In California’s agricultural heartland, farmworkers are fighting back against expensive rents, substandard housing, and economic disenfranchisement.

By David Bacon

The Trump administration has suspended family visa applications – and Trump has ordered an end to the census count three weeks early.

Community Alliance Newspaper-9/1/20- A statewide measure on the Nov. 3 ballot, Proposition 21, would amend the Costa-Hawkins Act of 1995 to shift decision making on rent control in California toward local government. It will maintain provisions protecting small landlords and give developers some flexibility. However, more properties would be covered, and landlords would be allowed only to increase rent 15% over three years after a vacancy, canceling “sky’s the limit” increases that have been part and parcel of gentrification.

With a population of 2,500, you could say the Tulare County community of Poplar is so small that it could easily to be overlooked when it comes to government help in dealing with all the consequences of the current coronavirus pandemic.

That is why Mari Pérez-Ruíz and Arturo Rodríguez, both with the Central Valley Empowerment Alliance, are kept busy at the Larry Itliong Resource Center handing out food and needed supplies to the homeless and those on the verge of having no home. They also arrange for teachers to help students with at-distance learning for the upcoming school year.

An excerpt from the Porterville Recorder (8/20/2020)

Picture of Rosendo and Justin meeting outside of Porterville City Hall-

Arturo Rodriguez, with the Central Valley Empowerment Alliance, stated that he has been working for the past couple of years to identify the needs of the homeless population in the community. Rodriguez said that the biggest need, besides housing, among the homeless is sanitation facilities, especially restrooms. He said he would like to work with the city to find a solution.