We can’t wait another year to solve our affordable housing crisis
“We’re saying we welcome immigration, we welcome refugees, we welcome outsiders — but you’ve got to have a $2 million entrance fee to live here, otherwise you can use this part of a sidewalk for a tent. That to me is not being very welcoming. It’s not being very neighborly.” These were the words that came to my mind while discussing the status of SB 50 with Farhad Manjoo, a columnist with the New York Times.
But make no mistake: I’m not letting disappointment turn into paralysis. California YIMBY is moving full-steam ahead to pass a comprehensive suite of housing bills — including the transformative changes we put in SB 50 — this year.
With rising homelessness, crushing rents, displacement and evictions, and ever-longer commutes, Californians can’t wait another year for our legislators to act.
You have a vital role in helping us make 2019 the year we take giant strides toward ending the housing crisis: Add your name here, connect with one of our amazing community organizers, and join the fight.
I hope you’re proud of what you’ve helped us accomplish together so far. You’ve been a part of a fast-growing political movement, with tens of thousands of Californians demanding housing solutions — and it’s a movement with staying power.
In large part, that’s thanks to you, and our amazing local YIMBY partners (of which we have far too many to list here in their entirety!) — groups like East Bay for Everyone, who held a phone bank Thursday night, and San Diego YIMBY Democrats who held a rally last Monday, have time and time again stepped up.
So while we need to adjust our strategy to pass the substance of SB 50 this year, we’re already pressing ahead on the hard work to prepare for the additional tough fights in the years to come. We’ll need to continue growing our movement, and we’re counting on you to help — by taking action, or inviting your friends, or donating what you can.
This all begins at the local level, with our amazing community organizers who are working tirelessly across our state to help bring people into our movement. I hope you’ll contact the organizer nearest you — and if you don’t have time to volunteer with your local YIMBY group, I hope you’ll chip in with a donation.
I’m more committed than ever to making California a place for everyone, where neighbors welcome new neighbors — and help support each other in ending California’s housing crisis.
Thanks for being with us on this journey,
Brian
Brian Hanlon
Co-Founder and CEO
California YIMBY