Dear friends,
WE DID IT! On Tuesday, Antioch successfully passed a rent stabilization ordinance complete with a roll-back date of August 23 and a definition of “housing services,” so that landlords won’t rush to raise rents on October 1, and so that if your lease includes items like laundry facilities, hot and cold water, garbage removal, janitorial services, and parking, for example, landlords have to provide what they say they’ll provide. Check out this article from the Mercury News for more information, featuring a quote from one of our staff members and Antioch resident, Regina Berny.
We celebrate this massive achievement, and we’re gearing up for more. Down the road, we will continue to focus on strengthening housing protections in Antioch through “just cause” eviction protections and cracking down on harassment of tenants by landlords. We will continue to keep our community members informed on our latest advocacy efforts and how you can get involved.
Earlier in the month, we hosted our Stronger Together Gala, where our paddle raise alone brought in $30,000 from our guests during the event! We are so grateful for the support of our donors, sponsors, and community members! The event was also a great opportunity to reconnect in-person with our long-time supporters and also get to know some new faces. We also gave awards to our allies East Bay Housing Organizations and Kristi Laughlin, Senior Campaign Director for Concord at East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE) for their continued support and partnership.
The funds we raised will go toward continuing to advocate for local tenant protections; supporting and launching new immigrant-owned businesses; and providing more health resources, from COVID-19 vaccines, mental health support, diabetes management, and more.
As I’ve stepped into this new leadership role, I am continually inspired by the perseverance and dedication of our staff and the community members they serve on a daily basis. Our efforts to make East Contra Costa County and the Monument corridor a better place for all of its residents, regardless of where they come from or how much money they have, have made huge impacts.
We’re not slowing down any time soon. Over the next few months, we’re continuing to champion tenant protections, expanding our English as a Second Language classes, offering new skills training opportunities for our day laborers, and bolstering immigrant-owned businesses. Thank you for supporting us this far, and please stay in touch for more ways you can get involved.
In community,
Judith Ortiz, Executive Director
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