The San Diego Housing Federation Recognizes Senate President pro Tempore Emeritus Toni G. Atkins as the 2024 Recipient of the Housing Champion Ruby Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2024
Contact: Sarah Buchanan, Executive Vice President
San Diego Housing Federation
619-239-6693
The San Diego Housing Federation Recognizes Senate President pro Tempore Emeritus Toni G. Atkins as the 2024 Recipient of the Housing Champion Ruby Award
The 34th Annual Ruby Awards Celebrates Leadership, Innovation and Impact in Affordable Housing
SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Housing Federation will honor Senate President pro Tempore Emeritus Toni G. Atkins, with the Housing Champion Award recognition at its upcoming Ruby Awards ceremony on June 6.
The signature event is the country’s largest affordable housing industry recognition event honoring the best people, projects, and achievements during the past year. The 34th annual Ruby Awards will be held June 6, 2024, from 5:30 – 10 p.m. at the San Diego Marriott Marquis and Marina.
The Board of Directors selects the Housing Champion recipient who honors professionals with more than two decades of leadership, innovation, and impact in the affordable housing field. Recipients embody the values of the Federation: a commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability; collaboration and partnership across the community development field and advocacy for policies that improve the quality of life of families and communities.
Her foray into public service began when Atkins served as an aide to San Diego City Councilmember and LGBTQ trailblazer Christine Kehoe. In 2000, she was elected to replace Kehoe as the council’s District 3 representative. During her eight-year tenure, Atkins provided steady leadership as interim Mayor of San Diego amid a challenging and tumultuous time at City Hall. Elected by voters to the state Assembly in 2010, Atkins served there for six years.
In 2014, her colleagues selected her to be the Speaker of the Assembly – she became the first San Diegan and the first lesbian to hold the position. Atkins counts a $7.5-billion water bond and creation of the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit among her proudest accomplishments in the Assembly.
In 2016, Atkins was elected to represent the 39th District in the state Senate, where she has continued to advocate on behalf of women, LGBTQ, the climate, and increasing the state’s supply of affordable housing. Among the bills she has authored was SB 2, which created a permanent source of funding for affordable housing, a signature piece of legislation she worked on for several years.
After just one year, she was selected by her colleagues to serve as Senate President pro Tempore. In March 2018, she was sworn in, becoming the first woman and the first openly LGBTQ person to lead the Legislature’s upper house. Atkins is the first person in 150 years, and the third person in California history, to lead both houses of the Legislature. Throughout her career, Atkins has been a champion for affordable housing, the natural environment, healthcare, veterans, women, and the LGBTQ community.
“From her earliest days in public service, Toni has been more than just a leader in affordable housing – she has been a teacher, mentor, and a friend to me and many others. Her leadership has empowered the community to achieve our goals time and again, locally and at the state level. She always leads by example,” said Stephen Russell, President, and CEO, of San Diego Housing Federation.
For more information on the 2024 Ruby Awards, please visit https://www.housingsandiego.org/events-2/annual-ruby-awards.
The additional Ruby Awards categories include: Outstanding Resident Leader, Outstanding Service to Residents, Rich Juarez Advocate, Outstanding Development Partner, Outstanding Gov Agency or Elected Official, Supportive Housing Award, Lifetime Achievement, John Craven Public Service Memorial Award, Project of the Year: Rehab, and Project of the Year: New Construction.
San Diego Housing Federation
The San Diego Housing Federation is the region’s voice for affordable housing. The Federation is committed to increasing the supply of housing for San Diego’s most vulnerable families, seniors, veterans, and those living with disabilities. For more information visit, www.housingsandiego.org.
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