights Advocacy Project, "pet restrictions cause people experiencing homelessness to refuse available housing and shelter because acceptance would mean giving up a family member. Ignoring the importance of pet ownership increases the risk for long-term homelessness because pet owners must wait for pet-friendly housing and services."^[3]

Low-barrier housing policies: Evidence shows that people experiencing homelessness are more likely to accept temporary or interim housing if the housing is low-barrier. Typically, low-barrier housing allows for pets, allows individuals to keep their possessions, and provides non-congregate settings, with privacy. Over the last few years, state programs and policies have encouraged low-barrier shelters and navigation centers. HHAP provides funding to large cities, counties, and Continuums of Care to fund low-barrier navigation centers. In addition, AB 101 (Committee on Budget) Chapter 159, Statues of 2019 created a streamlined, by-right process for developing low-barrier navigation centers that allow for pets, possession, and privacy. A low-barrier navigation center can be constructed more quickly by-right because the center is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act.

Pet Assistance and Support Program (PAS): In recognition of the important role that pet-friendly shelters can provide for individuals experiencing homelessness, in 2019, the state budget included a $5 million appropriation to create the PAS program at HCD. Under the PAS program, HCD provides grants to eligible entities for shelter, food, and basic veterinarian services for the pets of people living in homeless shelters. Eligible applicants are cities, counties, and nonprofit corporations with a primary mission to shelter individuals experiencing homelessness and meeting the definition of "qualified shelter" (i.e., they have rules of conduct and responsibility, provide crates or kenneling, provide food to both homeless individuals and their and pets, and offer veterinarian services).

HCD issued the first notice of funding availability (NOFA) for PAS in December 2019. In the first round of the NOFA, 49 applications requesting approximately $9 million were submitted to HCD. In April 2020, grants of either $100,000 or $200,000 were provided to 28 shelters, with the size of the grant proportional to the applicant's operating budget and funding gap. All grant funds had to be spent by December 30, 2022. This bill effectively makes PAS a permanent program and expands its scope to include qualified domestic violence shelters with pet-friendly policies. The 2021-22 budget included $10 million for the PAS program. The NOFA for the latest round of the PAS program closed April 8, 2022 and a total of 70 applications were submitted for a requested $18 million.

According to the Author

"On any given night in California, at least 161,000 people are without a home. Many of these individuals refuse housing and services if doing so requires them to abandon their most treasured belonging – their pet. This happens all too often as a majority of shelters, motels, and other assisted housing programs do not permit animals on their property, pushing potential beneficiaries to live on the street.

SB 513 offers a common-sense solution by making permanent the highly successful Pet Assistance and Support (PAS) Program, which awards grants to shelters serving the needs of both individuals experiencing homelessness and their animal companions. By requiring HCD to provide further support for the PAS Program, we provide for individuals who otherwise would not receive essential services, such as medical and living assistance, out of fear of losing their animal companion. In other words, we support both ends of the leash."

Arguments in Support

According to supporters, this bill address a barrier to people entering shelters or domestic violence shelters, the ability to take their pet with them.

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:

1. HCD estimates one-time and ongoing General Fund (GF) costs for additional staff of $585,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2023-24, $772,000 in FY 2024-25, $1.1 million in FY 2025-26, and $560,000 in FY 2026-27, and annually thereafter, to develop, administer, and monitor the PAWS program.

HCD indicates this grant program would necessitate new staff in both its Program Design Implementation (PDI) unit and its States Grant Management (SGM). PDI staff would be needed to conduct stakeholder engagement and develop guidelines and notices of funding availability. PDI staff would also be needed for implementation, to review threshold, score applications, and create and execute standard agreements. SGM staff would be needed to provide post-contract technical assistance, disbursement of funds, compliance monitoring, and data analysis.

1. Staffing levels assume a $10 million appropriation for each year through FY 2025-26. This bill authorizes HCD to use up to 7% of the funds appropriated to the program for its administrative purposes. This amount, $700,000, covers the majority of the ongoing costs of the program, but falls short of the total funds HCD needs to implement the program.

