Dangerous Ideas

Chin Jurn Wor Ping (CJWP) and our allies are organizing an event to commememorate the 4th anniversary of fight to keep affordable housing at Chinatown’s Pacific Renaissance Plaza. Here’s info from the pdf of the flyer. The East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC) has put together a PDF showing the time line of the PacRen struggle.

Pacific Renaissance Struggle … 4-Year Commemoration ————————————–

• Pacific Renaissance Plaza
• Oakland Chinatown
• 9th St, between Webster + Franklin
• Saturday, April 28, 2007
• 10:30 am

For more information, contact Eric Chang :: wokwhiz@sbcglobal.net :: 650.580.7719

Dear Community Ally,

Four years ago, Oakland’s social justice community came together to support the Pacific Renaissance Plaza families who were being evicted from their homes. Please join us as we commemorate the fami- lies who stood up for housing rights and as we recommit to realizing justice for the Pacific Renaissance tenants and Oakland Chinatown.

It’s been four years since tenant families, community groups, and the City of Oakland sued the Pacific Renaissance developers. Last May, the parties entered into a tentative settlement agreement that would have resulted in preserving the 50 affordable housing units as permanently affordable housing for the Chinatown community. Yet the wheels of justice currently turn slowly, while many of the Pacific Renaissance families face uncertain futures.

The Pacific Renaissance units represent the last remaining option for affordable housing in Chinatown—a community that is experiencing a serious affordable housing crisis. It also represents unmet promises made to Chinatown. Beginning in the 1970s, community leaders fought to secure community benefits from the Pacific Renaissance project, which received over $30 million in public subsidies. With the docu- mented loss of thousands of Chinatown’s affordable housing units due to redevelopment, affordable housing at Pacific Renaissance was a key community demand.

With your continued help, we will write a different chapter of history on the treatment of Chinatown residents and realize justice for the Pacific Renaissance families. We look forward to seeing you on April 28th.

In peace and solidarity,

Chin Jurn Wor Ping, Oakland Tenants Union, Just Cause Oakland, Asian Pacific Environmental Network, East Bay Asian Local Development Corp, East Bay Asian Consortium, ACORN, East Bay Community Law Center, East Bay Housing Organizations, Movement Strategy Center, Alameda County Central Labor Council, Urban Strategies Council, Siegel & Yee; California Affordable Housing Law Project, Paul, Hastings, Janofsky, & Walker LLP; Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, SEIU Local 1021, League of Women Voters, East Bay Alliance for Sustainable Economy