The Implementation column is missing from your spending table:
In CA there are 3 housing law enforcement non-profits: YIMBY Law, Ca Housing Defense Fund, Californians for Homeownership. In addition, Public Advocates, Pacific Legal, Institute for Justice, HAC and the BIA all spend some money on lawsuits to implement state housing laws. Also, some of our grassroots organizing is for implementation.
I don't know how important this is for your point, but YA spends $0 on PAC, not $320,000, the overall YA and YIMBY Law budget is not correct here and we spend 100% of our effort on housing.
I like the idea of this chart. lmk if you want to get together for better data.
Can you explain the methodology chart about housing reform spend? It seems like you're making a quantitative argument but at the same time you say it's a guesstimate, so I'm wondering how you ended up at 80% for groups like YIMBY Action and HAC? This doesn't really match my understanding of those groups so I'm wondering where the mismatch is.
This is a great start but leaves me with two questions:
1. What's the role of mass persuasion here and what are the strategies worth trying first? You mentioned putting a measure on the CA ballot to overturn Prop 13. I predict with high confidence that that measure would fail badly if voted on today, not just due to special interest influence but due to general "homevoter" aversion to large property tax increases. How does an abundance movement overcome obstacles like that?
2. To what degree do we need to set this all aside for the short term in the face of the ongoing constitutional omnicrisis at the federal level? Having abundance candidates win federal elections is a great long-term goal, fixing CA is an even better medium term goal-- but arguably none of it matters if the US collapses into outright fascist dictatorship where elections are just rubber stamps for the dictator's cronies, and right now that's the slippery slope we're skidding down. Can YIMBY advocacy play a significant role in stopping Trump/Muskian fascism, and if not, what short-term good is it?
I think the attempted parallel with the Progressives misses a more recent and practical example in the DLC. Al From has been very transparent about their playbook to change the policy priorities and messaging of the Democratic Party and help "third way" candidates like Bill Clinton win. A good book recommendation for every Abundant would be:
"The New Democrats and the Return to Power" by Al From, Bill Clinton, Alice McKeon.
In your experience, what is the role for clergy and faith communities? I know the YIGBY act passed in California, but I’m curious if there has been any wider engagement.
The Implementation column is missing from your spending table:
In CA there are 3 housing law enforcement non-profits: YIMBY Law, Ca Housing Defense Fund, Californians for Homeownership. In addition, Public Advocates, Pacific Legal, Institute for Justice, HAC and the BIA all spend some money on lawsuits to implement state housing laws. Also, some of our grassroots organizing is for implementation.
I don't know how important this is for your point, but YA spends $0 on PAC, not $320,000, the overall YA and YIMBY Law budget is not correct here and we spend 100% of our effort on housing.
I like the idea of this chart. lmk if you want to get together for better data.
Can you explain the methodology chart about housing reform spend? It seems like you're making a quantitative argument but at the same time you say it's a guesstimate, so I'm wondering how you ended up at 80% for groups like YIMBY Action and HAC? This doesn't really match my understanding of those groups so I'm wondering where the mismatch is.
I was trying to dig into this further and saw this article: https://jeremyl.substack.com/p/guide-to-californias-yimby-movement
It seems like the author is pretty familiar with the same groups you covered here, so I'd like to see how your methods compare to his.
This is a great start but leaves me with two questions:
1. What's the role of mass persuasion here and what are the strategies worth trying first? You mentioned putting a measure on the CA ballot to overturn Prop 13. I predict with high confidence that that measure would fail badly if voted on today, not just due to special interest influence but due to general "homevoter" aversion to large property tax increases. How does an abundance movement overcome obstacles like that?
2. To what degree do we need to set this all aside for the short term in the face of the ongoing constitutional omnicrisis at the federal level? Having abundance candidates win federal elections is a great long-term goal, fixing CA is an even better medium term goal-- but arguably none of it matters if the US collapses into outright fascist dictatorship where elections are just rubber stamps for the dictator's cronies, and right now that's the slippery slope we're skidding down. Can YIMBY advocacy play a significant role in stopping Trump/Muskian fascism, and if not, what short-term good is it?
I think the attempted parallel with the Progressives misses a more recent and practical example in the DLC. Al From has been very transparent about their playbook to change the policy priorities and messaging of the Democratic Party and help "third way" candidates like Bill Clinton win. A good book recommendation for every Abundant would be:
"The New Democrats and the Return to Power" by Al From, Bill Clinton, Alice McKeon.
https://a.co/9FEKYlj
In your experience, what is the role for clergy and faith communities? I know the YIGBY act passed in California, but I’m curious if there has been any wider engagement.