EBHO Mobilizes Residents and Advocates at Sacramento Rally to Protect Affordable Housing

From East Bay Housing Organizations

On Tuesday, February 15th, EBHO mobilized 80 affordable housing residents and over 70 members and advocates to go to Sacramento with hundreds more from around the Bay Area and the state to say: “Protect Funds for Affordable Housing! Reform, 

Over 600 people cheered, chanted, and spoke out against the Governor’s proposed budget cuts. The proposal to eliminate Redevelopment would evaporate the second largest source of funding for affordable housing in California, leaving countless lower-income Californians with no where to turn, and exacerbating the housing and homelessness crisis.

Seniors, immigrants, families, and people with special needs from Newark, Fremont, Oakland, and Walnut Creek joined EBHO members and advocates on buses to the State Capitol for the rally. Afterwards, we packed a hearing of state legislators.

On behalf of EBHO’s Board and staff, we want to thank all of the residents and EBHO members who mobilized with very short notice for this critical effort. The East Bay affordable housing community was well represented! Thanks go to:

    * Satellite Housing for their major resident turn-out!
    * Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California for organizing the buses and rally
    * EBHO members and residents who turned out in full force.
    * All our partners in the Bay Area and statewide for taking action.

Rev. Phil Lawson, EBHO’s Interfaith Program Director, helped lead off the rally with a rousing invocation and words from an African-American gospel song: “I don’t feel no way tired. Come too far from where I started from. Nobody told me the road would be easy. I don’t believe God brought me this far just to leave me.”

Deborah Carney with her daughter Aliyah, EBALDC residents in Oakland, spoke next saying, “Affordable housing helped me to sustain myself and not become a victim of homelessness.” Kattye Giles, RCD resident in Berkeley and Board member, wrapped up the rally with inspirational words about how affordable housing gave her hope and stability at just the right time.

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