About EBHO
EBHO, which stands for East Bay Housing Organizations, is the coalition that supports Housing Sabbath.
EBHO brings together all sorts of advocates for affordable housing. Collectively, we're building a movement to ensure everyone has a safe, health, and affordable place to call home.
Since 1984, our mission is to preserve, protect and expand affordable housing opportunities through education, advocacy and coalition-building. We include more than 300 organizations and community leaders advocating for affordable housing development and equitable housing policies.
Interfaith Communities United
Interfaith Communities United for Affordable Housing (ICU), an important group within EBHO, develops relationships with Bay Area interfaith and inter-religious organizations. We believe that our faith requires us to support the least among us, as many religious texts demand. Our belief in a greater power roots our work towards social and housing justice.
For more information or to get involved, contact our Director of Interfaith Programs, Rev. Sandhya Jha, at sandhya@ebho.org.
Housing Sabbath
Each year, dozens of communities dedicate part of their worship or meditation time to the theme of affordable housing as a human right and safe shelter as an ethical, moral, and spiritual issue. Congregations participate in many different ways: inviting in speakers, preaching on the subject, including the theme of safe shelter for all in prayer, and more. This year, you are joining with 25 other East Bay congregations of a number of faiths to worship and remember the least among us. You are part of a powerful spiritual movement for affordable housing!
People of faith can change the way the larger community approaches this larger issue. Thank you for the time you have spent today on affordable housing - you have already made a difference.
Affordable Housing in the East Bay
Affordable housing is becoming harder to find for low-income families. Over the last several years, gentrification of once-affordable Bay Area neighborhoods has displaced many families.
With high-quality affordable housing, the entire community becomes safer, stronger, and more stable. Affordable housing is a human right. Having stable housing is critical to living a healthy, safe life. As people of faith, we believe that everyone has the right to a life in which they feel able to have a place to call their own.
Issues in your community:
- Your city is creating a Housing Element that shapes affordable housing for the next five years. Your voice can make sure residents don't get displaced and the poorest people in the community have safe shelter!
- State Assembly bill AB 1733 would provide unhoused people with free identification cards so they can access the services they need.
- Alameda County is considering whether to create a permanent funding source for affordable housing with money they receive from the state ("Boomerang funds").
To learn more about how to get involved with any of these campaigns, email sandhya@ebho.org