By Vanguard Staff
SACRAMENTO, CA – In response to mounting concerns over affordability and housing insecurity, State Senator Dr. Aisha Wahab (D–Silicon Valley) is pushing through a wide-ranging legislative package aimed at easing the burden on Californians. Thirteen bills in her pro-affordability agenda are currently pending on the Senate Floor, with two already advancing to the Assembly.
“This legislation puts money back in people’s pockets, stabilizes costs, and tackles California’s housing affordability crisis head-on,” Senator Wahab said in a statement. “Californians are tired of being taken advantage of by corporate interests—and I’m proud to stand up and say: enough is enough.”
Wahab’s package combines housing and consumer protection measures designed to improve economic security, prevent displacement, and promote equitable recovery from disasters. The legislative deadline to pass bills through the Senate is June 6, 2025.
Among the bills already advancing is SB 259, which prohibits companies from charging consumers different prices online based on the device they’re using—a practice critics argue amounts to digital discrimination.
Housing-Focused Legislation
Several of the most significant bills in Wahab’s package target the state’s long-running housing crisis:
- SB 681 – Investing In Your California Dream: The centerpiece of Wahab’s housing legislation, this bill addresses affordability with measures for homeowners, renters, new development, and preservation of existing housing.
- SB 436 – Keeping Californians Housed Act: Extends grace periods for tenants to pay overdue rent and protects landlords from excessive court fees, aiming to reduce evictions and court-related financial burdens.
- SB 522 – Post-Disaster Tenant Protections Act: Expands just cause eviction protections to tenants living in declared disaster zones, offering housing stability during recovery periods.
- SB 625 – Housing in Disaster Areas: Speeds up the rebuilding process in disaster-affected areas by streamlining permitting and approval timelines.
- SB 262 – Stable Housing is Pro-Housing: Broadens California’s pro-housing designation program to reward cities—especially smaller ones—that take action to support housing stability and prevent displacement.
Senator Wahab, who made history as the first Afghan American elected to the state legislature, has consistently positioned herself as an advocate for working families. Her latest effort reflects a growing legislative push to address the intersecting crises of housing, inflation, and corporate accountability.
The full Senate is expected to consider the remaining bills in Wahab’s package in the coming days.
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Breaking News Housing State of California
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Assembly California Housing Crisis Sacramento SB 262 SB 436 SB 522 SB 625 SB 681 State Senator Dr. Aisha Wahab