The Filipino-American Housing Crisis in California
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California has long been home to one of the largest Filipino communities in the United States, especially in cities like Daly City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Yet, as rent costs continue to rise sharply across the state, Filipino-American families are struggling to stay in the neighborhoods that have become cultural strongholds for generations. This affordability crisis doesn’t just threaten individual families; it jeopardizes entire communities, forcing many Filipino-Americans to choose between staying in California or leaving behind the cultural connections and support systems they’ve built over decades.
In this blog, we explore why Filipino families face such intense rent pressures in California’s major cities. By examining the unique circumstances in Daly City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, SOMCAN sheds light on the challenges that have led to the current housing crisis—and what might be done to address it.
Daly City: The “Pinoy Capital” Facing Gentrification
Daly City, often referred to as the “Pinoy Capital of the Bay Area,” has long been a haven for Filipino families. Following the 1968 Fair Housing Act, which ended legal housing discrimination, Daly City became one of the most popular destinations for Filipino immigrants in California. By the 1990s, about a third of Daly City’s population was Filipino, resulting in a rich tapestry of Filipino-owned businesses, cultural events, and a strong political presence that led to the election of the city’s first Filipino mayor.
Today, Daly City’s status as a cultural hub for Filipinos is under threat due to skyrocketing rent prices. The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Daly City has soared to around $3,100, and more than half of the city’s residents are considered “rent-burdened,” meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing. This strain pushes families to make tough decisions, often cutting back on essentials like healthcare, education, and food.
The high cost of rent forces many Filipino families to consider moving to more affordable areas, away from the community and cultural ties they’ve nurtured over the years. This trend not only disrupts the social fabric but also risks erasing the cultural heritage that has defined Daly City as a Filipino enclave for decades.
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San Francisco: The Legacy of the I-Hotel and Continued Struggles
San Francisco has a long, storied history with the Filipino-American community, particularly around the International Hotel (I-Hotel) in the Manilatown district. In the 1970s, the I-Hotel served as affordable housing for low-income Filipino and Chinese immigrants. The eviction of tenants from the I-Hotel in 1977—despite years of protests by residents and activists—highlighted the vulnerability of immigrant communities to displacement by development and gentrification.
The I-Hotel’s demolition became a tragic chapter in San Francisco’s history, symbolizing the loss of cultural spaces for the city’s working-class Filipino immigrants. Today, the I-Hotel remains a rallying point for Filipino advocacy in San Francisco and a reminder of the need for tenant protections to prevent displacement.
In present-day San Francisco, over 60% of Filipino renters are classified as rent-burdened, and many can no longer afford to live in the city they call home. High-income tech workers and an influx of luxury housing developments have driven rents higher, displacing low- and middle-income residents. San Francisco’s Filipino community is resilient, but without more affordable housing, its long-standing presence in the city is at risk.
The legacy of the I-Hotel serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing housing struggles facing Filipino Americans in San Francisco. These challenges continue to erode the cultural landscape that many families worked so hard to establish.
Los Angeles: Historic Filipinotown and the Threat of Gentrification
Los Angeles is home to Historic Filipinotown (HiFi), a neighborhood that has served as a cultural epicenter for Filipino families since it was officially designated in 2002. HiFi is more than just a neighborhood; it’s a symbol of Filipino resilience and unity, representing the achievements and contributions of Filipino immigrants who arrived in Los Angeles decades ago.
HiFi’s residents are among the lowest earners in Los Angeles, with a median household income of just $26,757. About 95% of HiFi residents are renters, making them particularly vulnerable to rising rent costs. The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the area now exceeds $2,300, an unsustainable amount for many working-class families.
As gentrification sweeps across Los Angeles, HiFi is facing the same pressures as other historically immigrant neighborhoods. Rising property values attract developers and wealthier tenants, leading to increased rent costs that make it difficult for current residents to remain. Filipino families are being pushed out of the area, eroding the sense of community that HiFi was built to preserve.
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UC Santa Cruz: Students Struggling Amidst One of the World’s Most Expensive Rental Markets
The housing crisis in California is not limited to families or long-established communities; it also deeply impacts students, who face increasingly unaffordable housing near their campuses. At UC Santa Cruz, this issue has reached crisis levels, with nearly 10% of students experiencing homelessness. Santa Cruz has one of the most expensive rental markets globally, making it nearly impossible for students to secure affordable housing.
Many students at UC Santa Cruz are forced to live in overcrowded conditions due to limited on-campus housing and high rental costs. Some students report having to share quad rooms with as many as eight roommates, while others resort to sleeping in their cars. A recent survey revealed that 71% of Family Student Housing residents at UCSC reported mold in their apartments, with 61.5% experiencing asthma or allergy symptoms linked to poor living conditions.
In the face of extreme competition, some students have resorted to bidding wars or even offering bribes to secure housing. In an especially tight market, students bring baked goods or offer chores to landlords as a way to outbid other applicants, highlighting the lengths they must go to simply to have a place to live.
Filipino-American students at UC Santa Cruz are particularly vulnerable, as they balance the challenges of high tuition, limited financial resources, and housing insecurity. For these students, the lack of affordable housing represents yet another barrier to education, forcing them to weigh the importance of their studies against the struggle to maintain basic living standards.
As the housing crisis pushes California's young people to the breaking point, Filipino-American students—along with students from all backgrounds—are left wondering who benefits from the skyrocketing costs of education and living. With rent controls limited by policies like the Costa-Hawkins Act, students and families alike face an uncertain future in a housing market that seems increasingly out of reach.
The Role of the Costa-Hawkins Act: A Barrier to Affordable Housing
A significant factor fueling California’s housing crisis for Filipino communities is the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, a state law passed in 1995 that restricts local rent control measures. Costa-Hawkins prohibits rent control on single-family homes and housing units built after 1995, preventing cities from extending rent protections to a significant portion of their housing stock. In addition, it allows landlords to raise rents to market rates once a unit becomes vacant, which often leads to rapid rent increases in high-demand areas.
For Filipino communities in Daly City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, Costa-Hawkins limits the options local governments have to keep rent affordable. Without the ability to cap rent on many housing units, cities are left unable to curb the rapid rent hikes that have driven so many Filipino families from their homes. Advocates argue that repealing or reforming Costa-Hawkins could provide local governments with the tools needed to preserve affordable housing options for vulnerable communities.
Ultimately, Costa-Hawkins has amplified the challenges facing Filipino renters across California, putting cultural enclaves at risk and straining families financially. Addressing these issues requires more than just community advocacy; it demands statewide policy changes to ensure that California’s Filipino-American families have a place to call home.
Organizations like SOMCAN are working tirelessly to advocate for tenant rights, affordable housing, and policies that protect low-income renters from displacement. For more information on their resources, follow and visit their Instagram at https://bit.ly/somcansf1