Issues
Housing Justice
Housing justice is a term that enforces equitable housing policies.
Housing is a human right. Ignoring the people that are most impacted by being unhoused only exacerbates the issue. We need to preserve and build housing people can afford at every income level.
Housing is a foundational issue that intersects with many other issues:
Student housing
Elderly housing
Unfair housing practices
Working class/poor housing
Housing for the unhoused
Re-entry housing
On council, there can be many policies created that can be used as tools to address the housing crisis.
Economic Justice
Economic justice is based on supply and demand, and its equitable allocation.
For far too long, we have operated from a scarcity mindset. We have to shift our thinking towards abundance, knowing we have more than enough for everybody.
Economic justice includes fiscal responsibility of leadership, and paying our workers a thriving just wage that values their worth. Fiscal responsibility of leadership means being better stewards of citizens' money and how it is spent. Some of our spending concerns: bus shelters, community engagement bus, installation of $2 million LED screen at the Convention Center, cost of CACs ($1,000/year) vs community engagement department, and new Civic campus ($190-250 million+).
Community Engagement Justice
Community engagement justice seeks to uphold the integrity of relationships and trust between government organizations and communities. Community engagement is utilized to develop and achieve sustainable outcomes, and equitable decision-making processes. Community engagement is based on the democratic idea that everyone should have a say in the decision making around issues that impact their community. This requires intentional interactions between communities and public decision makers. Community engagement provides participants with information they need to engage in a meaningful way with policy issues and communicates, via feedback, how their input affects public decisions. It is built upon participation that fosters collaboration and enhances empowerment of communities.
These are some of the issues that have come before the current council yet still need to be addressed:
ADA (American Disability Act)
Language Justice (language accessibility)
CAC (Citizen Advisory Council)
ACORNS (Addressing Crisis through Outreach, Referrals, Networking and Service)/police accountability
Workers' rights
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion/Racial Equity and Inclusion
Cultural humility/African American Affairs Board (Current council have only put their efforts into creating a Hispanic Affairs Board)
Intergenerational leadership
Transit Justice
Transit Justice is effectively addressing our transit needs, along with the needs of our transit workers.
It is a system of transport of passengers available for use by the general public developed through a lens of diversity, equity and inclusion. Ensuring there are multiple modes of transportation and sustaining the maintenance of their infrastructure. Exceeding these expectations while valuing the environment and not at the expense of naturally occurring, low income, or affordable housing which spawns gentrification.