On the Table: A Community Conversation

As a resident of our community, your voice and insight is fundamental to shaping the solutions to our region's housing crisis. That's why we were so excited to join On the Table this past Wednesday and host two events throughout the day as part of  a region-wide day of community building through conversations led by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. On the Table brought together thousands of local people to eat and talk about our region's housing challenges --- and what we can do to solve them.

Wednesday morning, we held a private event at Sidley Austin LLP that was attended by our pro bono housing clinic volunteers. We discussed housing policies and watched a brief video clip highlighting the human side of the housing crisis. It was an uplifting morning and we came away with more thoughts on how we can help tackle our housing crisis through pro bono contributions. The team suggested ideas like keeping local government accountable when a major development may displace members of our community and calling on more affordable housing opportunities.

Our evening public event, co-hosted by the Buena Vista Mobile Home Park Residents' Association, was a big success! We had a large group made up of members of the Residents' Association, Law Foundation staff, and other locals who shared what it was like to fight to save their homes and how the Buena Vista story is an inspiration to others who are also trying to stay in our community. Thank you to Katherine Harasz, from the Santa Clara County Housing Authority, for being part of this event and for her important work in our region. We appreciate everyone who attended and shared their stories.

Thanks to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation for sponsoring this important event across the Bay Area.

Advocating for a Different Kind of Family

Brianna is a former foster youth who knows what it’s like to not have a stable parental figure while growing up. When she ended her relationship with her long-time boyfriend, she knew she didn’t want to end her relationship with his child, Olivia, whom she had cared for and looked after for many years. During her tumultuous relationship, Brianna remained by Olivia’s side. She was essentially the only mother figure Olivia had ever known—taking her to school, scheduling her medical appointments, going to her extracurricular activities, providing for her financially, and doing anything else a parent would do.

Upset over the end of the relationship, Brianna’s ex-boyfriend cut her off from all contact to Olivia. Determined to keep Olivia in her life, Brianna came to us seeking third parent rights; an innovative approach in California that takes into consideration the needs of a child in a modern family. Our attorneys successfully advocated for Brianna in court, which granted her shared custody with Olivia’s biological father. Brianna can now give Olivia the security and stability that she didn’t have, along with all of the love and support any child would be lucky to receive.

Advocating for Stronger Rent Protections

Photo by Ramona Giwargis, Bay Area News Group

Earlier this week, the San Jose City Council voted on whether or not to tie rent increases for rent-controlled units to the cost of living, capped at 5%. The Law Foundation, along with partners at the Silicon Valley Renters' Rights Coalition, packed into City Hall to defend past rent and tenant protection victories and urged City Council to vote "yes" on the measure to help stabilize rents for families in San Jose. 

The vote was close, but unfortunately, the City Council did not move forward with a measure to tie rent increases for rent-controlled apartments to the cost of living. However, tenants and community members successfully organized against landlords' attempts to water down San Jose's Apartment Rent Ordinance and Tenant Protection Ordinance, crucial housing protections for over 400,000 tenants in San Jose.

Many thanks to Council Members Sergio Jimenez, Raul Peralez, Don Rocha, Magdalena Carrasco, Tam Nguyen, and Sylvia Arenas for their support. The fight to preserve renter protections in San Jose continues next Spring 2018, when the Apartment Rent Ordinance returns to Council. See you there!  

Learn more about San Jose City Council's vote from The Mercury News.