Home Contra Costa County May 1: March in Concord Seeks Safe, Affordable and Secure Homes for All

May 1: March in Concord Seeks Safe, Affordable and Secure Homes for All

by ECT

On May Day (Wednesday, May 1, 2019) parents and community members across Concord and Contra Costa will gather in solidarity to keep Concord’s children and families housed with a peaceful, fun, and family-friendly march through the heart of Concord, starting at Meadow Homes Park at 5:00 PM and ending at Todos Santos Plaza.

Skyrocketing rents, evictions without cause, displacement and homelessness are plaguing the City of Concord, leaving low-income children and families most vulnerable.

The march will celebrate the vitality, music, and solidarity of Concord. There will be performances and motivating speeches and calls to action from local community, labor, and faith leaders, including the Central County Regional Group (CCRG)—a group of Concord parent advocates striving to make Contra Costa County safer, healthier, and more equitable for families.

“This May Day march sends a critical message to local decision makers to keep Concord children and families in safe, secure homes. Parents, renters, landlords and organizations call on this city council to protect hard working families and put an end to skyrocketing rents and unjust evictions,” said Rhea Elina Laughlin with First 5 Contra Costa.

“I’m a single mother and work full time. Last year I received a $700 rent increase,” said Jima Monson, a parent advocate with the Central County Regional Group. “One more rent increase, and I will be living in my car with my daughter.”

Residents look to city council to protect vulnerable residents, including young children, from displacement and homelessness. In a survey of residents carried out by the CCRG and Raise the Roof Coalition, more than 90% of survey participants support Concord policies that prevent unjust evictions and limit rent increases, and more than 90% of Concord homeowners and renters feel personally impacted by the housing crisis.

When and Where:

  • Wednesday, May 1, 2019
  • 5 PM: Gathering at Meadow Homes Park, 1351 Detroit Ave, Concord, CA 94520
  • 5:30 PM: March to Todos Santos Plaza, 2175 Willow Pass Rd, Concord, CA 94520
  • 6:15 PM:  Rally and Program at Todos Santos Plaza

Who:

The May Day March is carried out by the Raise the Roof Coalition, Central County Regional Group, and First 5 Contra Costa.

  • Raise the Roof Coalition is a coalition of faith, labor, tenant and community leaders working towards roof and refuge for all Concord residents.
  • The Central County Regional Group is a parent advocacy group of residents working to make Central County healthier, safer, and more equitable for young children and families.
  • First 5 Contra Costa helps young children start school healthy, nurtured and ready to learn by investing in programs and activities focused on children during their first five years—the most important time in children’s development.

Why:

Housing insecurity has a devastating impact on the health, well-being, and development of our youngest children. In honor of May Day, residents march to call on city council to protect Concord children and families.

Learn more: http://www.first5coco.org/funded-programs/regional-groupsparent-advocacy/

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13 comments

Sorcerer Apr 30, 2019 - 3:42 pm

People should live where they can afford to live! If you have to take three jobs to make ends meet, you’re living in an area where you can’t afford to live. End of story!

Charodeyka Apr 30, 2019 - 3:55 pm

Ahhhh! May Dy! May 1st! Celebrated as a time of the coming of spring for centuries. Then adopted in the USA in the 19th Century as International Workers Day! Then the communists and socialists took it over after the Russian Revolution of 1917 (old calendar) and it’s been like that ever since. They all come out in force all over the globe!

Chris M Apr 30, 2019 - 8:15 pm

I was in Moscow a few years ago on May Day and saw the workers-of-the-world from the communist “old school” holding marches. The younger generation wants nothing to do with them. They were busy making up for lost time when they had nothing, thanks to the “workers’ paradise” philosophy which was a total lie. Some of the older Russian, aka former Soviet citizens, said that they couldn’t wait to throw off the yoke of communism which kept them down. One said, “We had NOTHING! Now we have EVERYTHING! Long live capitalism!”

Yuriy May 2, 2019 - 1:58 pm

I visited relatives when the former USSR existed and there were 4 families sharing ONE apartment, one kitchen, one bathroom down-the-hall. They had to wait 4-6 hours in a line to buy whatever groceries were available for that day. Same with clothing, shoes, incidentals. It was like a scene from the film, “Moscow on the Hudson” which starts out with the character played by Robin Williams and his friend looking to purchase bathroom tissue on the black market.

As soon as the USSR fell, overnight people became capitalists. They couldn’t wait! These were people who SWORE a day before that communism was paradise.

Richard Apr 30, 2019 - 9:42 pm

So? Does this mean people will be lowering the selling price of their houses way below market value so those who cannot afford to buy here might have a chance? Forget about it! Building “affordable” house is a myth! Anywhere those appear, it lowers the value of housing. Yes! I agree with the saying, “people should live where they can afford to live!” That’s reality.

Lots of Luck May 1, 2019 - 10:06 am

Lots of luck to the marchers! All they will get is some exercise and a listening to a few loudmouths saying nothing! Be sure to wear some sunscreen!

Trent-Reed May 1, 2019 - 10:48 am

We don’t have a housing “crisis” here! What we have is too many low-income people trying to live in an area which has traditionally had a high cost of living (housing, food, power, cost of fuel, etc.), and this cost will be increasing.

Recon May 3, 2019 - 8:58 pm

You’re right-on-the-money!

Nikkol May 2, 2019 - 10:27 pm

Trent-Reed you are a dick, to say the very least. Even some middle income folks can’t afford to live there, with the incredible housing costs. At least where I live they shouldn’t be charging people $3000 a month rent for a 3 bedroom house. I own my home, but I’d never charge someone that amount. No wonder there are homeless senior citizens/retirees. They can’t possibly live off of their social security.

Fusioner May 3, 2019 - 12:11 pm

If they can’t afford to live here, then there are other areas where their money will go farther! This is a supply-and-demand area. This is why housing costs are high! Not everybody can live in California where the cost of living has always been higher than anywhere else. Trent-Reed is correct!

Svenson May 3, 2019 - 12:30 pm

Nikkol, you use the right words, “folks cannot afford to live here.” That’s right! They can’t and that’s why we have 49 other states some of which are very affordable to live in. No is holding a gun to their heads forcing them to live where they cannot afford to live That’s reality.

grace May 3, 2019 - 7:19 pm

Hey Nikkol! Why would senior citizens and retirees want to live in an area which is expensive, has horrendous traffic problems and the crime rate is quite high? The expenses will not drop and the traffic problems and crime will worsted as it always does. Even many active working people are leaving the state, so pretty soon our wonderful people in Sacramento will increase taxes to make up for the lost revenue.

darcy jens May 4, 2019 - 1:16 pm

Unfortunately, people don’t anticipate changes which are constant and that gets them into trouble financially. With the supply being low and demand being high, cost of housing (whether purchased or rented) will keep climbing. That’s just the way thing work and this was not a sudden move. Look what happened when the minimum wage was raised. Everything else was raised in price as well, so we are back where we started from and the people most hurt by this are those living on a fixed income, while those whose minimum wage was raised are still not making a living wage. See what I mean?

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