VOTES

ASM HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: 8-0-0

YES: Wicks, Joe Patterson, Wendy Carrillo, Gabriel, Juan Carrillo, Quirk-Silva, Sanchez, Ward

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 11-0-5

YES: Holden, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Mike Fong, Hart, Lowenthal, Papan, Pellerin, Weber, Ortega

ABS, ABST OR NV: Megan Dahle, Dixon, Mathis, Robert Rivas, Sanchez

UPDATED

VERSION: May 18, 2023

CONSULTANT: Lisa Engel / H. & C.D. / (916) 319-2085 FN: 0000600

1. https://california100.org/app/uploads/2022/03/Housing-and-Community-Development-FOT-REPORT-Single-pages-FINAL.pdf ↑

2. https://www.petsofthehomeless.org/about-us/#faqs ↑

3. Aliment, Ruby; Rankin, Sara; and Lurie, Kaya, "No Pets Allowed: Discrimination, Homelessness, and Pet

   Ownership" (2016). Homeless Rights Advocacy Project. 3. https://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/hrap/3 ↑

Date of Hearing: April 19, 2023

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Chris Holden, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1215

Author:(Wendy Carrillo) – As Amended Ver:March 30, 2023

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to establish the Pets Assistance with Support (PAWS) Grant Program to award funds to qualified homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by people experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence. The bill allows HCD to use up to 7% of appropriated funds for program administration.

FISCAL EFFECT:

1. HCD estimates one-time and ongoing General Fund (GF) costs for additional staff of $585,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2023-24, $772,000 in FY 2024-25, $1.1 million in FY 2025-26, and $560,000 in FY 2026-27, and annually thereafter, to develop, administer, and monitor the PAWS program.

HCD indicates this grant program would necessitate new staff in both its Program Design Implementation (PDI) unit and its States Grant Management (SGM). PDI staff would be needed to conduct stakeholder engagement and develop guidelines and notices of funding availability. PDI staff would also be needed for implementation, to review threshold, score applications, and create and execute standard agreements. SGM staff would be needed to provide post-contract technical assistance, disbursement of funds, compliance monitoring, and data analysis.

1. Staffing levels assume a $10 million appropriation for each year through FY 2025-26. This bill authorizes HCD to use up to 7% of the funds appropriated to the program for its administrative purposes. This amount, $700,000, covers the majority of the ongoing costs of the program, but falls short of the total funds HCD needs to implement the program.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. This bill codifies and expands the Pet Assistance and Support (PAS) program, thereby making the program permanent. According to the author:

On any given night in California, at least 161,000 people are without a home. Many of these individuals refuse housing and services if doing so requires them to abandon their most treasured belonging – their pet. This happens all too often as a majority of shelters, motels, and other assisted housing programs do not permit animals on their property, pushing potential beneficiaries to live on the street. [This bill] offers a common-sense solution by making permanent the highly successful PAS Program, which awards grants to shelters serving the needs of both individuals experiencing homelessness and their animal companions.

1. Background. The nonprofit organization Pets of the Homeless estimates 5% to 10% of Americans experiencing homelessness have dogs or cats. However, homeless shelters often prohibit pets from being on the premises. As a result, many homeless individuals refuse housing and services if a condition of assistance requires the abandonment of their pets. Evidence shows that people experiencing homelessness are more likely to accept temporary or interim housing if the housing is low-barrier. Typically, low-barrier housing allows for pets, allows individuals to keep their possessions, and provides non-congregate settings, with privacy. Over the last few years, state programs and policies have encouraged low-barrier shelters and navigation centers.

The 2019 state budget allocated $5 million to HCD to create the PAS program to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinarian services for pets of individuals in homeless shelters. The PAS program provides grants to cities, counties and nonprofit corporations with a primary mission to shelter individuals experiencing homelessness and meeting the definition of “qualified shelter,” meaning they have rules of conduct and responsibility, provide crates or kenneling, provide food to both homeless individuals and their and pets, and offer veterinarian services.

