‘Voices of the New Majority’ by Davin Cárdenas — The North Bay Organizing Project’s (NBOP) Right to a Roof campaign has protected housing for 35,000 to 40,000 people in the City of Santa Rosa. We took an issue that seemed impossible to achieve and built a people-powered campaign that created leadership, changed hearts and minds, and won material changes in the lives of working people.
The participation of the most marginalized within a democracy is critical to its vibrancy. NBOP helped those affected have a political voice to bring the rental housing crisis to city government. In a 4 to 3 vote, the Santa Rosa Council approved rent stabilization. The City Attorney and city staff are drafting the ordinance and the final vote is scheduled for later this year.
We wish the policy could protect more housing. Unfortunately, there is a state law, Costa-Hawkins, which prevents rent stabilization from being applied to units built after 1995 or to single family residences. And, the council vote excluded duplexes and some owner-occupied triplexes.
Due to the delay in passing the actual rent stabilization ordinance, the Santa Rosa council also voted for a rent moratorium that allows only a three percent increase for affected units, from January 1, 2016. Although there are certainly good landlords out there, this will stop what has been happening with some landlords raising rents as much as possible before the ordinance becomes effective.
We also worked to get just cause eviction policies passed in Santa Rosa. “Just-cause eviction” means that a landlord has to have a valid reason to evict someone. Unfortunately, to get to four “yes” votes, the just cause policy will only be applied to those units covered by the rent stabilization ordinance, even though it could legally have been applied to all rental units.
These have been the most significant tenants protections passed in California in the last 30 years. How did we, collectively, achieve these lofty goals? Every avenue of building people power was used.
It all started with NBOP members walking in a neighborhood asking residents what issues concerned them. The tenants in one complex had just gotten 50 percent rent increases for apartments with deplorable living conditions — mold, cockroaches and rats. What followed was a public meeting where tenants told their stories, pledged and implemented a rent strike, and moved others to mobilize. Public actions allowed our stories and narrative to reach well beyond our own circles.
We developed ongoing relationships with city staff and elected officials. We are constantly checking in with public officials, whether they support our work or not. We worked with newspaper reporters and radio stations to get the message out about rent stabilization and just-cause eviction.
We showed up large and stayed late at city council meetings, displayed our signs– and told our stories. We sent letters to city council members. One woman got over 3,000 signatures in support of rent stabilization and just-cause eviction policies.
We had marches to further publicly show our interests and our power. SRJC students marched to City Hall and told their stories about homelessness, couch surfing and displacement. A group of homeowners in favor of rent stabilization and just-cause eviction formed—and they showed up, spoke up, and sent letters to the City Council.
Seniors who experienced frequent and unreasonable rent increases had house meetings, talked about their common interests, and came to city council meeting to tell their stories.
These are great victories. And (there is always an “and’) it is progress along the way to other victories. We need to make sure that when the real estate lobby and landlords put a repeal of rent stabilization on the ballot, we can defeat that measure.
So what’s next? Our job now is to continue growing the movement. The work now is with the marginalized people suffering this rental crisis in unincorporated Sonoma County. The County has realized that the actions by the City of Santa Rosa compel them to address the issues surrounding affordable housing.
Our stories, values, unity, and action, are all we have to change the dynamics of politics and economics in Sonoma County, and to build the living economy that we all deserve.
Davin Cárdenas is Lead Organizer with the North Bay Organizing Project.
Let me volunteer my services. I am a professional Graphic Designer, who also faces eviction from my Mother and Brother. Greed has no boundaries.
Graphics is the quickest way for the public to become aware of homelessness so you can count me in as an advocate.
Thank you,
Sharon
Email me.
So let me get this straight, “Although there are certainly good landlords out there, this will stop what has been happening with some landlords raising rents as much as possible before the ordinance becomes effective.” Effectively you have punished good behavior and rewarded bad behavior……Enjoy your “Great Victory”!
One of the Achilles’ heels of rent control is the imprecision of its benefits. Wealthy people are just as entitled to the benefits of the price controls as those living in poverty. That is an abomination.