Contra Costa ACCE Action members are taking action and winning transformative changes!

Where we Organize:

We have strong chapters in Richmond and Bay Point, and we are also organizing in Concord. Additionally, we have a Home Defenders chapter that spans the county fighting for housing justice.

Fighting for Tenants: As gentrification and displacement throughout the Bay Area increases, rents in Richmond and throughout Contra Costa County are skyrocketing. 

• WE DID IT! ACCE Action members and our allies celebrated a monumental victory when voters passed Rent Control and Just Cause for Evictions in 2016 - setting a maximum allowable annual rent increase for most residential units, and prohibiting landlords from evicting tenants without cause.  The measure passed after a bitter two-year fight and more than $100,000 spent by Realtor groups to fight it. Early 2016, ACCE Action members and staff spent countless hours organizing tenants and gathering over 1,000 petition signatures to put Measure L on the ballot. ACCE Action knocked on more than 11,000 doors and identified 1,800 supporters of Rent Control. Thanks to our efforts and the efforts of our allies with the Fair and Affordable Richmond Coalition, 9,900 units will be protected, which means 25-30,000 people will get real tenant protections.

 Progressive Governance

• In 2018 Richmond ACCE Action knocked on thousands of doors to elect a progressive slate and pass several critical measures! In the June primary, we endorsed and helped elect Diana Becton, the first African American and first woman to be District Attorney of Contra Costa! We also passed Measure H a real estate transfer tax that will generate $45 million to fund youth programs and other critical city services over the years! In the November general election we endorsed and helped elect Eduardo Martinez a progressive ally to Richmond City Council!
• In 2016, we elected our very own ACCE Action member and Community Organizer Melvin Willis to Richmond's City Council!

• Backed by the Richmond Working Families Coalition (ACCE Action, SEIU 1021, APEN Action and AFSCME 3299) as well as the Richmond Progressive Alliance, Melvin reaped more than 12,500 votes and was the top vote getter in a race made up of nine-candidates that included multiple incumbents! This win comes two years after the resounding defeat of several Chevron-backed candidates in the 2014 election. As a Community Organizer with ACCE, Melvin has defended homeowners from the greed of banks and speculators and helped tenants whose rents are skyrocketing. Neither Melvin nor Ben accepted any campaign money from corporations or developers. We are thrilled to have two great new City Council members who will stand up for our community!

Health for All:

• Everyone in our community needs quality affordable healthcare, including our immigrant communities. In 2014 we fought for and won for a county program called Contra Costa CARES to provide healthcare for the remaining uninsured after the implementation of the ACA. To date 4,000 people have enrolled in the program resulting in more than 10,000 doctor visits. 49% of CARES recipients are living with a chronic disease like asthma. diabetes, hypertension and chronic pain.

Contact Us:

Contra Costa Office
322 Harbour Way #5, Richmond, California 94801
Phone: 510-240-1120
Email: contracosta(at)calorganize.org

Join us! 

If you want to see tenants protected, banks held accountable, investments in our community, and healthcare for all, sign up here to join us in taking action.