HCD issued the first notice of funding availability (NOFA) for the PAS program in December 2019. In the first round of the NOFA, 49 applications requesting approximately $9 million were submitted to HCD. In April 2020, grants of either $100,000 or $200,000 were provided to 28 shelters, with the size of the grant proportional to the applicant’s operating budget and funding gap. All grant funds had to be spent by December 30, 2022. The 2021-22 budget included $10 million for the PAS program. The NOFA for the latest round of the PAS program closed April 8, 2022, and a total of 70 applications were submitted for a requested $18 million. The PAS program received $1 million in the 2022-23 state budget.

This bill essentially makes the PAS program permanent and expands its scope to include qualified domestic violence shelters with pet-friendly policies.

1. Prior Legislation. SB 344 (Hertzberg), of the 2021-22 Legislative Session, was substantially similar to this bill, but did not apply to domestic violence shelters and would have allowed HCD to use only 5% of the funds for administration. SB 344 was held on this committee’s suspense file.

SB 258 (Hertzberg), of the 2019-20 Legislative Session, was similar to SB 344. SB 258 was held on this committee’s suspense file.

Analysis Prepared by: Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: March 29, 2023

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Buffy Wicks, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1215 (

Author:Wendy Carrillo) – As Introduced Ver:February 16, 2023

SUBJECT: Pets Assistance With Support Grant Program: homeless shelters: domestic violence shelters: pets

SUMMARY: Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to establish a grant program to provide funding to homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence, as specified. Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires HCD to establish the Pets Assistance with Support (PAWS) Grant Program, a grant program to provide qualified homeless shelters with shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness.
2. Defines “qualified homeless shelter” as a shelter that meets all of the following conditions:
   1. It has rules of conduct and responsibility regarding pets and their owners;
   2. It provides crates or kenneling either near bunks or in a separate area;
   3. It provides food for both people experiencing homelessness, and their pets; and
   4. It offers veterinary services, including, but not limited to, spaying and neutering services and behavioral support.
3. Defines “qualified domestic violence shelter” to mean a shelter serving individuals seeking to escape domestic violence, as defined, and which also meets the criteria in 2a) – 2d) above.
4. Specifies that HCD may uses up to 7 percent of the funds for program administration.
5. Allows HCD to implement the program through the issuance of forms, guidelines, and one or more notices of funding availability, as the department deems necessary, to exercise the powers and perform the duties conferred on it by this chapter. Any forms, guidelines, and notices of funding availability adopted pursuant to this section are exempted from the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, as specified.
6. Makes this program contingent upon funding in the Budget Act.
7. States the intent of the Legislature to provide a future appropriation in the amount $32,200,000 over three years for the purpose of administering this chapter to fund the program.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Creates the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (CA-ICH) within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency. (Welfare and Institutions (WIC) Code Section 8257 et seq.)
2. Establishes the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) program to provide jurisdictions with one-time grant funds to support regional coordination and expand or develop local capacity to address their immediate homelessness challenges informed by a best-practices framework focused on moving homeless individuals and families into permanent housing and supporting the efforts of those individuals and families to maintain their permanent housing. (Health and Safety Code (HSC) Section 50217)
3. Creates the Homeless Emergency Aid program (HEAP) for the purpose of providing localities with one-time flexible block grant funds to address their immediate homelessness challenges. (HSC Section 50211)
4. Defines a “Low Barrier Navigation Center” to mean a Housing First, low-barrier, service-enriched shelter focused on moving people into permanent housing that provides temporary living facilities while case managers connect individuals experiencing homelessness to income, public benefits, health services, shelter, and housing. “Low Barrier” means best practices to reduce barriers to entry, and may include, but is not limited to, the following:
   1. The presence of partners if it is not a population-specific site, such as for survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault, women, or youth;
   2. Pets;
   3. The storage of possessions; and
   4. Privacy, such as partitions around beds in a dormitory setting or in larger rooms containing more than two beds, or private rooms. (Government Code (GC) Section 65660(a) et seq.)
5. Defines domestic abuse to mean “domestic violence” abuse perpetrated against any of the following persons:
   1. spouse or former spouse;
   2. A cohabitant or former cohabitant, as defined;
   3. A person with whom the respondent is having or has had a dating or engagement relationship;
   4. A person with whom the respondent has had a child, where the presumption applies that the male parent is the father of the child of the female parent under the Uniform Parentage Act;
   5. A child of a party or a child who is the subject of an action under the Uniform Parentage Act, where the presumption applies that the male parent is the father of the child to be protected; or
   6. Any other person related by consanguinity or affinity within the second degree. (Family Code (FAMC) Section 6211 et seq.)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

