Speaker 0: Okay. Oh, Sophia, remember how. Come on up. Hey, hey, hey. Yes.
Speaker 1: Okay. So, whereas quality, affordable housing is vital to healthy, safe, vibrant and diverse communities. And I'm going to skip some of the warehouses and affordable homes, the solution to homelessness and provide support to seniors, families, youth veterans and people with disabilities. And. Whereas, rising housing costs have led longtime residents to be displaced, live in overcrowded and substandard homes, or become homeless, threatening our region's diversity and economic prosperity, and creating new, permanently affordable homes. And preserving and improving existing housing helps our residents maintain community roots and encourages racial and economic diversity for generations. And where is affordable homes close to public transit and jobs reduces reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide low income families better access to opportunities and amenities. And empowering and engaging local resident leaders helps create better housing, tenant protections and development policies. And. WHEREAS, nonprofit organizations, local jurisdictions, community organizations, faith based groups, and many others continue to build inclusive communities by providing shelter, homes and support for low income people and those with special needs. And. Whereas, local jurisdictions such as Alameda County and the City of Alameda play an important role by providing local resources for affordable housing to leverage federal, state and other funds. And. WHEREAS, East Bay housing organizations have organized affordable housing week for 23 years, and this year will feature 17 events in nine cities acknowledging the need for, for and benefits of affordable housing. Now therefore be resolved that I Maryland, as the Ashcraft mayor of the city of Alameda, do hereby proclaim May 19 to the ninth, May 9th to the 19th, 2019 as the 23rd Annual Affordable Housing Week in Alameda, where we will work to support affordable housing at the local, regional and state level. We encourage residents to participate in affordable housing week activities. So I just want to say quickly before I turn the microphone over to these distinguished women that we could not do what we're doing without the help of our partners every day. The Housing Authority are such heroes. I want you to know that I was in Washington, DC last week and I was at the Veterans Administration and we had on the speakerphone a woman from Los Angeles who is working on veterans housing issues in our region. And she just wanted to say what a stellar job our housing authority and Vanessa Cooper did. And she's so she knew about the vast vouchers that have gone into our most recently opened affordable housing projects. So from from Washington, D.C. and I was proud to tell them we're going to be doing all that and more. And both of you have done so much in your own right. So thank you. Thank you for helping house our nee our region's most needy residents. So who wants to take the microphone and then you can actually turn it around the normal way it.
Speaker 6: Good evening. I'm Laura Thomas, and I'm here as a representative of renewed hope housing advocates. And I'm also a member of East Bay housing organizations, ABAJO, which is putting on affordable housing week. 35 years old, it has 500 members, including the city of Alameda. It's a nonprofit working to preserve and create affordable housing through education, advocacy, organization and coalition building. And it's an invaluable.
Speaker 0: Resource for everybody in the bay in the East.
Speaker 6: Bay working for affordable housing. I know.
Speaker 0: That we in renewed hope over the last.
Speaker 6: 20 years, actually probably only the last ten that we've called on them. But whenever we need help on the issues that we don't have any expertize on, they step in to help us and they in turn look to us local advocates up and down the East Bay to keep them apprized.
Speaker 0: Of the.
Speaker 6: Particular dynamics of a given place. And so together, along with everybody in government and industry who shares the values of building affordable housing, we're all.
Speaker 0: Striving to make sure that the human character of the.
Speaker 6: East Bay can be maintained. So your recognition of affordable housing today supports your ongoing commitment to affordable housing.
Speaker 0: You were supportive of affordable housing week.
Speaker 6: Excuse me. So starting on Friday and through next week, there are the the events.
Speaker 0: And I'm going to give you the schedule.
Speaker 6: In Alameda, we're going to have the senior disability committee will have a forum on Monday at 1:00 in the main library. And I think Tony Graham will come and tell you later what that's going to be about. The other events are groundbreaking and open houses that showcase the success we've had in the Bay Area. We've built some beautiful progress projects, and even despite the fierce competition, there is for any scrap of land that can be translated into a market rate project. But we appreciate that that wealth is being generated. But as long as it has to offer some.
Speaker 0: Benefits, it has to offer benefits to the Bay Area residents.
Speaker 6: Whose families have also invested.
Speaker 0: Decades of hard work and their desire to build a life for themselves. And they have built the Bay Area. And they have nurtured this place.
Speaker 6: And in directing some of that wealth to building affordable housing, we are making sure that this highly valued housing boom.
Speaker 0: Actually builds equity and.
Speaker 6: Justice. So affordable homes for all is the theme. And it does seem apropos since the housing crisis we're in could actually also be termed a displacement crisis. And we can congratulate ourselves in Alameda.
Speaker 0: Truly for overcoming the fear of taking care of people and passing measure. Last month.
Speaker 6: And I hope we can see strong protections for renters passed soon. I think by improving rent protection, affordable housing and improving facilities like the medical respite center, we can bring stability, less fear, and we can also create the ability Farallon.
Speaker 0: Needed to foster more projects. I'm sure we can we can.
Speaker 6: Do it can be done. We can take care of people. I don't know what choice we have because we did some.
Speaker 0: Time back declare that everybody is welcome here. So I thank you for standing firm on all of these issues.
Speaker 1: Thank you. And would you like to speak on behalf of both parties?
Speaker 2: We have this one. We have. Oh.
Speaker 0: We can give you a glass. On behalf of East Bay housing organizations. I too want to thank the Alameda City Council and Mayor Ashcraft for recognizing our affordable housing week and invite all of you to our many events this week and to our kick off this coming Thursday evening at Classic Cars West in uptown Oakland. We hope to.
Speaker 6: See many of you.
Speaker 0: And we know that it's only with the partnership of our members, like renewed hope in Alameda, the housing authority here in Alameda, and our supportive elected officials and other individuals that we can together solve the housing needs for these parties. So thank you.
Speaker 1: Thank you so much. Okay. All right. With that. Okay. Wait. Photoshop for Sarah. Everyone, quickly. Oh, yeah. Here, take that.
Speaker 0: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Thank you.
Speaker 2: We have speakers on the.
Speaker 0: Yes.
Speaker 2: Do you want to? Either way. Whatever you want. It's yeah. Some pretty.
Speaker 1: All right. So our our next proclamation is for Small Business Week. And we actually have. Several representatives, right? We have representatives from the Army, the Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Alameda Business Association, Greater Alameda Business Association in West Alameda Business Association.
Proclamation Declaring May 9 through 19, 2019 as Affordable Housing Week.  (City Manager 2110)