With support from many of you, SB 488, co-sponsored by RAMP (a project of the Public Health Institute), the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, and the California Association of Code Enforcement Officers, was signed into law by Governor Brown on August 12th. Please join RAMP in thanking Governor Brown, Senator Hueso, Assemblymember Quirk-Silva, and their staff for their leadership in ensuring the enforcement of healthy housing standards in California.
In signing SB 488, Governor Brown closes a loophole in state law that prevents the enforcement of pest infestations in communities without the services of a Local Health Officer. Starting on January 1, 2014, local code enforcement officers will be able to cite for pest infestations where there is not a Local Health Officer, ensuring that all tenants, regardless of where they live, can have existing laws enforced ensuring their homes are healthy and pest-free.
Because of the clear links between exposure to pests and asthma and because substandard housing conditions are more common in the same low income communities and communities of color where we find the strongest disparities in asthma rates and outcomes, addressing this loophole is an important step in addressing the community and environmental inequities that contribute to asthma disparities. Click here to learn more about this issue.
Finally, we want to extend our thanks to all those that supported this effort, including members of the California Healthy Housing Coalition and Community Action to Fight Asthma. A list of supporters can be found here.
Thank you for your support!