SAN FRANCISCO - The directors of YIMBY Action and YIMBY Law, Laura Foote and Sonja Trauss, released a joint statement about their decision to close tomorrow in solidarity with the national general strike:
“As organizations with the mission to enact policy change, it is incumbent upon us to join those rallying to defend both freedom of speech and free and fair elections.
“The ability to advocate for abundant, affordable housing depends upon having a functional democracy, where individuals are free to petition their government, participate in elections, and have a government that respects the rule of law.
“As single-issue organizations, we rally community residents to use the democratic process to make our neighborhoods vibrant, welcoming, and safe places to live and work. We must oppose any government actions that erode democratic norms, threaten voting procedures, and endanger our communities. Therefore, we have decided to join the chorus of people and organizations defending our democracy by calling for a general strike.
“Core to our mission are the values of freedom of speech and the rule of law. Whatever your issue, the right to protest is foundational to our Constitution and protected by the First Amendment. Violence against protesters endangers our democracy and intimidates voices for change into staying silent. YIMBYs, like many others, use our constitutionally protected voices to hold governments accountable to following the law. But every day, there is mounting evidence that government agencies are no longer following the Constitution and are flouting due process and judicial rulings.
“We call upon every organization that relies on the democratic system to join us in defending human rights and our democracy at this perilous time.”