SILICONE VALLEY, October 26—In a large Bay Area city, more than 30 women, men, and children protested high rents, racist evictions, and homelessness—all products of the profit-mad capitalist system. Evictions are increasing in this high-tech region and disproportionately affect Black and Latin workers; the city’s Black population has dropped by half in the past twenty-five years, with 35,000 people displaced. Although Black workers now represent only 6 percent of the city’s population, they make up 25 percent of the homeless.
Fightbacks are growing. At one busy intersection, there are spirited weekly demonstrations by Residents for Renters Protection. People chant, sing, and bring posters in English and Spanish to publicize the fight, with members and friends of Progressive Labor Party protesting in solidarity. There were upraised fists, honking horns, and high fives from pedestrians and people in passing cars and buses. Most of the protesters work in low-wage food, retail and service industries. They are systematically being evicted out of this city.
Residents for Renters Protection plans to present the City Council with demands for rent stabilization on older units and against arbitrary evictions. One member lamented, “We only have one supporter on the City Council—all the others don’t want to confront the real estate cabal.” This led to discussions about bringing more workers from local unions and other organizations to the rallies in an effort to pressure the capitalist politicians to institute rent controls.
Housing for Shelter,
Not for Profit
PL’ers brought the CHALLENGE article, “Homelessness Part and Parcel of Capitalism.” It explained that the root cause of homelessness is the capitalist crisis of overproduction. As real estate developers build new condominiums and evict tenants to attract higher-paid tech workers, there is an epidemic of homelessness. Workers have no friends on the City Council or any branch of government. We can rely on only our class.
PLP captured this contradiction with a poster: “Housing for Shelter, Not for Profit.” Spanish-speaking protesters helped us translate: “Vivienda Para Vivir, Sin Fines de Lucro.” This idea spurred deeper conversations at the protest and at dinner afterward about the possibility of a communist society that would serve workers’ basic needs: decent housing, nutritious food, and meaningful work.
When we abolish money, wages and profit, the motivation of shared responsibility to provide for the health and nutrition of neighborhood families could grow. Perhaps yesterday’s small restaurants could be tomorrow’s neighborhood cafeteria for families returning from school and work, a place where neighbors could enjoy a delicious, healthy meal. Nobody will be homeless or have to live in small, decrepit apartments. Under communism, we can truly build a world where everyone’s needs are met.