We have been asked to show up in solidarity TUESDAY NOV 29 in the evening with our internal partners in Race Equity and Community Safety (RECS), as well as Survivors of the Street (SOS). They will be speaking at the November 29 San Jose city council meeting (Agenda Item 8.3) in support of emergency interim housing, as well as making sure that the mayor doesn't try to sneak through a ban on encampments in a measure designed to provide more shelter for those who are unhoused. Here are the core asks:
We support new emergency interim housing. We support the staff recommendation for more services and outreach at ALL emergency interim housing (EIH) sites, and MORE funding for our city workers to provide those services.
We support the staff recommendation NOT to implement no encampment zones and are opposed to any measures that would increase the criminalization of our unhoused neighbors.
The first local campaigns our SURJ chapter participated in were renters' rights campaigns. Given the long legacy of redlining and racial discrimination in housing, housing is a racial justice issue. We can show up in solidarity with RECS and SOS either in person or virtually. We are making a push to have people in person in the council chambers both so that they can literally see we care and also as a learning opportunity for those who have only attended public meetings on zoom. Meetings are held in the City Hall Rotunda (200 E Santa Clara St in SJ). We expect this item to come up after 6pm and it may be even later (as late as 8pm). The closest parking is the 4th Street Garage or the garage directly behind City Hall off 6th Street; the building is accessible by light rail and bus. Wear your red SURJ shirt if you have one or a red shirt if you don't. Look for other SURJers in red in the lobby for coaching on where to sit and how to make public comment. You don't need to be a resident of SJ to come show power with us. Email jenm@sacredheartcs.org if you have additional questions.
Sign up here for talking points and more info (including how to join in person)
If you can't attend in person tomorrow night, you can join by Zoom tomorrow evening. Look for updates about what item they are on in the #public-hearings channel on the SURJ Slack. If you aren't on Slack with us, email jenm@sacredheartcs.org for an invite. And if you know you can't attend the meeting at all, you can submit written comments using the button below. You will find talking points and context here.