Support Concord Renters - Pack City Council Chamber

Concord city council is to debate protections for renters of single-family homes. MAGA activists in Concord were unable to stop rent protections for multi-family housing, but they were able to stall protections on single-family homes. Instead of voting on an ordinance for single-family renter protections, council is to discuss placing single family home rental protections on the November ballot.

Despite the efforts of MAGA activists (and the California Apartment Association) protections for multi-family housing has been enacted in the city of Concord. MAGA people showed up in force. They tried to intimidate renters from speaking, and tried to quash the council vote for an ordinance. After the multi-family ordinance was approved, the same people attempted to petition for the ordinance to be delayed for a ballot vote. Their petition failed to gather enough signatures. Thus the ordinance went into effect.

The MAGA activists were successful in delaying single-family renter protections.. To appease the MAGA group, council will discuss single-family homes as a separate issue, and as a ballot measure instead of as a council ordinance.

Concord homes used to be affordable. There were homes at different price points within reach for middle class and working class people. The speculator market that increased housing prices in SF, Oakland, Berkeley et cetera spread to Concord. The housing market in Concord is seeing more homes purchased by wealthier people and corporate entities, to be used as rental housing. Concord isn't where the corporate big shots live, but rather where the support staff live, and trades-people live. More people are having to rent single-family homes, as the people with means keep driving up prices. Concord is even seeing major businesses leave, because their cubical workers can't afford the American dream in this city.

People are needed at this meeting to:
* Defend renters from MAGA intimidation and threats.
* Try to persuade council into directly passing a ordinance, not a ballot measure.
* Persuade council to draft protections that are fair and meaningful.
* Ask council to agendize a later discussion on strategies to support home ownership.