Housing is one of the most expensive costs for Angelenos, making the fight for affordable housing not just that of economic justice but of survival -- especially when people can no longer afford to live in their homes and/or face harassment and pressure to move out.
Many tenants have to navigate the constraints of the shelter/housing system. Delays on Measure ULA (which funds affordable housing and anti-homelessness initiatives), affects not only workers, contractors, and organizations’ ability to work efficiently and effectively, but most importantly, the people who are most at-risk of homelessness have to pay the consequences of city bureaucracy and landlord lobbies efforts to limit these programs.
This summer, I worked with Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE), located in South Central Los Angeles, assisting the Tenant Rights' Pod and the Displacement Avoidance Project. SAJE is a non-profit, community-centered organization that fights for economic and housing justice in Los Angeles through community-organizing and popular education workshops. During my orientation week, I have seen a glimpse into the systems that shape our cities and access to resources. I appreciate and admire how SAJE employs a services to organizing pipeline -- empowering the community with resources and guides to encourage them to fight. This is significant because one of the most daunting experiences someone can have is being served with an eviction notice or not being able to pay the rent anymore and feeling alone. My supervisor and mentor, Lena, noted that these systems try to isolate you to feel powerless, when in reality, the community members who seek out SAJE are all going through similar struggles and have the power to urge City Council to support measures that help tenants stay in their homes. Over the course of my time at SAJE, I will learn more about measure ULA, canvassing strategies and how to connect with community members, go to City Hall to give public comment, collaborate with other organizations through alliances to strategize, and learn more about climate gentrification. Overall, I am incredibly grateful for the mentorship and community I received at SAJE while developing my skills in mapping, community-organizing, and ability to feel connected to an issue that I will continue to fight against in my career and life going forward.Â