Min refrains from voting on Critical Homelessness Prevention Act.
The Senate Judiciary Committee’s September 14th session concluded with public discontent as State Senator Dave Min was recorded as “NVR” (No Vote Recorded) on the decisive Homelessness Prevention Act, SB567. This abstention by Min on a bill that promised significant reform in tenant protection and homelessness prevention has placed him at the center of a storm of criticism.
Senator Maria Elena Durazo’s SB567 sought to revise and bolster the Tenants Protection Act, aiming to cap annual rent increases in a move to stymie the state’s burgeoning homelessness issue. The link between rising rents and homelessness has been starkly drawn by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which found a modest rent increase can lead to a substantial rise in homelessness—heightening the importance of the act.
Despite the clear implications of this legislation for his constituents, Senator Min refrained from casting a vote. His lack of participation in the vote, especially given his representational duties for areas grappling with housing insecurity like Irvine and parts of Huntington Beach, has been perceived as a dereliction of duty by many.
Min’s “NVR” status, in effect, equates to a passive “No,” undermining the bill’s potential to enact much-needed change. In a climate where corporate landlords have seen a significant accumulation of wealth, the juxtaposition of Min’s inaction against the backdrop of a lucrative real estate market has not gone unnoticed.
Some constituents have called into question his commitment to tackling one of California’s most pressing social challenges. For those on the front lines of the housing crisis, Min’s non-vote is a missed opportunity to support legislation that could have provided substantial relief to those on the precipice of homelessness.
