California Yimby

CALIFORNIA YIMBYS MISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT CALIFORNIA IS AN AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND RAISE A FAMILY. WE ADVANCE OUR MISSION BY:A.)ADDRESSING AND CORRECTING SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES IN CALIFORNIA HOUSING LAWS, AND IN RELATED LAWS AND REGULATIONS;B.)EMPOWERING CALIFORNIANS ACROSS THE STATE TO ENGAGE THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS ON HOUSING AND RELATED POLICIES;C.)ENSURING THAT CALIFORNIA HOUSING LAWS AND LOCAL REGULATIONS ARE EVIDENCE-BASED, EQUITABLE, AND INCLUSIVE; ANDD.)DRAFTING AND ADVOCATING FOR PROVEN LEGISLATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT ACCELERATE THE PACE OF HOME BUILDING.WE BELIEVE THAT AN EQUITABLE CALIFORNIA BEGINS WITH ABUNDANT, SECURE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE FOCUS ON HOUSING AND LAND USE POLICY AT THE STATE LEVEL TO ENSURE GRASSROOTS ORGANIZERS AND CITY LEADERS HAVE THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO ACCELERATE HOME BUILDING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

CALIFORNIA YIMBY EDUCATION, OUTREACH, AND ADVOCACY PROGRAMIN 2020 WE CONTINUED OUR STRONG TRACK RECORD OF EDUCATING CALIFORNIANS ABOUT THE CAUSES OF, AND SOLUTIONS TO, THE HOUSING SHORTAGE AND AFFORDABILITY CRISIS. WITH THE SHUT-DOWNS THAT RESULTED FROM COVID-19, WE LAUNCHED A NEW VIRTUAL EVENT PROGRAM TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN AND GROW THE YIMBY MOVEMENT -- OUR MEMBERSHIP TOPPED 80,000 DURING THE YEAR. OUR EXPANDED EVENTS PROGRAM HELPED US CONTINUE TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH INFUENTIAL LEGISLATORS AND ADMINISTRATION OFFCIALS, AND ENABLED US TO REACH NEW AUDIENCES WHO MAY NOT HAVE ENGAGED WITH US AT IN-PERSON EVENTS. OUR MONTHLY EXPERT PANELS EXPLORED THE INTERSECTION OF HOUSING WITH OTHERPRESSING ISSUES, INCLUDING RACIAL EQUITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND TRANSPORTATION. BEYOND ZOOM ENGAGEMENT, WE INCREASED OUR REACH BY STREAMING TO FACEBOOK LIVE, TWITTER, AND YOUTUBE.IN ADDITION TO OUR EVENT PROGRAMS, WE BUILT UPON PAST SUCCESSES IN MEDIA RELATIONS AND WERE FEATURED IN OVER 300 NEWS OUTLETS ACROSS THE STATE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY. FINALLY, THE HOMEWORK, OUR BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, DELIVERS SYNTHESIZED, CUTTING-EDGE HOUSING POLICY RESEARCH AND CURATED NEWS CLIPS TO AN ELITE LIST OF 1,200 REPORTERS AND LEGISLATIVE STAFF IN SACRAMENTO, ALONG WITH OUR MOST ACTIVE GRASSROOTS MEMBERS.

CALIFORNIA YIMBY GRASSTOPS PARTNERSHIPS AND GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING PROGRAMIN 2020, WE SUPPLEMENTED OUR APPROACH TO ORGANIZING WITH A NEW FOCUS ON DEEPENING OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH GRASSTOPS GROUPS AND INFLUENTIAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS COMMITTED TO ENDING THE HOUSING SHORTAGE AND AFFORDABILITY CRISIS. WE SET UP THE HOME BUILDING ALLIANCE (HBA), A NETWORK OF BUSINESS GROUPS, POLICY SHOPS, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WITH DEEP RELATIONSHIPS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE ON HOUSING AND OTHER ISSUES. WE ALSO CONTINUED OUR SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS TO CONVENE LOCAL YIMBYS, RACIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL/CLIMATE POLICY/TRANSIT ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHERS TO EXPLORE OUR SHARED GOALS AND BUILD STRATEGIC ALLIANCES FOR REFORM.

CALIFORNIA YIMBY LEGISLATIVE AND POLITICAL PROGRAMOUR 2020 LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS LED TO SIGNIFICANT REFORMS THAT WERE SIGNED INTO LAW: AB 725, WHICH INCREASES 4-PLEX ZONING; AB 1851 , WHICH REDUCES PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR HOUSES OF WORSHIP; AND AB 3182, WHICH ENDS HOA BANS ON RENTERS. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS ON TWO BALLOT MEASURES -- PROP 15 AND PROP 16 -- WHICH DID NOT SUCCEED, BUT ENABLED US TO EXPAND OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND REACH NEW AUDIENCES WITH MESSAGES ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HOUSING JUSTICE AND RELATED SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL ISSUES.