The League of Women Voters of Santa Barbara will host a community forum, titled “Rental Housing: Issues and Policy,” from noon to 2 p.m. April 21 at the Louise Lowry Davis Community Center in Santa Barbara.

The event is free and open to the public.

The featured speakers will be Charles Eckert III of the Santa Barbara Rental Property Association, Angie Hacker of Santa Barbara County Housing and Community Development, Hillary Kleger of the Isla Vista Tenants Union, Alex Lambrous of the Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County and Veronica Loza of the city of Santa Barbara City Housing Authority.

Affordable housing availability is a major issue on the South Coast. For many, rental units provide affordable housing. When area renters are evicted because of demolition, remodeling or condo conversion, they find it difficult to find alternative affordable housing.

For this reason, the League of Women Voters of Santa Barbara joined the Rental Housing Roundtable, which works to find solutions for displaced tenants, including relocation assistance when appropriate, and development of additional affordable position on housing. It addresses the need for “education of state and local communities concerning need for affordable housing and methods by which this can be attained,” as well as “protection of the rights of both tenants and landlords.”

The local league and the Rental Housing Roundtable support a relocation assistance ordinance in the county, similar to one in place in the city of Santa Barbara. Last year, county staff developing the ordinance interviewed representatives of LWVSB as part of a series of stakeholder meetings.

Bring a brown bag lunch. Dessert and beverage will be provided. For more information, call Emily Allen at 805.403.5224.