National Renters’ Day of Action on September 22

National Renters’ Day of Action on September 22

By Lynda Carson — September 16, 2016

Oakland - As part of the national renters’ day of action, on September 22, there will be a rally in support of renters' rights in Oakland and many other cities across the nation. Organizers have planned a day of action for renters in 46 cities on September 22, including some days near September 22 to fight back, and demand a freeze on all unjust evictions and rent increases.

On September 22, according to Causa Justa/Just Cause, in Oakland there will be a rally & banner drop in Oakland at 14th & Broadway at 12:00 PM to amplify #RenterPower and to lift up our fights against evictions, rising cost of rents and displacement. Members include Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, East Bay Housing Organizations, Committee to Protect Oakland Renters-Measure JJ, East Bay Organizing Committee/Fight for $15, SEIU Local 1021, and Housing Rights Committee San Francisco.

In Alameda renters will have a day of action on September 20 — 10:00AM, at 470 Central Ave, one day before the 60-day deadline of no-cause evictions will take effect being conducted by Matt Sridhar and Sridhar Equities.

The renters’ day of action will take place a week after Richmond Mayor Tom Butt, and Councilmembers Nathaniel Bates and Vinay Pimplé blocked a proposed 45-day urgency moratorium on rent increases and no-cause evictions, that was proposed by Councilwoman Gayle McLaughlin, and supported by Councilmembers Jael Myrick and Jovanka Beckles.

Attacking renter protections being proposed in a ballot measure in Richmond, the California Apartment Associations’ (CAA) campaign against Measure L (renter protection ballot initiative) includes a TV commercial.

More TV commercials are to be aired that are paid for by the CAA, realtors, and wealthy landlords attacking the reasonable renter protections being proposed that voters can vote on in November in the Bay Area. Ballot measures that voters can vote on to help stabilize families, communities, schools and jobs, in the cities of Richmond, Alameda, Burlingame, San Mateo, and Mountain View.

Additionally, the September 22 renters’ day of action is occurring around three weeks after an anti-rent control petition supported by the CAA hit the streets in an effort to block much needed reasonable renters' protections in Santa Rosa from taking effect.

The “September 22 National Renters’ Day of Action” has been organized by Homes For All, and renters and their advocates across the nation in 46 cities will hit the streets to demand renter protections including rent control, and just cause eviction protections.

List Of Demands

As organizers of the National Renters’ Day of Action, Homes For All is demanding a freeze on all unjust evictions and rent increases. The establishment of a national livable rent standard to restrict rents to 30% of a family income and a livable wage for all workers. The right of all tenants to organize and bargain collectively with landlords without fear of discrimination, retaliation or eviction. The transfer of vacant, foreclosed and underused land to community control through community land trusts and cooperatives to meet the needs of communities of color and working class communities that have historically been targeted ­­from disinvestment to redlining ­­­to the foreclosure crisis and the current eviction epidemic.

“We need bold, transformative and strong solutions to this crisis. Until we get them, we’re going to take to the streets and fight for our homes and our communities,” says Alma Blackwell, an organizer with Causa Justa/Just Cause, in Oakland CA and a renter.

Renter protections will be on the ballot in 6 cities during November in the Bay Area. No matter how hard the landlords and the California Apartment Association are trying to stop the renters movement, tenant advocates across the Bay Area are urging renters to vote on strong renter protections during the upcoming November elections in the cities of Richmond, Oakland, Alameda, Burlingame, San Mateo, and Mountain View. The activists are urging people to vote “no” against any weak proposals placed on the ballot by the City Council in Alameda, and Mountain View.

Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com