Actions taken by LWV of the US, CA and Bay Area
See all LWVUS Statements, Press Releases and News Clips on our LWV News from US, CA and Bay Area page. |
Advocacy & Action >> |
LWV of the United States
The right to vote is under attack, and the LWV is TAKING ACTION!
On November 17, LWV took its largest action to date, in a series of five this fall, to demand that President Biden do more to protect the freedom to vote. Watch the live-streamed recording here and follow the activity on Twitter at #VotingRightsNow.
Our action on November 3 was led by youth activists and featured speeches from Martin Luther King III and his daughter Yolanda King. LWV Palo Alto's own Alice Smith was also there, standing up and speaking out for voting rights.
In addition to capturing White House attention, these acts invigorated activists, leading to thousands of letters being sent to President Biden and Vice President Harris and hundreds of thousands of engagements over social media.
On November 17, LWV took its largest action to date, in a series of five this fall, to demand that President Biden do more to protect the freedom to vote. Watch the live-streamed recording here and follow the activity on Twitter at #VotingRightsNow.
Our action on November 3 was led by youth activists and featured speeches from Martin Luther King III and his daughter Yolanda King. LWV Palo Alto's own Alice Smith was also there, standing up and speaking out for voting rights.
In addition to capturing White House attention, these acts invigorated activists, leading to thousands of letters being sent to President Biden and Vice President Harris and hundreds of thousands of engagements over social media.
LWV of California
December 8: Our 2021 Advocacy Wrap-Up
OUR BIGGEST WINS
MORE VICTORIES
MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
LOOKING FORWARD
- More Equitable Voter Registration at the DMV – AB 796 (Berman)
- Revitalizing the California Dream
- Accountability for Safer Communities
- Educational Enrichment
MORE VICTORIES
- California will count more eligible ballots Campaign finance transparency was advanced
- Timelines and definitions for local redistricting
- State protections against foreign interference in state and local elections
- Carbon sequestration was advanced
- Community-based organizations will respond to certain emergencies instead of the police under the CRISES Act.
- Mandatory minimum sentences for certain non-violent drug offenses has been repealed
- A Youth Empowerment Commission will be established
MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
- You’ll Receive Your Ballot in the Mail. Then What?
- Justice Delayed is Justice Denied
- Implementation of Prop 17: Voting Rights for People Who Have Completed Their Prison Term
- Citizens Redistricting Commission
- Fair Political Practices Commission
LOOKING FORWARD
- Possibility of reforming the recall process
- We are starting to analyze potential ballot measures.
LWV Bay Area
LWV Bay Area recently held a Community Dialogue on Regional Decisions (check out their video and presentation slides) which highlighted the intersection among climate change, housing, transportation, and equity needs in the Bay Area, and how cities must plan for these needs. The video also shows how you can participate in this issue at a national, state, or local level in League advocacy. Speakers covered the following points.
State law requires cities to plan to meet the housing needs of people of all income levels. The Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) forecasts over 30 years the total number of housing units across income groups from which cities and counties receive a Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). Cities are required to adopt a housing element in their general plan which shows where their share of regional housing could be built.
What’s new is that transportation and housing strategies for the nine Bay Area counties and 101 cities are being planned together, with affordable housing located near regional transit hubs. Housing allocations to cities and counties under SB 858 must factor in the impact of climate change, with the goal of lowering greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) to 20% below 1980 emissions, and put new housing where the jobs are located, with the goal of increasing the opportunity for low-income households to live in high opportunity areas (affirmatively furthering fair housing). High-opportunity areas and proximity to jobs by transit or auto will be the two primary factors that determine how much housing, by income-level, will be allocated to a city. Other factors include the extent of overcrowding; rebalancing income distribution by the household; protecting environmental resources; and increasing the supply and mix of housing types, tenure, and affordability.
State law recognizes that meeting the challenge of climate change requires factoring in social equity, economic growth, housing, and transportation needs.
Palo Alto, a high-opportunity, job-rich area with high-income households, can expect to receive an allocation of regional housing needs that exceeds its percentage of projected job growth.
Under state law, each city will need to adopt a new housing element by 2023 which identifies specific parcels that can feasibly accommodate new housing of all income levels to meet that city's RHNA allocations. “Feasible” means that a developer could find an economic advantage to build on the parcel. In many cases, this will require rezoning or an increase in height and density. If a city does not adjust its zoning to make such development feasible, the state has the ability under SB 35 to take away local control and grant the developer the right to streamlined approval of certain projects. (CA Senate Bill 35)
State law requires cities to plan to meet the housing needs of people of all income levels. The Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) forecasts over 30 years the total number of housing units across income groups from which cities and counties receive a Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). Cities are required to adopt a housing element in their general plan which shows where their share of regional housing could be built.
What’s new is that transportation and housing strategies for the nine Bay Area counties and 101 cities are being planned together, with affordable housing located near regional transit hubs. Housing allocations to cities and counties under SB 858 must factor in the impact of climate change, with the goal of lowering greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) to 20% below 1980 emissions, and put new housing where the jobs are located, with the goal of increasing the opportunity for low-income households to live in high opportunity areas (affirmatively furthering fair housing). High-opportunity areas and proximity to jobs by transit or auto will be the two primary factors that determine how much housing, by income-level, will be allocated to a city. Other factors include the extent of overcrowding; rebalancing income distribution by the household; protecting environmental resources; and increasing the supply and mix of housing types, tenure, and affordability.
State law recognizes that meeting the challenge of climate change requires factoring in social equity, economic growth, housing, and transportation needs.
Palo Alto, a high-opportunity, job-rich area with high-income households, can expect to receive an allocation of regional housing needs that exceeds its percentage of projected job growth.
Under state law, each city will need to adopt a new housing element by 2023 which identifies specific parcels that can feasibly accommodate new housing of all income levels to meet that city's RHNA allocations. “Feasible” means that a developer could find an economic advantage to build on the parcel. In many cases, this will require rezoning or an increase in height and density. If a city does not adjust its zoning to make such development feasible, the state has the ability under SB 35 to take away local control and grant the developer the right to streamlined approval of certain projects. (CA Senate Bill 35)
