Thread by @mikebonin

If you want to see what grassroots organizing can do, just take a look at Los Angeles, where in the past 4 weeks, progressive activists have scored major victories in multiple areas.

Housing. Environmental Justice. Transit. Policing.

Read on to find out more 🧵:

Due to grassroots organizing, in the past month:

*Voters approved big funding for affordable housing and renter protections.

*Council voted to end oil drilling in LA.

*LA Metro rejected a proposed fare hike, and instead reduced fares.

*Voters chose to #CheckTheSheriff.

HOUSING:

In November, the @UnitedToHouseLA ballot measure won with 58% of the vote. It dramatically and permanently expands what can be done to address LA's homelessness and affordable housing crises.

latimes.com/california/sto…

By increasing the real estate transfer tax paid on properties sold for more than $5 million, Measure ULA will generate about $900 million *each year* for a range of programs.

It provides a toolbox of solutions for a multi-faceted problem.

Measure ULA will help pay for new affordable housing, preserve existing affordable housing, provide assistance to struggling renters, guarantee counsel to tenants in eviction court, and help create social housing.

Measure ULA may the largest voter-approved affordable housing initiative in U.S. History.

It was shaped by affordable housing advocates, homeless service providers, renters organizations, and labor unions. They proposed it. They got it on the ballot. They waged an impressive grassroots campaign. And they won a major electoral victory.

Key players were: @All4Transit @IBEWlocal11 @kiwa4justice @LAFamilyHousing @LAOC_BTrades @LACANetwork @LALabor @MoveLATransit @SEIU2015 @SCANPH @SAJE_ShiftPower @TRUSTSouthLA1 @UNITEHERE11

More than 200 groups were part of it: More than 200 orgs: unitedtohousela.com/coalition/

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE:

On Friday, following years of effort by environmental justice organizations, the LA City Council banned new oil and natural gas extraction, and voted to phase out all oil and gas extraction in the city.

nbclosangeles.com/news/local/la-…

The new measure is a big step in ending reliance on fossil fuels, and it's a major step for public health. Most wells are in lower-income areas. They emit likely carcinogens and have been linked to a range of health problems, including respiratory issues and premature births.

The effort began with neighbors demanding better for their families.
It eventually led to the formation of @STAND_LA, composed of @CBECal @PSRLA @EsperanzaCHC @HolmanUMC @RedeemerCP @SCOPE_LA @BW4WLA @LibertyHill

STAND-LA organized around the City, neighbor to neighbor, and grew to a huge group of supporters:
stand.la/our-supporters…

STAND-LA initially demanded a 2500 foot buffer between fossil fuel drilling and homes and hospitals. They won that protection statewide, but their advocacy in LA led to the even broader, historic action.

TRANSIT:

This week, transit riders won a major victory at @metrolosangeles, convincing the board of directors to reduce fares for many regular bus and train passengers, further laying the groundwork for their big goal: universal fareless transit.

dailynews.com/2022/12/03/la-…

In an effort to reduce and simplify fares, Metro directors had asked staff for a fare capping proposal. But the staff’s plan hiked the base fare, eliminated free transfers riders rely upon, and tied future fare hikes to changes in the consumer price index.

Organizers rallied passengers to revolt, and the board gutted the staff proposal, ultimately reducing fares for many passengers.

The board also acknowledged other problems passengers raised, and directed staff to start working on a plan for universal fareless transit.

This organizing was led by @SAJE_ShiftPower @All4Transit @CPColectivo @peopleforMJ with plenty of support from other groups.

Similar coalitions have led to other big changes at Metro – such as restoration of bus service and big investments in alternatives to policing.

POLICING

Thanks to organizers fighting police violence and racially biased policing, LA County voters chose to oust Sheriff Alex Villanueva and approve Measure A @YesOnALA, which makes it easier to remove a criminal or negligent sheriff.

foxla.com/news/measure-a…

Both votes were victories for organizers who have been fighting to reform the county for years. Significantly, these efforts to @CheckSheriff were shaped and led by families who had suffered from LASD violence and misconduct, and from the abuses of the carceral system.

Measure A won with 72% of the vote.

The Sheriff who presided over a department notorious for police violence and civil rights violations (Google @lasdgangs) was defeated in a landslide.

Key organizers were with @BLMLA @ACLU_SoCal @CentroCSO @UNITEHERE11 @PowerDignity @NLG_LosAngeles Creating Justice Los Angeles @ClueJustice @YouthJusticeLA @LADefensx

There was a big coalition behind it, too:

checkthesheriff.com/about

Individually, each of these victories is a big deal. Collectively, they are huge and seismic, and show that organizing can change policy, transform outcomes, and make a tangible difference in people’s lives.

Coupled with the victories of insurgent newcomers – such as @EunissesH @HugoForCD13 @kennethmejiaLA this year, and @nithyavraman in 2020 – and by approval of Measure J @reimagine_la in 2020 – this marks a seismic shift in how power is influenced and change is made in Los Angeles.

Stay tuned.

There's a lot more positive change to come.