Concord Prayer Vigil and Community Speakout to Prevent Homelessness
Start: Thursday, June 09, 2022• 5:00 PM
End: Thursday, June 09, 2022• 6:00 PM
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The Faith Alliance for a Moral Economy, an initiative of EBASE, invites you to the Prayer Vigil and Community Speakout to Prevent Homelessness on Thursday, June 9th 5:00-6:00 PM at Todos Santos Plaza in Downtown Concord closer to the Willow Pass side.
We are hosting this event to promote passing a strong anti-harassment ordinance in the City of Concord to protect vulnerable tenants from abusive landlords. That's why we are supporting a policy with strong enforcement mechanisms, including awarding attorney fees when tenants win lawsuits. Along with that, the faith community wants to show its support for housing rights measures to prevent homelessness.
Along with prayers from clergy, we will hear from speakers including tenants and unhoused Concord residents about why a strong and enforceable anti-harassment ordinance and other renter protections are important. There will also be an altar and a table with ways to write notes about people you know experiencing housing insecurity to add to the altar. Everyone encouraged to attend.
Why is this ACTION important NOW?
1. We need the Concord City Council to pass a tenant anti-harassment ordinance with strong enforcement mechanisms which will be on the agenda next Tuesday June 14th at 6:30 pm so that residents have a tool to fight back against intimidation, threats and abuse by a few unscrupulous landlords, which often results in tenants being pushed out of their homes.
2. The City of Concord also just released a draft of its Housing Plan as part of the Housing Element, a plan that will determine what actions the City takes to promote fair and affordable housing from 2023 to 2031. The Plan shows that the displacement of renters, immigrants, and people of color is the number one fair housing problem in Concord. Yet, the draft still doesn’t do enough to stop displacement and promote racial and social equity. Now is a critical time to tell the City what low-income renters, immigrants, and people of color really need to stay put and thrive in Concord. This Plan will also be discussed Tuesday June 14th at the Concord City Council meeting, and public comment on this plan is only open until June 27th.
2. The City of Concord also just released a draft of its Housing Plan as part of the Housing Element, a plan that will determine what actions the City takes to promote fair and affordable housing from 2023 to 2031. The Plan shows that the displacement of renters, immigrants, and people of color is the number one fair housing problem in Concord. Yet, the draft still doesn’t do enough to stop displacement and promote racial and social equity. Now is a critical time to tell the City what low-income renters, immigrants, and people of color really need to stay put and thrive in Concord. This Plan will also be discussed Tuesday June 14th at the Concord City Council meeting, and public comment on this plan is only open until June 27th.
Sign up NOW to join us this Thursday to support those struggling to find and to keep a home. It's time to call on our elected leaders to invest in more programs and policies that PREVENT people from being displaced and pushed into the streets.
