| Hi Friend,
We know it’s hard right now. The federal government is harming our communities in so many ways. Housing costs are out of control, immigrant families are still under attack, and it can feel like no one in power is listening.
But this is exactly why we organize.
Organized immigrant tenants and workers are more important than ever. Unethical landlords and bosses can exploit the fear caused by ICE raids to pad their profits, hoping no one will speak out. But when we unite, we build trust, leadership, and courage – we win transformational change.
Especially in times like these, we have to celebrate our wins. This year across the Central Coast, tenants organizing with CAUSE have won historic victories!
Santa Paula
Residents of the 400 Mobile Estates got organized and successfully defeated a proposed 45% rent hike, protecting 164 working-class families and saving nearly half a million dollars in rent. This is a huge win – but the fight isn’t over. Santa Paula’s Mobile Home Ordinance still allows rent increases of up to 75% due to weak caps and landlord-friendly loopholes. We’ll keep working to change that and improve the lives of all mobile home residents in Santa Paula.
Oxnard
As we’ve organized tenants across Oxnard, many tenant leaders faced harassment and retaliation from their landlords for boldly speaking out. This year, CAUSE’s Oxnard chapter passed a new ordinance protecting tenants against retaliation, and the City Council approved a $500,000 budget to implement it. This will help protect families from landlord retaliation when they report unsafe conditions or organize for their rights.
Santa Barbara
This year, tenants came together in Santa Barbara to finally pass the strongest protections in our region against renovictions. Now, landlords who remodel a building – or make false claims of doing so – can no longer sidestep the limits on rent increases and evictions. This protects tenants from displacement, slows down rent hikes, and keeps families in their homes, while allowing for repairs to be made.
We’re building tenant power – and we’re not slowing down.
In solidarity,
Lucas Zucker and Hazel Davalos
Co-Executive Directors, CAUSE
PS: If you want to support this work to make housing a human right, join us at Raising Justice – our biggest community celebration of the year! |
