Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE) is a non-profit economic justice organization based in Los Angeles. It was founded in 1996 by Gilda Haas and Kent Wong and is currently led by Executive Director Cynthia Strathmann PhD.Paulina González “Moving from Occupying Wall Street to Occupying Strategy”, The Narco News Bulletin, 23 November 2011“No subsidy, no hotel”, Daily News of Los Angeles, June 17, 2001"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.
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.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. 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.
Notable projects with CBAs involving SAJE: Staples Center/LA Live GH Palmer Lorenzo Project University of Southern California University Village Grand Metropolitan Development
Other projects Secured affordable housing and renovations to buildings owned by a slum lord in South Los Angeles“S afe, Affordable Housing Secured in Settlement With Convicted Slumlord." Multi-Housing News (2007). General OneFile. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. Developed a pilot program to reduce high check cashing fees for welfare recipients with Washington Mutual Bank.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. Co-organized the Annual South Los Angeles Health and Human Rights Conference to address community health issues."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.
Housing policy & retracted housing vacancy report In 2019, researchers working for SAJE published a report claiming that there were more vacant homes in Los Angeles than homeless people. After questions about the report's methodology, the report was removed from the internet.
SAJE co-signed a letter opposing SB 79.
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