Author’s statement: According to the author, “On any given night in California, at least 161,000 people are without a home. Many of these individuals refuse housing and services if doing so requires them to abandon their most treasured belonging – their pet. This happens all too often as a majority of shelters, motels, and other assisted housing programs do not permit animals on their property, pushing potential beneficiaries to live on the street.

SB 513 offers a common-sense solution by making permanent the highly successful Pet Assistance and Support (PAS) Program, which awards grants to shelters serving the needs of both individuals experiencing homelessness and their animal companions. By requiring HCD to provide further support for the PAS Program, we provide for individuals who otherwise would not receive essential services, such as medical and living assistance, out of fear of losing their animal companion. In other words, we support both ends of the leash.”

Homelessness in California: Based on the 2022 point in time count, California has the largest homeless population in the nation with 173,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night. Over two-thirds of those people, are unsheltered, meaning they are living outdoors and not in temporary shelters. A recent report from California 100 notes that increases in housing costs contribute to the state’s homelessness crisis and notes “the rate of homelessness in California, at 40.9 per 10,000 residents, is fourth highest in the nation after Washington DC, New York, and Hawaii. Indeed, more than one-quarter of people who are experiencing homelessness in the United States live in California, though the state is home to only 12 percent of the nation’s overall population.”^[1] The report also notes that the population of people experiencing homelessness has risen during the last five years while the national trend has been to see steady or decreased rates of homelessness.

Pet friendly shelters: The organization Pets of the Homeless estimates that 5 to 10 percent of Americans experiencing homelessness have dogs or cats.^[2] However, homeless shelters often prohibit pets from being on the premises. As noted in a paper from Seattle University School of Law’s Homeless Rights Advocacy Project, “pet restrictions cause people experiencing homelessness to refuse available housing and shelter because acceptance would mean giving up a family member. Ignoring the importance of pet ownership increases the risk for long-term homelessness because pet owners must wait for pet-friendly housing and services.”^[3]

Low-barrier housing policies: Evidence shows that people experiencing homelessness are more likely to accept temporary or interim housing if the housing is low-barrier. Typically, low-barrier housing allows for pets, allows individuals to keep their possessions, and provides non-congregate settings, with privacy. Over the last few years, state programs and policies have encouraged low-barrier shelters and navigation centers. HHAP provides funding to large cities, counties, and Continuums of Care to fund low-barrier navigation centers. In addition, AB 101 (Chapter 159, Statues of 2019) created a streamlined, by-right process for developing low-barrier navigation centers that allow for pets, possession, and privacy. A low-barrier navigation center can be constructed more quickly by-right because the center is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act.

Pet Assistance and Support Program (PAS): In recognition of the important role that pet-friendly shelters can provide for individuals experiencing homelessness, in 2019, the state budget included a $5 million appropriation to create the PAS program at HCD. Under the PAS program, HCD provides grants to eligible entities for shelter, food, and basic veterinarian services for the pets of people living in homeless shelters. Eligible applicants are cities, counties, and nonprofit corporations with a primary mission to shelter individuals experiencing homelessness and meeting the definition of “qualified shelter” (i.e., they have rules of conduct and responsibility, provide crates or kenneling, provide food to both homeless individuals and their and pets, and offer veterinarian services).

