Grassroots!

I have been overwhelmed by the size of the city's civil society. This weekend's Pride celebrations were testament to the thousands of individuals in the community who volunteer and the countless number of community organisations that exist. This is something very particular to the psyche of the City and the Bay area in general. I have spent some time this week in Oakland- home of the original Black Panther (Black Civil Rights) Movement in the United States in the 60's and have been talking to a number of groups operating in the area. Oakland has become the more affordable part of the Bay area to live in in recent years. Since the dot com boom San Francisco real estate prices have rocketed. The outward signs of homelessness across the city is particularly striking. Housing affordability is a particular issue for San Francisco residents and the Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco is an organization which employs a community organizng model to advocate on behalf of renters across the city- whether they are in private rented or social housing. I have met with Sara Short Director and Tommi Avicoli Mecca Head of Counselling and part-time community activist to learn more about their work.
www.hrcsf.org

Tommi has spent a number of years as a community activist (and is also a freelance columnist in the Bay Guardian http://www.sfbayguardian.com/2011/06/21/no-equality-without-economic-equality), particularly in issues relating to housing. As a resident in Castro since the 70s Tommi has been involved in a number of community organizations tackling a range of issues across the city. The most recent being a campaign to raise the plight of spiralling rental prices in and around Castro and the growing number of young people from the LGBT community living on the street. When at the LGBT center some weeks ago, Mila Pavlin had mentioned the migration of many young people to San Francisco from across the western states thrown out of their family homes because of their sexuality. Tommi and others living in the Castro had witnessed the increased number of young people sleeping rough and decided to "organize" to address the issue. The organzing included direct lobbying to City Hall, more radical protests outside the homes of real estate promoters and the development of a shower club and food co-op. Negotiating and forming alliances with political leaders also seemed to be part of this strategy. Whilst the issue of youth homelessness remains and real estate prices continue to grow in the Castro neighbourhood, Tommi referenced the success of the group in securing a dedicated LGBT homeless shelter, funded by city hall and likely to be run by a local church. For Tommi the organizing had achieved it's first key success- acceptance of a "problem" by City Hall, which previously they had been unwilling to consider.

A notion particular to local democratic arrangements in San Francisco is a term a number of community organizers have referenced-  the ability to take an issue to "the Ballot"- meaning a number of signatures on a petition can take an issue to referendum at next local election. This issues can be anything which has sparked community support, for example the circumcision ban is on the ballot for the November Mayoral election. This provides a real tool for community organizers who are able to mobilise enough residents to take action. For the Housing Rights Committee this is a powerful tool- as 60% of San Francisco's residents are renters. Therefore proposals they may propose for a ballot decision as a result of organizing stand a very good chance of getting passed. The link between organizing and affecting change is tangible in this respect.

I have spent the last two days visiting further community-led projects. One in Oakland called Points of Distribution- which has grown as a community-led response to high levels of drug use and the desire to promote safe needle use and reduce HIV infection rates. The model is volunteer led, receives some federal funding and resources from foundations but is ultimately a community-led model. The other project- The African Advocacy Project in the Mission neighbourhood is a newly established organization, growing out of the identified need to provide support for African communities across the city. Unlike many other ethnic communities the African communities of San Francisco are not identified by a physical neighbourhood and similarly they are not bound by origin from one nation-state. Differences in culture, traditions, language and heritage provide more of a challenge for African Organizng. Even so, a critical mass of people sharing similar experiences and issues is paramount in making an organization effective. The Advocacy Project is starting to build this critical base in order to move its mission forward.

Grassroots activity is alive and well in San Francisco, generated by an identified community need, a sense of solicarity and a belief that the action will and can lead to change. Overhearing residents on a bus talking about MUNI- the public transportation system and how they had mobilised to pressure the department of transportation to improve services appears testament to this and is engrained in the city's consciousness. Interestingly City Hall is seen as a big enough and powerful enough, local entity to be able to have some impact on the issues that affect local resident's lives. Interestingly local residents seem more civically aware of how to influence change, how to work with politicians and what part they can play themselves.

I have learnt that the community organizng model is a distinct model of community action. Distinctly different from community development, but in the US context serves a valuable social and political function. Whilst organizing is not such a widely recognised concept in the UK- it certainly shares similarities with Trade Union movements. There is also a role for organizing in enabling communities to address "issues". I don't think this will ever make the need for community development redundant and am doubtful a government-led community organizer programme will lead to communities running public services, but the examples of organizing I have seen demonstrate that communities can take control of issues affecting their lives and that those furthest away from decision-making processes through dedication and perseverance can affect change.