Friend -

There is a housing crisis in America, and it goes deeper than you may know.

When most people picture the unhoused, they’re imagining their fellow Americans living on the streets – sometimes in tents, sometimes in the open – visible for all to see.

Or they may think of people forced to live in their cars, struggling to manage the basic necessities of life in the confines of a vehicle.

But even that is not the full picture.

Of the MILLIONS of unhoused Americans, more than 60% are “invisible” to the general public.

These are the people forced out of permanent, stable housing by rent hikes or lapses in employment. They are living in hotels, crashing on friends’ couches, and otherwise finding temporary shelter that keeps them off the street – but does not keep them out of danger.

There was a brief period during the pandemic, when evictions were frozen to preserve public health and prevent the spread of disease. It was the first time millions of Americans experienced the affirmation that housing is both a basic human right and a general social good.

But as the pandemic eased, the landlords of America became impatient – and many became greedy.

Over 1 MILLION eviction cases were filed in the U.S. in 2023 – a 10% increase over 2022 and more than double the total evictions in 2021.

Rents increased as much as 30% – far outpacing wages AND inflation. Even many Americans with strong credit and a stable rental history have found themselves on the verge of homelessness because their landlord changed the terms of their lease without notice.

I believe that housing is a human right, full stop. I’m running for President to ensure everyone has a safe, stable place to call home.

The most shocking and appalling thing to understand about America’s housing problems is that this is a manufactured crisis.

It’s not that we have too few homes or too many people. There are roughly five times as many empty homes as there are people who live without permanent housing – and those are the conservative estimates.

The appalling stereotypes of unhoused Americans are constantly reinforced by mainstream media and pop culture.

…that they are all mentally ill, addicts, or violent.

…that they're homeless because they made bad decisions or they're lazy.

…that they're unemployed or unemployable.

Over 2.5 million unhoused or housing insecure Americans are children.

Up to 60% of unhoused adults have active employment.

The truth is that the majority of Americans are only a few missed paychecks away from joining this vulnerable population.

It seems obvious to say it but, the truth is the reason people are homeless is because they don't have homes. And that is a problem we can solve.

As your president, I will work to guarantee housing as a human right, with plans to build millions of affordable homes. We will prioritize getting unhoused people into homes without preconditions – giving them the foundation to rebuild their lives.

We will build at least 15 million green, union-built, publicly-owned homes over the next decade. And we’ll expand public transportation to serve this development, reducing traffic and pollution below current levels. 

This investment will address the shortage of affordable housing and disincentivize private equity from buying up homes to keep as investment income. In the process we will create millions of jobs and build housing that can withstand the ravages of the climate crisis.

I will safeguard tenant protections with a Universal Tenant's Bill of Rights that will protect renters from exploitation. We will support the establishment of a National Tenants Union, empowering tenants to stand up for their rights.

We will implement universal rent control and prohibit excessive rental deposits. Credit checks will be eliminated from rental applications, making it easier for everyone to secure housing.

These are just a few of the policies we can pursue even without a cooperative congress to provide immediate relief to American families. You can read more about my housing justice plans at jillstein2024.com/platform.

Your support is crucial in making this vision a reality. Join me in fighting for a future where housing is a right, not a privilege.

In solidarity and gratitude,

Jill