HCD issued the first notice of funding availability (NOFA) for PAS in December 2019. In the first round of the NOFA, 49 applications requesting approximately $9 million were submitted to HCD. In April 2020, grants of either $100,000 or $200,000 were provided to 28 shelters, with the size of the grant proportional to the applicant’s operating budget and funding gap. All grant funds had to be spent by December 30, 2022. This bill effectively makes PAS a permanent program and expands its scope to include qualified domestic violence shelters with pet-friendly policies. The 2021-22 budget included $10 million for the PAS program. The NOFA for the latest round of the PAS program closed April 8, 2022 and a total of 70 applications were submitted for a requested $18 million.

Administrative Procedures Act (APA): The Administrative Procedures Act (APA) establishes rulemaking procedures and standards for state agencies in California. The requirements set forth in the APA are designed to provide the public with a meaningful opportunity to participate in the adoption of state regulations and to ensure that regulations are clear, necessary and legally valid. This bill exempts guidelines adopted for the new procedure created by this program from the APA. The committee may wish to consider removing this exemption.

Fiscal Implications: This bill includes intent language to allocate funding this program in this year’s budget and future year’s. The Committee may wish to consider if this is more appropriately addressed in a Budget Act.

Committee amendments:

1. Delete the exemption from the APA:

(e) The department may implement the program through the issuance of forms, guidelines, and one or more notices of funding availability, as the department deems necessary, to exercise the powers and perform the duties conferred on it by this chapter. Any forms, guidelines, and notices of funding availability adopted pursuant to this section are exempt from the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).

1. Delete the language stating the Legislatures’ intent to dedicate future budget funding to this program:

(f) The program established under this chapter shall become operative only upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act. It is the intent of Legislature to provide a future appropriation in the amount of thirty two million two hundred thousand dollars ($32,200,000) over three years for the purpose of administering this chapter, as follows:

(1) For the 2023–24 fiscal year, not more than ten million dollars ($10,000,000) of the funding would be made available to qualified domestic violence shelters and qualified homeless shelters.

(2) For the 2024–25 fiscal year, not more than ten million dollars ($10,000,000) of the funding would be made available to qualified domestic violence shelters and qualified homeless shelters.

(3) For the 2025–26 fiscal year, not more than ten million dollars ($10,000,000) of the funding would be made available to qualified domestic violence shelters and qualified homeless shelters

Arguments in support: According to supporters, this bill address a barrier to people entering shelters or domestic violence shelters, the ability to take their pet with them.

Arguments in opposition: None on file.

RELATED LEGISLATION:

SB 344 (Hertzberg, 2021): would have required HCD to establish a grant program to provide funding to homeless shelters to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness, as specified. This bill was held on the Assembly Appropriations Suspense File.

SB 258 (Hertzberg, 2019): would have required HCD, within the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program, to develop and administer a program to award grants to qualified homeless shelters for the provision of shelter, food, and basic veterinary service for pets owned by people experiencing homelessness. This bill was held on the Assembly Appropriations Suspense File.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

American Kennel Club

American Pets Alive! and Human Animal Support Services

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Best Friends Animal Society

League of California Cities

My Dog Is My Home

Pallet Shelter

Safe Place for Youth

Social Compassion in Legislation

The People Concern

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Lisa Engel / H. & C.D. / (916) 319-2085

1. https://california100.org/app/uploads/2022/03/Housing-and-Community-Development-FOT-REPORT-Single-pages-FINAL.pdf ↑

2. https://www.petsofthehomeless.org/about-us/#faqs ↑

3. Aliment, Ruby; Rankin, Sara; and Lurie, Kaya, "No Pets Allowed: Discrimination, Homelessness, and Pet

   Ownership" (2016). Homeless Rights Advocacy Project. 3. https://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/hrap/3 ↑