Weekly Update - Week 23
This is our first weekly update for June. Below, you will find updates on our latest activities and a list of “Action Items,” which are tasks we need to finish to accomplish the campaigns Members have voted on.
If you have questions about any of these action items, please schedule a Zoom meeting with a member of the Steering Committee here. We were elected to help Members achieve the goals they voted for, so please don’t hesitate to book a meeting!
Upcoming Meetings and Events
Canvassing At CalVilla Townhomes (WCU Tenant Union)
– June 4th from 5:30pm-7:30pm
– June 5th from 5:30pm-7:30pm
WCU General Meeting
– June 6th from 6pm-8pm (Hybrid)
Flyering At Costco (No Votes for Genocide Campaign)
– June 8th from 12pm-3:00pm
Tenant Union Focus Campaign
Current Project: Letter to Code Enforcement About Cockroach Infestation
- There is a large-scale cockroach infestation in the Cal-Villa Townhomes development affecting multiple units.
- Our review of Cal-Villa’s governing documents shows the HOA is responsible for common areas, where the cockroach infestation originates.
- Instead of tackling this issue landlord by landlord, we need to urge Stockton Code Enforcement to impose fines on the HOA until they address the infestation.
- Through this campaign, we aim to find local tenant leaders willing to organize their neighbors.
Highlights
- Ongoing roach problems reported by new and long-term tenants.
- Initial attempts by landlords to address the issue failed due to roaches being present across the development.
- Children are coming into contact with cockroaches, affecting the quality of life for tenants.
- Tenants expressed fear of landlord retaliation but showed willingness to confront the HOA.
Recent Updates
- We finalized our Code Enforcement letter.
- Created a one-page explainer that outlines the importance of contacting Stockton Code Enforcement, challenging the HOA, and collective action to give to tenants.
Goals
- Use this widespread issue to encourage tenant participation and involvement in the Cal-Villa Tenant Association.
- Obtain signatures from a majority of affected tenants.
- Organizing a meeting of the Cal-Villa Tenant Association to discuss next steps at the end of the month.
- Complete the initial draft of the WCUTU Tenants Handbook that has basic information about tenant’s rights. We are adopting the handbook from Los Angeles Tenant Union, but there are several sections we need to research/edit so they match San Joaquin/local laws.
ACTION ITEMS
Canvassing At CalVilla Townhomes
– June 4th from 5:30pm-7:30pm
– June 5th from 5:30pm-7:30pmLetter to Code Enforcement About Cockroach Infestation (Details Here)
- Review Draft Letter to Code Enforcement
- Develop One-Page Explainer
- Prepare Letter Toolkit
Tenant Union Handbook (Details Here)
– Pick a section of the handbook highlighted in green (which indicates areas we thought might not apply to San Joaquin County and were LA specific), research to find if those rules/regulations apply to us, and make the appropriate edits in the Google Doc.
No Votes for Genocide / Free Palestine Campaign
Current Project: Finish Campaign Materials and Start Tabling
- We are still finishing the baseline material needed to launch our campaign. This includes language for the online petition, social media posts, flyers, and email.
- We will begin holding flyering events this week. The hope is that by the end of the month, we have a streamlined process for recruiting volunteers into events.
- If all goes as planned, we should be prepared next month to expand to other actions we voted on, including phone banking, developing a toolkit for people to organize without our direct involvement, and disrupting fundraising events.
Recent Updates
- The initial version of the petition is online at NoVotesForGenocide.com
- We held a rally last month. There was positive feedback towards our campaign and people wanting to participate.
Goals
- The goal of this campaign is to not only achieve a ceasefire in Gaza but also to use this issue to break from the duopoly of the two major parties.
- This means revealing how undemocratic both parties are while preventing people from falling into despair and inactivity. We must work with them to develop new democratic organizations and systems that can replace what we have today.
Action Items
Flyering Events
– Flyering At Costco June 8th from 12pm-3:00pm
– Flyering at Weberstown Mall June 15th from 12pm-3:00pmJune Action Items - No Votes for Genocide (Details Here)
- Finalize language for No Votes for Genocide Pledge
- Complete the half-page flyers with information about Gaza
- Half-page flyers with information about Josh’s voting record
- Draft language for social media posts about the campaign, asking people to sign the petition, and asking people to come table with us
- Draft emails introducing people to the campaign, asking people to ask their friends/family to sign, and asking people to do outreach with us
- Draft text that explains why WCU is doing this campaign for our website for future members
WCU Reading Group
- The next reading selection will be voted on during the June General Meeting.
- The Reading Group meets on Wednesday, June 26th at 8PM on Zoom
- The previous reading was on An Introduction to 1-on-1 Organizing Conversations by Fire with Fire Blog
- Participate in a discussion about the reading here.
Let’s gets 500% more organizing done this month!!
