Housing-burdened Los Angeles City workers will gain strong new benefits, thanks to an historic bargaining agreement ratified in late February 2024 by the membership of ACCE's union partner SEIU 721. ACCE Los Angeles collaborated with SEIU on the Fix LA campaign to win the contract with the City, that includes rent and mortgage reduction benefits, establishing a Housing Development Committee, and commitments to building social and permanent supportive housing on City-owned property with union labor.

When 82-year-old Jose Serrano was illegally locked out of his South Los Angeles home on a frigid Jan. 6, 11 ACCE tenant leaders and organizers sprang into action. Mr. Serrano's building had just been sold, and he was ordered to vacate by the new owner. Only the LA County Sheriff Department through a court order can legally evict a tenant. When she got the call from Mr. Serrano for help, senior housing organizer Lupita Gonzalez immediately gathered several ACCE members and staff to bring bolt cutters and break through the locks on the entrance to Mr. Serrano's home to let him back in. People power organizing at work to help our community members in need!

Our Contra Costa-ACCE chapter continues to be a leader in the racial justice fight in the county!

We began by fighting for the passage of a special fund called Measure X during the elections of 2020, which would raise funding to support critical social programs in the county.

Through Measure X we were successful at getting the County to invest $80,000 in a feasibility study to create an African American Wellness and Resource Hub in Contra Costa County, and on December 12th we won $1 million from the county to go toward resources for the African American community in Contra Costa County.

The $1 Million we won will go toward supporting non-profits and faith- based groups who are already servicing black community, helping them increase their capacity and provide more resources.

This victory was significant given the Antioch Police Department’s corruption and racism which came to light early last year and showed targeted racism, anti-blackness, confessions of civil rights violation to the black community members, and text messages showing officers celebrating the violence they caused toward black people.

We will be doing work to ensure that the implementation of all these resources go to their intended needs and continue to hold our county supervisors accountable to make sure the African American Wellness Hub becomes a reality!

Victory for Miguel! ACCE Los Angeles member Miguel Angel Sorto won back $11,865 his landlord had illegally overcharged him in rent. When Miguel's landlord illegally raised his rent, Miguel fought to enforce his rights under the city's rent stabilization laws. The Los Angeles Housing Department investigated Miguel's complaint and determined his landlord had been illegally overcharging him and ordered the landlord to return the money. Miguel received the check for $11,865 on Aug. 8. Miguel's determination shows when we as tenants know our rights and fight back against unfair treatment, we can win!  

On July 11, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to codify the right to free legal representation for low-income tenants facing eviction in unincorporated areas of the county. The motion directs the county counsel to draft an ordinance establishing the right to counsel for eligible tenants by FY 2024-2025. ACCE leaders, as part of the Renter's Right to Counsel coalition, spent weeks attending board meetings and giving public comments to ensure this important right is guaranteed for LA County tenants! LA County joins New York City and San Francisco in establishing a renter's right to counsel.

Tenants in the city of San Diego gained expanded protections from eviction in May thanks largely to months of actions, press conferences and lobby visits by ACCE San Diego leaders. The Residential Tenant Protections Ordinance which passed on May 25, and went into effect in June, provides strengthened just-cause protections from the first day of a tenant's lease- short-term rentals excepted- and requires relocation assistance after a no-fault eviction. The ordinance also requires strengthened notification requirements of landlords in cases of a no-fault eviction, and establishes regulations for buyout agreements. The new ordinance is a significant development in a region that had been devoid of strong tenant protections and demonstrates the growing power of renters in San Diego!

After months of organizing, on May 2nd, Oakland City Council voted to pass the responsible Oakland Eviction Moratorium phase out plan which includes permanent just cause eviction protections. Despite fierce opposition and a smear campaign from corporate landlords, Oakland tenants were victorious a responsible phase out and stronger eviction protections. 

In a win that will pave the way for expanding tenant protections in San Diego, the City Council approved a resolution on Jan. 24 officially declaring housing is a human right in San Diego. San Diego becomes the second city in the U.S., after Madison, Wis., to pass a housing is a human right resolution. Congratulations to the tenant leaders and organizers of ACCE-San Diego for your work toward making this victory possible!

In a huge victory for tenants across the city of Los Angeles, the City Council voted to dramatically expand permanent renter protections just in time before the city's eviction moratorium expired. The Keep LA Housed Coalition, which includes ACCE and dozens of housing justice allies, organized for months to finally win near-universal just cause protections and relocation assistance for LA tenants displaced by large rent increases. Thanks to this expansion, 600,000 more LA renters are now protected against eviction for no reason. Thirty-five ACCE-Los Angeles tenant leaders attended the City Council meeting and 20 leaders spoke at public comment in favor of expanding protections. In another win, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors extended the countywide eviction moratorium by two months to March 31, 2023. This now gives other incorporated cities in LA County more time to implement permanent protections.

ACCE tenant leaders in Chula Vista claimed victory in October after the Chula Vista City Council approved stronger protections against no-fault evictions. The new law goes beyond state law by making it harder for landlords in the city to pursue no-fault evictions, and by requiring tenants who do get evicted receive relocation assistance. The law also strengthens anti-harassment protections, by including prohibitions on verbal harassment, threats, coercion and refusal to take rent payments. The ordinance is slated to go into effect in March 2023.