Strategic Actions for a Just Economy

Strategic Actions for a Just Economy
AbbreviationSAJE
Formation1996; 29 years ago (1996)
FounderGilda Haas
Purpose"Our mission is to change public and corporate policy in a manner that provides concrete economic benefits to working class people, increases the economic rights of working class people, and builds leadership through a movement for economic justice; and in the process creating sustainable models of economic democracy."
Location
Executive Director
Cynthia Strathmann PhD
Websitewww.saje.net

Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE) is a non-profit economic justice organization that advocates for tenant rights, healthy housing, and equitable development.[1] It was founded in 1996 by Gilda Haas and Kent Wong and is currently led by Executive Director Cynthia Strathmann PhD.[2][3][4][5] SAJE organizes working class communities in South Central Los Angeles through leadership development programs, tenant rights clinics, and job readiness training.[6]

Community Benefits Agreements

As a founding convening organization of the United Neighbors in Defense Against Displacement Coalition (UNIDAD)--formerly known as the Coalition for a Responsible USC and the Figueroa Corridor Coalition for Economic Justice--SAJE has fought for the adoption community benefits agreements (CBA) that ensure new developments benefit existing working-class residents in impacted neighborhoods.[7][8] These agreements have included provisions for affordable housing funding, local targeted hiring, low-income health clinics, and set asides for low and extremely-low income housing.[9][8]

Notable projects with CBAs involving SAJE:

Other projects

  • Secured affordable housing and renovations to buildings owned by a slum lord in South Los Angeles[12]
  • Developed a pilot program to reduce high check cashing fees for welfare recipients with Washington Mutual Bank.[13]
  • Co-organized the Annual South Los Angeles Health and Human Rights Conference to address community health issues.[14]

References

  1. ^ "SAJE About Us Page". Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  2. ^ Paulina González “Moving from Occupying Wall Street to Occupying Strategy”, The Narco News Bulletin, 23 November 2011
  3. ^ “No subsidy, no hotel”, Daily News of Los Angeles, June 17, 2001
  4. ^ "Antioch University Los Angeles Announces Gilda Haas as Interim Core Faculty for the Master of Arts in Urban Sustainability Program." Targeted News Service [TNS 12 Oct. 2011. CNSN. Web. 26 Nov. 2011.
  5. ^ "SAJE Staff Page". Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  6. ^ Richmond, Holly. "Whose city is it? Designers benefit from civic projects that are built for the community--rather than in spite of it.(outlook)." Contract 48.9 (2006): 44. General OneFile. Web. 26 Nov. 2011.
  7. ^ "UNIDAD-LA Who We Are". Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  8. ^ a b c Pastor, Manuel, et al. “Planning, Power, Possibilities: How UNIDAD is Shaping Equitable Development in South Central LA.” Program for Environmental and Regional Equity, Sept. 2015, dornsife.usc.edu/assets/sites/242/docs/Planning_Power_Possibilities_UNIDAD_PERE_final_report.pdf.
  9. ^ a b Saito, Leland; Truong, Jonathan (2014-03-25). "The L.A. Live Community Benefits Agreement". Urban Affairs Review. 51 (2): 263–289. doi:10.1177/1078087414527064.
  10. ^ "South Los Angeles community leaders sign agreement for Lorenzo Project". Intersections South LA. February 10, 2011. Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  11. ^ "Community Agreement in Major Development to Boost Good Jobs and Affordable Homes in South L.A." Public Counsel. March 12, 2015. Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  12. ^ “S afe, Affordable Housing Secured in Settlement With Convicted Slumlord." Multi-Housing News (2007). General OneFile. Web. 26 Nov. 2011.
  13. ^ WOODARD, CHRISTOPHER. "Job Losses but No Crisis With Flight of L.A. Banks." Los Angeles Business Journal 23.26 (2001): 36. General OneFile. Web. 26 Nov. 2011.
  14. ^ "1,000 Ready to Take Action for Health and Human Rights in South Los Angeles Tomorrow." Pediatrics Week 25 Dec. 2010: 46. Health Reference Center Academic. Web. 26 Nov. 2011.