Strategic Actions for a Just Economy

Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE) is a non-profit economic justice organization that advocates for tenant rights, healthy housing, and equitable development.[1] It was founded in 1996 by Gilda Haas and Kent Wong and is currently led by Executive Director Cynthia Strathmann PhD.[2][3][4][5] SAJE organizes working class communities in South Central Los Angeles through leadership development programs, tenant rights clinics, and job readiness training.[6]

Strategic Actions for a Just Economy
AbbreviationSAJE
Formation1996 (1996)
FounderGilda Haas
Purpose"Our mission is to change public and corporate policy in a manner that provides concrete economic benefits to working class people, increases the economic rights of working class people, and builds leadership through a movement for economic justice; and in the process creating sustainable models of economic democracy."
Location
Executive Director
Cynthia Strathmann PhD
Websitewww.saje.net

Community Benefits Agreements

As a founding convening organization of the United Neighbors in Defense Against Displacement Coalition (UNIDAD)--formerly known as the Coalition for a Responsible USC and the Figueroa Corridor Coalition for Economic Justice--SAJE has fought for the adoption community benefits agreements (CBA) that ensure new developments benefit existing working-class residents in impacted neighborhoods.[7][8] These agreements have included provisions for affordable housing funding, local targeted hiring, low-income health clinics, and set asides for low and extremely-low income housing.[9][8]

Notable projects with CBAs involving SAJE:

Other Projects
  • Secured affordable housing and renovations to buildings owned by a slum lord in South Los Angeles[12]
  • Developed a pilot program to reduce high check cashing fees for welfare recipients with Washington Mutual Bank.[13]
  • Co-organized the Annual South Los Angeles Health and Human Rights Conference to address community health issues.[14]

References
  1. "SAJE About Us Page". Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  2. Paulina González “Moving from Occupying Wall Street to Occupying Strategy”, The Narco News Bulletin, 23 November 2011
  3. “No subsidy, no hotel”, Daily News of Los Angeles, June 17, 2001
  4. "Antioch University Los Angeles Announces Gilda Haas as Interim Core Faculty for the Master of Arts in Urban Sustainability Program." Targeted News Service [TNS 12 Oct. 2011. CNSN. Web. 26 Nov. 2011.
  5. "SAJE Staff Page". Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  6. Richmond, Holly. "Whose city is it? Designers benefit from civic projects that are built for the community--rather than in spite of it.(outlook)." Contract 48.9 (2006): 44. General OneFile. Web. 26 Nov. 2011.
  7. "UNIDAD-LA Who We Are". Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  8. Pastor, Manuel, et al. “Planning, Power, Possibilities: How UNIDAD is Shaping Equitable Development in South Central LA.” Program for Environmental and Regional Equity, Sept. 2015, dornsife.usc.edu/assets/sites/242/docs/Planning_Power_Possibilities_UNIDAD_PERE_final_report.pdf.
  9. Saito, Leland; Truong, Jonathan (2014-03-25). "The L.A. Live Community Benefits Agreement". Urban Affairs Review. 51 (2): 263–289. doi:10.1177/1078087414527064.
  10. "South Los Angeles community leaders sign agreement for Lorenzo Project". Intersections South LA. February 10, 2011. Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  11. "Community Agreement in Major Development to Boost Good Jobs and Affordable Homes in South L.A." Public Counsel. March 12, 2015. Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  12. “S afe, Affordable Housing Secured in Settlement With Convicted Slumlord." Multi-Housing News (2007). General OneFile. Web. 26 Nov. 2011.
  13. WOODARD, CHRISTOPHER. "Job Losses but No Crisis With Flight of L.A. Banks." Los Angeles Business Journal 23.26 (2001): 36. General OneFile. Web. 26 Nov. 2011.
  14. "1,000 Ready to Take Action for Health and Human Rights in South Los Angeles Tomorrow." Pediatrics Week 25 Dec. 2010: 46. Health Reference Center Academic. Web. 26 Nov. 2011.
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