6 Wins for Social Equity Network
In 2010, Urban Habitat and Public Advocates co-founded the 6 Wins for Social Equity Network (6 Wins) to ensure that regional planning decisions and investments would be shaped by the voices and needs of those most impacted. Six Wins advocates on the following 6 issue areas to build community power: affordable housing, investment without displacement, transportation justice, quality jobs, and healthy communities to build a just Bay Area for all.
The Network works to build a region where tenants, workers, and low-income communities of color have the decision-making power and resources needed to thrive. We are a coalition representing labor, environment, faith-based, tenant-organizing groups, and policy advocates.
6 Wins Coalition Members
- Breakthrough Communities
- Center for Sustainable Neighborhoods
- Council of Community Housing Organizations
- East Bay Housing Organizations
- Genesis
- Monument Impact
- North Bay Organizing Project
- Public Advocates
- Regional Tenant Organizing Network
- Sacred Heart Community Service
- San Mateo County Union Community Alliance
- Sunflower Alliance
- Urban Habitat
- Working Partnerships USA
Our Work
2010: Our Roots
In response to the passage of SB 375, Urban Habitat's co-founder Carl Anthony called for the Bay Area's Sustainable Community Strategy and helped establish the 6 Wins for Social Equity Network to build community power.
2011-2012: A Community Plan is Better for the Bay Area
Created the first-ever community-driven regional plan alternative, known as the Equity, Environment, and Jobs (EEJ) Scenario, focusing on:
- Improving local transit service levels,
- Distributing more housing growth to suburban job and transit hubs, and
- Protecting vulnerable families from displacement. The plan would have resulted in the greatest reductions in regional greenhouse gas emissions and decreased the displacement risk for renters by 42 percent.
2013: Failing Grade for MTC
Gave MTC and ABAG a failing grade for not meaningfully integrating equitable solutions into their policies and funding formulas for the first Plan Bay Area 2040.
2013: Tying Transportation Funding to Anti-Displacement Policies
Advocated for stronger guidance from MTC to Congestion Management Agencies (CMAs) in awarding money to local jurisdictions through MTC’s $350 million yearly One Bay Area Grant Program (OBAG).
2013: Regional Plan Approved with our 3 Amendments
- OBAG: Tying regional grants to local anti-displacement measures and affordable housing production
- Disadvantaged Community Benefits: A successful motion committed the region to an inclusive public process to set priorities for $3.1 billion in Cap and Trade revenue
- Commitment to Create a Regional Transit Operations Program
2013 - 2015: Regional Days of Advocacy
Held three regional days of advocacy and met with MTC Commissioners and ABAG Executive Board Members to ensure regional transportation investments meet the needs of low-income communities and communities of color.
February 2016: Regional Housing Forum
6 Wins leaders held a creative action illustrating the "face of displacement" and sharing community-identified anti-displacement solutions.
Video: ABAG & MTC Community Housing Crisis
2016: EEJ 2.0
Successfully advocated for MTC to adopt some key elements from EEJ in the final Plan Bay Area.
2016: Lifeline Campaign
Advocated for the inclusion of participatory budgeting in MTC’s update of the Lifeline and Community Based Transportation Plan Programs.
2016: OBAG Policy Win
Advocated for MTC to condition its One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) program to incentivize cities to pass local tenant protection policies and build more affordable housing.
The following policy was approved:
- $30 million to cities that produce the most affordable housing.
- $10 million for a new Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) fund to acquire and preserve affordable housing in low-income communities.
- $350 million tied to an anti-displacement scoring criteria in MTC's OBAG program.
2017: Failing Grade 2.0
Gave MTC another failing grade for fueling the regional displacement crisis.
July 2017: Equitable Regional Action Plan
Advocated and won a regional action plan that invests in tenant protections, affordable housing, good jobs, and a healthier environment.
February 2018: CASA Campaign
Launched our equity and anti-displacement strategy for MTC’s regional housing process, known as CASA.
2021: Launched our vision and priorities
Our vision and priorities for ensuring the Bay Area’s pandemic recovery is equitable, racially just, and environmentally sustainable.
2022 - Present: Advocating for BAHFA to support community ownership of land and housing and fund tenant support services
Six Wins is working to ensure the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA):
- Supports community ownership of housing and land, by increasing funding and support for community land trusts and housing cooperatives to acquire buildings and land and grow their organizational capacity.
- Addresses the region’s continuing eviction crisis by funding tenant support services such as rental assistance and right to legal counsel.
