SAJE Accomplishments

1998: Establishes the Coalition for a Responsible USC to secure a collective-bargaining agreement for 350 service workers whose jobs are under threat of being outsourced by the university.

2001: Brokers one of the first community benefit agreements in the nation, for the Staples Center, in partnership with the Figueroa Corridor Coalition for Economic Justice.

2006: Wins a case against the owners of the Morrison Hotel for numerous code violations. The largest conviction of its kind in Los Angeles in more than 20 years, the win prompts the City Attorney’s office to overhaul their approach to prosecuting slumlords.

2007: Co-founds the Right to the City Alliance, a national organization fighting for a right to the city for all residents, regardless of race, class, ethnicity, or citizenship.

2008: Co-founds the United Neighbors in Defense Against Displacement (UNIDAD) coalition to ensure that all large developments in the Figueroa Corridor are shaped by a meaningful community input process.

2011: With UNIDAD, brokers a community-benefits agreement with developers of the Lorenzo, a housing development for USC students.

2012: With UNIDAD, brokers a community-benefits agreement with USC, earmarking approximately $20 million in university funds for affordable housing and job creation.

2016: With ACT-LA and labor allies, passes Measure JJJ, which requires that developments seeking exemptions from zoning regulations meet labor standards and affordable housing quotas.

2017: With UNIDAD, launches The People’s Plan, a campaign to ensure community-serving provisions are included the city’s South Los Angeles and Southeast Los Angeles Community Plans.

2019: With the Unincorporated Tenants United coalition, wins a Rent Stabilization Ordinance for unincorporated Los Angeles County. 

2020-22: Leads the Stay Housed LA program, a partnership between the County of Los Angeles, the City of Los Angeles and local community and legal service providers formed to prevent evictions during the pandemic.