Development Without Displacement RESISTING GENTRIFICATION in the BAY AREA
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Development without Displacement RESISTING GENTRIFICATION IN THE BAY AREA Written by Causa Justa :: Just Cause with health impact research and data and policy analysis contributed by the Alameda County Public Health Department, Place Matters Team Acknowledgements This report was written by Causa Justa :: Just Cause (CJJC) with health impact research and data and policy analysis contributed by the Alameda County Public Health Department (ACPHD), Place Matters Team. A special thanks goes out to all the individuals who provided feedback on the draft framework and policy and health analyses, and to those who shared their stories and experiences. Causa Justa :: Just Cause Writers Reviewers and Contributors Dawn Phillips, Co-Director of Programs, Lead Writer Gloria Bruce, East Bay Housing Organizations Luis Flores, Jr., CJJC Intern & Stronach Fellow, Dr. Richard Walker, Professor Emeritus of University of California, Berkeley Geography, University of California, Berkeley Jamila Henderson, Contracted Project Coordinator Will Dominie, Contra Costa Health Services Causa Justa :: Just Cause Contributors and Interviewers Reviewers Sonia Aldape, CJJC Volunteer Robbie Clark, Housing Rights Campaign Lead Carmela Zakon, CJJC Volunteer Organizer, CJJC Luis Flores, Jr., CJJC Intern & Stronach Fellow, Maria Zamudio, San Francisco Housing Rights University of California, Berkeley Campaign Organizer, CJJC Jamila Henderson, Contracted Project Coordinator, Gilda Haas, Professor of Urban Planning, Antioch CJJC University & Board of Directors, CJJC María Poblet, Executive Director, CJJC Causa Justa :: Just Cause (CJJC): A multi- Adam Gold, Communications and Admin Director, racial, grassroots organization building community CJJC leadership to achieve justice for low-income San Francisco and Oakland residents. Alameda County Public Health Department Contributors Alameda County Public Health Department (ACPHD), Place Matters Team: Place Matters Zoë Levitt, Health Impact Assessment Coordinator, is a local partner of the national initiative of the Joint ACPHD Lead Center for Political and Economic Studies, Health Alex Desautels, Former Local Policy Manager Policy Institute (HPI). It is designed to improve the Matt Beyers, Epidemiologist II health of participating communities by addressing Roxanna Guide, Epidemiologist the social conditions that lead to poor health. Tram Nguyen, Local Policy Coordinator Katherine Schaff, Health Equity Coordinator Nathan Phillip, Contracted Research Assistant The research that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding under an award to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The substance and findings of the work are dedicated to the public. The author and publisher are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this publication. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the federal government or MTC. For a copy of the specific research findings and the methodology underlying that research, please go to www.cjjc.org/en/ HUDreport. Please send comments and questions to [email protected]. Please go to the CJJC website to purchase additional copies www.cjjc.org Contents Foreword .......................................................................... 2 Urban Renewal and Displacement: Moving People in the Name of Health ......................... 40 Candelario Melendez ..............................................................2 New Approaches to Healthy Housing Dr. Richard Walker ...................................................................3 and Healthy Development .............................................. 48 Executive Summary ....................................................... 6 Organizing Toward a New Vision Purpose of the Report ............................................................6 for Community Development ....................................50 Data Analysis ............................................................................6 Human Development for Healthy Gentrification as a Historic Process ....................................8 and Sustainable Neighborhoods .................................. 50 Health Impacts ..........................................................................8 Collective Action Creates Human Development ........... 50 Policy Recommendations .......................................................9 Gentrification Can Be Prevented ...................................... 51 The Role of Public Agencies in Promoting Human Development ....................................................... 53 Introduction ...................................................................11 What Is Gentrification? ........................................................ 11 Policy Findings & Recommendations.....................55 Regional Historical Perspective ......................................... 13 Cross-Cutting Recommendations for Redefining Human Development: Policy Effectiveness ......................................................... 55 Organizing Communities ................................................ 13 Principles, Policies & Practices for Preventing Research Scope & Methodology .............................14 Displacement: Advancing a Comprehensive Gentrification Typologies Analysis .................................... 14 Housing Rights Framework ......................................59 A. Baseline Protections for Vulnerable Residents ......... 60 Global Cities: A Brief Political Economy B. Production and Preservation of Affordable of the Bay Area .............................................................16 Housing ............................................................................... 67 Immigration and Migration C. Stabilization of Existing Communities ......................... 75 to the Bay Area ................................................................. 17 D. Non-Market Based Approaches to Housing Decades of Race and Class Inequities ............................ 19 and Community Development ....................................... 80 Gentrification: The Rent Gap E. Displacement Prevention as a Regional Priority ....... 82 in the New Economy ........................................................ 20 F. Planning as a Participatory Process ............................. 85 Urban Development Under Neoliberalism ....................... 30 Taking Action ................................................................90 Gentrification is a Public Health Issue...................38 The Historic Role of Public Health Departments Works Cited ...................................................................92 in Urban Development ..................................................... 39 Appendix A ...................................................................100 Foreword Candelario Melendez afford a whole apartment for their family and they end up living in one room. Even in these cases people pay as much as $800 per month Causa Justa :: Just for a small space, which is just too much given Cause, Member, the low wages that most of us are making. I and Mission District know of landlords who increase the rent on Resident tenants over three times, often resorting to My name is Candelario harassment to evict tenants illegally. Also, many Melendez, I am a families do not live in good conditions because member of Causa Justa landlords do not invest in fixing the apartment. :: Just Cause. I came to I’ve heard of times when, because of neglect this organization back and lack of repairs, families go hungry because when it was located on Valencia Street in San they have no kitchen to cook in. Children have Francisco. Back then it was called “Comité de no space to study or play, and their health and Vivienda San Pedro.” I learned there that people development are affected. would receive help around their housing issues regardless of one’s color, gender, or race, and In my opinion, both neighborhood residents that the organization asked for nothing in return. and community organizations need to organize It was since then that I joined this organization broadly so that our community loses our fear at the start of 2012, the same year I suffered and becomes committed to fighting for our right an accident, and became disabled, and unable to a just rent and freedom from harassment. It is to work. because I have seen too many people evicted that I am organizing. We cannot allow private For 21 years I lived in a building in the Mission. capital to change our community. We all need to In 1991, I was evicted for no fault of my own unite: Latino and Black / African American folks. and without just cause. Based on my own Together we will lose fear and the politicians experience and from my work at Causa Justa, will be more likely to listen to us. Together we I have heard many similar stories like the ones have to demand that they craft better laws and told in this report. The problems for tenants ensure the implementation of these laws. are very severe and we need a strategy that closely studies the situation, with the step-by- This report describes some of the important step goal of reversing this wave of evictions and policies that can help deal with the negative harassment that too many are experiencing. effects of gentrification. It is urgent that we push for as many of these as possible. We need to In my neighborhood, for example, rents for all realize our shared strength and vision. We need apartments are going up