Dear RUN,

This afternoon, we have a BIG chance to make sure homeless housing and services gets the permanent funding it needs: AB 71 will go to its first committee! That’s one of our two priority bills for the year.

Our bill will be heard sometime between 2:30 and 5:30. We think it will be heard on the early side of that hearing.

Here is the phone number to call: (877) 692-8957, access code 13154202.

What should you say when you call? It’s a simple one: “My name is your name  from your town and I’m a member of the Residents United Network calling in strong support of AB 71. Thank you.“

Here’s exactly what will happen when you call in:

• You will be placed in a “waiting room” where you will be muted but you can listen to the committee hearing as you wait.
• When a committee moves to public comment, a moderator will ask for anyone who is wishing to testify in “Support” of the bill to please press 10.  The moderator will again prompt those waiting in “Opposition” when the committee moves to opposition.  You should press 10 when you are prompted by the moderator – be sure to listen for support or opposition and DO NOT press 10 until the proper position has been asked for.
• When you press 10 on your phone, you will wait and an operator will assign you a line number. At that time you will be placed in the queue for identification.  Remember your line number, the moderator will call out that number to identify YOU when it is your turn to testify. 
  • IMPORTANT: If you press 10 a second time, you will remove yourself from the queue and you will not be identified to testify. Every time you press 10 you either put yourself “In queue” or take yourself “Out of queue” so listen carefully, and press 10 only once when you are prompted by the moderator.
• When you are successfully in the queue, with your assigned line number, the moderator will call out your line number and automatically unmute your line. You must have your own phone unmuted before you begin testimony.

If you want to watch the hearing on a computer or iPad, you can watch here, but you cannot call in that way. To testify, you have to call the phone number.

One more exciting thing: registration is open for the Housing California 2021 Un-conference, which will take place virtually from June 22-24! RUN members can register for free. When you go to the link, it is a little confusing. Click “pay by credit card” and then click the plus sign where it says FULL CONFERENCE - Residents United Network (RUN) Leaders and you won’t have to pay by credit card.

Take good care,

Tori

Connect with RUN

• We’ll talk about the hearing and (hopefully) prepare for the next hearing on our Community Care call this Wednesday at 1pm. Here’s the link, and you can also dial in at 669 900 6833, meeting ID 977 6290 7497.

News you can use

• Curious about how AB 71 would work? There’s a new article about how it would tax corporations that try to hide their profits overseas and use that money to fight homelessness. Read more from Prof. Darien Shanske. (Beware, it is pretty academic!)