Making History Together
The Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) Action is a grassroots, member-led, statewide community organization working with more than 15,000 members across the state. ACCE is dedicated to raising the voices of everyday Californians, neighborhood by neighborhood, to fight for the policies and programs they need to improve their communities and create a brighter future.
Public Advocates has partnered with ACCE since the early 2000s to fight for affordable housing in low-income communities like Pittsburg. At that time, when the city failed to accommodate the need for low-income housing in its general plan, Public Advocates filed a lawsuit in partnership with community members and allies that ultimately persuaded the city to engage in a transparent process to debate and address the need for affordable housing in its communities.
The lawsuit was settled in 2005, and resulted in the City and its Redevelopment Agency producing 990 units of affordable housing over the next 10 years, with an immediate deadline for producing 200 units of very-low income housing in four years. The Council also met another of plaintiffs’ demands, adopting the strongest inclusionary housing ordinance in Contra Costa County. These were tangible benefits won through a commitment to centering the people who are most affected by injustice in determining how change will be made, and for what purpose and benefits.
Since those early days, Public Advocates and ACCE have been partners in efforts to win affordable housing, and fair treatment of low-income renters.
During the pandemic, Public Advocates worked with ACCE to defend renter’s rights, secure an eviction moratorium in California, and ensure that the voices of low-income communities of color were heard as lawmakers, government agencies and elected officials made critical decisions about how to cope with the pandemic and its impact on families and worker’s lives throughout the state.
“As a membership-driven, base building organization, it’s not every day we find legal and policy organizations that truly value campaigns driven by a bottom-up, grassroots partnership.”
Christina Livingston, Executive Director, ACCE
“Partnering with Public Advocates on various economic and racial justice campaigns over the years has been of real value for ACCE. As a membership-driven, base building organization, it’s not every day we find legal and policy organizations that truly value campaigns driven by a bottom-up, grassroots partnership. We look forward to building power with them towards an equitable and just California into the future,” said ACCE’s executive director, Christina Livingston.
ACCE is committed to “change from the bottom up,” organizing to build a strong people’s movement that can create transformative change, a value we at Public Advocates share. Their local neighborhood chapters and issue committees are led by ACCE Action member leaders and meet regularly to strategize and plan campaigns. Central to their work is the belief that there’s power in numbers and in collective action – ACCE Action members and their allies frequently “take to the streets” with rallies, town halls, and other actions to make their voices heard.
At the California State Capitol, in neighborhoods and everywhere important decisions are made, ACCE is there.
