Join us on Thursday, September 22 from 4PM-6PM at St. Michael’s and the Train Tracks!
On Thursday, September 22, Chainbreaker members will make the Elephant in the Room visible at the intersection of St. Michael’s and the RailRunner Crossing. This demonstration is in response to Mayor Gonzalez’ plan for an Overlay District on St. Michael’s. An overlay district is a special boundary within the city where special laws apply. (You may be familiar with Santa Fe’s famous Historic Preservation District. This is an overlay.)
The Mayor’s proposal is a development plan that makes it easier to build along the corridor for housing developers and businesses, like “night life” venues, etc. It also encourages changes in the landscape, like larger sidewalks and fewer parking lots.
Whereas the Mayor’s proposal has several good ideas, without strong protections for current residents of the surrounding areas, it is a classic cocktail for gentrification. This overlay plan butts up to the Hopewell/Mann neighborhood, which was identified as highly at risk for displacement in our Health Impact Assessment Report.
Chainbreaker members don’t feel like we should have to choose between disinvestment and gentrification. We believe that we can have Development Without Displacement. We’re taking to the streets in the heart of our home turf and in the middle of the overlay plan to call on our elected officials to start taking equity seriously and prioritize protections for residents when they create plans like this.
These problems aren’t unique to Santa Fe. This action is part of a National Day of Action we have been helping organize with our national alliance, Right to the City. People in cities across the country will be rising up to demand changes that can start to solve the housing crisis locally and nationally.
Let’s overlay equity and residents’ rights in Santa Fe! Let’s make Development Without Displacement a priority in our city!
#OperationElephant
#RenterPower
#RentersDayOfAction