The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Crescent City Times.com By Jeff Faller – September 20, 2025 AB 246, deceptively named the “Social Security Tenant Protection Act of 2025,” is yet another harmful proposal targeting California’s housing providers. Why You Should Oppose AB 246 Forced Labor: Property owners would be forced to provide housing and services without any compensation for an indefinite period of time. If social security were ever to fail, this would create a circumstance where rent would never come due. Discriminatory: The bill applies penalties only to housing providers, while no other creditors are treated this way. This is an unjust and discriminatory burden placed solely on rental property owners. Unnecessary: Current law already provides tenants with extensive protections, including just cause eviction restrictions and extended notice requirements. Unreasonable: AB 246 creates a new loophole, allowing tenants to delay or avoid eviction proceedings simply by claiming a “Social Security hardship” defense if social security is delayed, reduced, or ended for any reason. We sympathize with seniors who may experience delays in their benefits. But housing providers cannot be turned into the government’s safety net. If a Social Security check is late, that burden should not fall on rental property owners. Importantly, AB 246 does not account for tenants who are having their social security benefits paused because of fraudulent or unlawful means. There will be times when Social Security recipients lose eligibility or face reduced benefits. Housing providers should not be forced to absorb this financial burden. The Social Security trust funds are already on the path to insolvency—projected to be depleted by 2033 for the retirement and survivors fund, and by 2034 for the combined trust funds—leaving only about 77% of promised benefits available. Housing providers cannot be made the backstop for a failing federal program. To put it in perspective—could you walk into a grocery store and expect to take food without paying, just because your benefits were delayed? Yet AB 246 asks housing providers to do exactly that. Assemblyman Isaac Bryan, the author of this legislation, is once again targeting property owners with policies that undermine the very agreements renters voluntarily signed. Take Action Now This bill is part of a growing trend of attacks on property rights. If Sacramento continues down this road, more investors will leave California—and affordable housing will only become more scarce. Send a letter today! Join the fight for property rights, and petition Governor Newsom to veto this bill. Together, we can stand strong for property rights and against legislative overreach. Jeffrey Faller is President of Apartment Owners Association of California, Inc.