RICHMOND, CA – In August 2024, ACCE Richmond and local communities were prepared to take the fight to the ballot with the "Make Polluters Pay" campaign. Led by the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN), the campaign aimed to impose a tax on oil refining in Richmond, holding polluters accountable while funding clean air and water initiatives, emergency services, healthcare, and youth programs.

However, the Richmond City Council removed the Polluters Pay measure from the November ballot after accepting a $550 million settlement from Chevron. It was only fair that the community has a voice in deciding how that settlement is spent.

In response, ACCE Richmond members, alongside community residents and APEN, rallied to demand accountability. We successfully urged the Richmond City Council to pass a resolution committing to allocate the $550 million settlement toward essential services and Just Transition planning for a cleaner and more sustainable future.

ANTIOCH, CA-  On September 10th, 2024, the Antioch City Council voted to pass a groundbreaking Just-Cause Eviction Ordinance, marking a significant win for tenants and a crucial step toward preventing homelessness in the community. With the passage of this ordinance, Antioch tenants will now have greater security in their homes, reducing the risk of sudden evictions for profit-driven reasons, such as “renovictions” and false owner move-ins.

Last night’s victory for Just-Cause Eviction Ordinance adds to the growing list of wins achieved by ACCE Antioch and allied partners, which has been at the forefront of the fight for housing justice in the city. Through persistent organizing and community mobilization, ACCE Antioch and Rising Juntos successfully rallied for the passage of the Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance (otherwise known as TAHO) and Rent Control Ordinance, both designed to safeguard tenants from exploitation and predatory practices by landlords.

Together, these victories form a comprehensive package of tenant protections, aimed at ensuring that families in Antioch can live without fear of unjust eviction, harassment, or sudden rent hikes. This latest win solidifies the progress in securing long-term housing stability for Antioch’s most vulnerable residents.

After a 2-year campaign, ACCE Los Angeles leaders and the USC Forward coalition won changes to South LA's Community Plan Implementation Overlay (CPIO) that will better protect tenants in South LA displaced by new housing development. On July 2, 2024, the City Council voted for the amendments, which will require the City to make changes to the CPIO that will be stronger than in state law. To make it happen, ACCE leaders turned out en masse for press conferences and public comments at City Hall. They also protested against the corporate developer, Tripalink- responsible for the rapid gentrification around the University of Southern California in its drive to build expensive student housing at the expense of longtime local residents. Now ACCE leaders are calling on the City to pass the same strong changes citywide. “The south LA CPIO will protect tenants from displacement, affordable housing from demolition, and the character of our neighborhood," said ACCE and USC Forward member Muhammed Abdullah.

SACRAMENTO, CA - ACCE Transit Riders members have been fighting over the last Couple months to Protect our Successful Youth Ryde Free Transit Program. The Sacramento City Manager Howard Chan originally proposed to completely cut the program from the city's budget but the consistent presence and pressure from ACCE members and the community resulted in Mayor Steinberg proposing to cut their part to $250,000 and having Sacramento School Districts & SacRT to pay the remaining $750,000. The final budget meeting was on June 11, 2024 where we had 40 leaders and allies who spoke out & helped the program be saved for this next year. Mayor Steinberg & other City Council Members pressured the school districts to pay their part in a rushed announcement in less than a 2 week turnaround. Although the community and members were outraged at the idea of forcing school districts that are already being defunded by the state budget to have to pay for a program that benefits the city, not just schools. ACCE Leaders saw this as a good opportunity to demand that school districts have oversight and representation for better services like more direct routes and safer bus stops for schools as well as having representation on Sac RT's board. The fight ahead will consist of demanding representation for school districts as well as keeping the program intact for future youth riders.

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!