Over 50 Organizations Urge Social Equity as Part of SB 375 Implementation
More than 50 organizations signed on to a letter to the California Air Resources Board urging them to ensure that social equity considerations permeate all aspects of Senate Bill 375 implementation. The letter outlines specific recommendations to help CARB take tangible steps to ensure that communities of color and low-income communities benefit from the implementation of SB 375. Follow this link to read the letter.
CORE Featured in UC Davis Fully Engaged Newsletter
Through its partnership with the UC Davis Center for Regional Change, CORE has been featured in the Spring 2010 issue of UC Davis Fully Engaged, a newsletter about university-community engagement. To read the article, click here and go to page 5.
PolicyLink Report Analyzes 2011 Federal Budget Proposal
This week PolicyLink released The President’s 2011 Budget: Creating Communities of Opportunity, an analysis of the 2011 budget proposal. The proposal lifts up programs to assist low-income communities and communities of color. As the budget is unlikely to be approved until after the November elections, there is time to advocate for the important programs our communities need to rise up from the economic crisis. To learn more, read the report here.
ACCE Seeking Central Valley Regional Coordinator
Join the fight for economic and social justice by becoming the Central Valley Regional Coordinator for the community organization ACCE. ACCE is a bottom-up membership organization of low income and working families. The Regional Coordinator is a senior management position, responsible for directing the work of ACCE throughout the region, under the supervision of the state Organizing Director. Responsibilities within the region will include hiring, training and supervising organizers and working with community leaders to advance strategic campaigns – local, regional and statewide - that address issues faced by ACCE members and communities. The Coordinator will also develop and manage relationships with other organizations. Bottom line, the Central Valley Regional Coordinator will work to advance the participation of low income and working families in activities intended to increase the flow of resources to their neighborhoods, gain power for families in their communities, and equalize treatment of Californians across the state. For more information and to apply, contact Christina Livingston, Field Director at or (213) 863-4548 ext. 240.
Curtis Park Village Approved
Curtis Park Village is moving along after many months of relative inactivity. The project went before Planning Commission and City Council, and was unanimously approved by both. CORE continues to support the neighborhood association, SCNA, in its call for a walkable plan with true neighborhood connectivity and smart, sustainable planning. This includes a call to limit commercial uses on the site to a neighborhood-service size, to plan a street grid instead of a suburban street network, to install a bridge to the Sacramento City College light rail station, and to dispose of toxic material off-site. The Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association has expressed interest in further action on this project. More information will be added as it is received.
CORE Advocates for Equitable Public Transit
In response to proposed service cuts that would devastate low-income communities, communities of color, and others who are dependent on public transit, CORE has partnered with Ubuntu Green to let the management of Regional Transit know that transit is a priority in Sacramento. The letter, which may be read here, outlines key considerations regarding the proposed service cuts. CORE program director Constance Slider was subsequently interviewed by the Sacramento Bee regarding how the proposed cuts would affect low-income communities and communities of color. That article can be read here.
Unfortunately, on Monday, March 29, the Regional Transit Board approved a set of drastic reductions in public transit service, including the elimination of all new trips on light rail and bus after 9PM. In addition, 28 weekday routes, 13 Saturday routes, and 4 Sunday routes have been eliminated. Other routes will have service frequency reduced. These cuts come at a time when many people in the region are struggling to stay afloat, and at a time when many rely on Regional Transit to conduct their lives. For more information on the approved cuts, visit the RT website.
Resource to Help Locate Stimulus Money
A new resource is available from PolicyLink to help communities find out how to access funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Finding Work, Finding Hope provides step-by-step instructions on how you can bring recovery dollars to your street, your neighborhood, your city, and your region in five key areas: Bring Green Jobs Home, Build a Strong Economic Foundation, Improve Housing and Community Infrastructure, Promote Healthier Communities, and Upgrade School Facilities and Programs. To learn more, visit this website.
Study Reports that Walkable Neighborhoods Can Save Millions of Dollars
TransForm has released Windfall For All: How Connected, Convenient Neighborhoods Can Protect Our Climate and Safeguard California’s Economy, a study detailing how creating more walkable neighborhoods can not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but can save the average California household $5,200 per year. To read the report and learn more about TransForm, visit TransForm.
