DSA happy hour, legislation updates, and more

MoCo DSA members:

The state legislature and County Council are deep into bill-passing work and we want to make sure to keep you updated. There is not yet a final bill on the Country Club tax breaks, but we plan to continue pushing for the repeal of that law in the state legislature. The "Stable Homes Act" (formerly known as "Just Cause Eviction") is another key bill that is very much needed to protect renters from retaliation and ensure they can remain in their homes - there is a committee meeting on it today.

At the County level, the County Council will vote on legislation next week that will require landlords to provide air conditioning during the summer months, just as they are required to provide heat during the winter. Thank you to everyone who took action to advocate for the strongest possible version of this bill!

And, because housing is a human right, our rent control campaign is poised to begin public actions this spring. There will be a number of ways for DSA members to get involved - stay tuned!

Upcoming DSA events:

Friday, January 31 from 6-8 pm: MoCo DSA Happy Hour at Not Your Average Joe's
We're having a happy hour in downtown Silver Spring at Not Your Average Joe's. Join us for some social time with fellow socialists! More info and RSVP here.

Saturday, February 1: Deadline for nominations to branch steering committee
We will hold our annual branch steering elections in February - please email us by Feb. 1st if you have any questions or would like to nominate yourself for steering committee!

Sunday, February 2: MoCo DSA Branch meeting in Bethesda
Our next branch meeting is Sunday, February 2 at the Bethesda library at 2 pm. We will work on our rent control campaign and hear from candidates for steering committee - Details and RSVP here.

Good Reads
In The Panther Times: "Moms 4 Housing Create Blueprint for Effective Housing Advocacy" by Michelle Dione Snider. "Since Dominique Walker of Moms 4 Housing moved into a vacant house in Oakland with her children and several other women on Nov. 18, 2019, a movement began to build in support of their messaging. Supported by multiple advocacy groups, a well-organized, researched and strategized plan of action unfolded with a clear message — housing is a human right that should be accessible to all, not just those with the most assets."

In Dissent: "Why We Need a Working-Class Media" by Carla Murphy. "The evidence of media’s disinterest in actual working-class realities comes as a steady drip. It adds up to a narrative of a disenfranchised, neutered working class, trotted out for affluent readers interested in poverty or angry populist stories. For too long, we’ve settled for being written about but not for."

In The Guardian: "The Blackest City in the U.S. is Facing an Environmental Justice Nightmare" by Drew Costley. "Detroit is a stark example of what happens when poor people of color live alongside environmental destruction. Often, these communities are portrayed as hapless, or helpless. But we spoke with four environmental justice activists in Detroit who have taken their own futures – and the future of their communities – into their own hands."

In solidarity,