California Divide
From homelessness to real estate: How some Bay Area tenants won their affordable housing fight
A small group of Oakland tenants landed a deal that ensures their rents remain affordable.
How hungry is California? Millions struggle to eat well in an abundant state
How bad is California hunger? A lot depends on your access to food aid, which expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic but is being reduced.
California Divide
California work safety agency’s response to COVID complaints: letters, not inspections
A CalMatters analysis shows that Cal/OSHA dispatches inspectors in just 5% of COVID complaint cases. Non-COVID complaints were more than twice as likely to result in on-site inspections — but that’s still far below the pre-pandemic share.
California Divide
Freeze first, verify second: Unemployed Californians get a fright from EDD
As California's unemployment agency tries to cut off fraudsters, real unemployed Californians have found their benefit accounts suddenly frozen.
California Divide
Newsom allocates $600 million for permanent housing for homeless
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, California established Project Roomkey, an ambitious initiative to house homeless people in hotels and motels to keep them safe from infections. The project leveraged federal dollars to pay for lodging. Knowing that the program only offered temporary housing, state and local officials have created what they say is a permanent […]
California Divide
Governor vetoes bill extending protections to domestic workers
Socorro Diaz, who has worked cleaning houses for 17 years, was still trying to digest Gov. Gavin Newsom’s veto of a bill that would have provided protections for domestic workers. “I am very angry, very sad because I know that my work is worthy and deserves respect,” said Diaz. SB 1257, which was approved by […]
California Divide
Newsom signs COVID-19 protections for agricultural workers
Lea este artículo en español. California lawmakers are looking to protect one of the state’s most valuable workforces with a new COVID-19 relief package. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a farmworker relief package this week, which promises farmworkers stricter enforcement of health guidelines and education of paid sick leave for COVID-19, among other things. Lawmakers also requested Newsom […]
California Divide
‘Lower-pay, higher-risk:’ Coronavirus layoffs send middle-class workers down the economic ladder
From shattered career prospects to pay cuts and sudden shift work, the pandemic is forcing skilled labor and middle-class workers into lower wages and gig jobs.
California Divide
California’s rent strike: Who pays and how it works
Once a fringe tactic, rent strikes are gaining political attention around the state as renters seek payment relief amid the coronavirus recession.
California Divide
Domestic workers ask governor to extend workplace protections
Lea este artículo en español. Activists and domestic workers are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a bill that would extend safe work requirements to 13 million California households employing domestic help such as housekeepers and gardeners. Known as the Health and Safety for All Workers Act, the bill was approved by the Legislature on Aug. […]
California Divide
Los Angeles Women’s Center tackles female homelessness
Despite the havoc the COVID-19 pandemic has caused by canceling countless events across the nation, the Downtown Los Angeles Women’s Center (DWC) is holding a virtual campaign to raise funds to help homeless women. Unlike previous years when a gala was organized, this year the “Together Housed” campaign began on Sunday, September 6 and will […]