This is a partial list of past campaigns that JUFJ has participated in. If you were part of a JUFJ campaign that is not listed here, please email sam@jufj.org and let him know when, where, and what that campaign was!
Renters’ Rights: In 2021, JUFJ and Baltimore Renters United coalition partners worked to pass a bill (CB21-0021) that provides a ten-day grace period for late rent payments. That bill also included an amendment BRU worked with the Council President to introduce, which would allow renters who receive public benefits to have their rent due when they get their benefit checks.
Renters’ Rights: In 2021, we worked against Baltimore City Bill 21-0022 with our Baltimore Renters United coalition partners. If passed, this bill would have required landlords with more than ten properties to offer an alternative to traditional security deposits. Despite the appearance that this would protect renters and make it easier for people to secure housing, this bill would have put renters at risk of significantly increased debt. Ultimately, Mayor Scott did veto the bill and the Council sustained that veto, and we did see true security deposit relief in the form of a grant program which will provide up to $2,000 toward low-income renters’ security deposits.
Transforming Public Safety: In 2021, we coordinated with our Campaign for Justice, Safety, and Jobs coalition partners in support of a bill passed that will create an advisory board to provide recommendations on the next steps in restoring local control of the Baltimore City Police Department to Baltimore, after more than 160 years of the police department being under state control.
Renters’ Rights: In 2021, JUFJ worked in coordination with our MORE Network partners to pass Bill 30-21, which limited rent increases County-wide and prohibited landlords from charging late rent payment fees to many renters for six months.
Ballot Measure 2020: Question F was on the Baltimore City 2020 ballot as a result of the passage of 19-0379 Charter Amendment. Passing Question F would allow the City Council to add as well as cut items in the City’s budget. This passed, and starting in 2023, City Council will be able to amend the budget!
Transforming Public Safety: In 2020, JUFJ and our Silver Spring Justice Coalition partners advocated for a Use of Force Bill (27-20), which limits police use of force in Montgomery County, and in August, this bill became law!
COVID: We advocated with our Baltimore Renters United coalition partners on the Baltimore City COVID-19 Renter Relief Act, which would prohibit landlords from charging late fees or increasing rental rates during this pandemic. This bill passed!
Transforming Public Safety: In 2020, JUFJ advocated alongside our Baltimore County Coalition for Police Accountability partners on Bill 73-20, which would have held Baltimore County police accountable to the community, restricted use of force, and allowed for citizens to join the Baltimore Police Conduct Hearing Board. While the majority of County residents supported this bill, it was effectively killed in August 2020. Our work continues!
Renters’ Rights: The renters’ right to counsel bill passed by the Baltimore City Council and signed by Mayor Young will ensure Baltimore City tenants receive legal representation in eviction cases, which could impact the lives of more than 90% of renters who face evictions with no help. This law will undergo a gradual phase-in over four years. We are currently working with our partners on implementation for this program.
Water Justice: Following the passage of the Water Accountability and Equity Act, we worked with our Right to Water Coalition partners to pass WAEA 2.0, in order to strengthen renter access to the original bill.
Fair Elections: We worked with our Baltimore County Fair Elections coalition partners on advocating for Ballot Question A, which voters supported in the fall of 2020! This authorized a Fair Elections program in the County, and a bill passed in 2021 to establish this program.
Ballot Measures 2020: JUFJ successfully organized a multi-interest coalition of dozens of organizations, businesses, nonprofits, and faith groups to protect Montgomery County against harmful ballot measures. These harmful ballot measures would have prevented our County from funding a just recovery from the ongoing pandemic and from investing in a representative democracy.
Renters’ Rights: The Housing Justice Act was a “ban the box” bill for renters that will lower barriers to rental housing by minimizing the ability for landlords to conduct criminal background checks on tenants. We and our partners were successful in getting the strongest version of this bill passed, without weakening amendments!
Renters’ Rights: Throughout the pandemic, JUFJ worked with partners on legislation to prevent evictions. In 2020 we supported Bill 18-20, Rent Stabilization During Emergencies, which passed in April 2020 and provided critical support to renters by providing limits to how much rent can increase during the emergency and in the 180 days following.
Racial Equity: JUFJ is part of the DC Initiative on Racial Equity and Local Government. The initiative supported the Racial Equity Achieves Change (REACH) Act that passed in Fall 2020, mandating that DC laws and government officials consider racial equity impacts. The campaign is now in an implementation phase.
COVID: At the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, JUFJ organized an effort to push the Council to allow Montgomery County residents to testify remotely for County hearings. The Council listened, and residents were able to provide oral testimony from the safety of their own homes!
Ballot Measure 2019: We advocated for then-Councilmember Bill Henry’s City Council Resolution 19-0379, which proposed a Charter Amendment that would give the Council the power to redistribute money in the Mayor’s proposed budget. This amendment passed, putting the question to voters via ballot Question F, which has also since passed!
Water Justice: Alongside our Baltimore Right to Water Coalition partners, we successfully worked to pass the Water Accountability and Equity Act, which will establish affordability and accountability in our city’s water billing system. We are still working with our partners on full implementation.
Water Justice: In 2018, we worked with our Baltimore Right to Water Coalition partners to pass a 1-year moratorium on the city selling people’s homes for unpaid water bills. In 2019, we passed a permanent ban.
Fair Elections: Alongside our Baltimore City Fair Elections coalition partners, we successfully advocated for the passage of a Fair Elections bill. This will enable the Baltimore City Council to create an elections fund to provide for public financing of elections, making it easier for people from all walks of life to run for office and giving the people of Baltimore more influence over their elected officials.
Transforming Public Safety: In the fall of 2019, we and our partners advocated for an end to Baltimore City’s “gag order,” which prevented victims of police abuse who reached settlements with the city from speaking out on their experiences. On October 28, it passed out of the City Council unanimously!
Racial Equity: In coordination with our partners in the MORE Network (which was formed to create a vision for a more equitable county,) we advocated for a stronger Racial Equity and Social Justice policy that would help our government treat everyone fairly and with dignity. At the end of 2019, this bill passed!
Immigrant Rights: JUFJ advocated for the Trust Act alongside our partners in Montgomery County. The executive order was signed in 2019, making our community healthier and safer, by prohibiting county police from immigration enforcement or handing people over to ICE.
Transforming Public Safety: JUFJ and our partners advocated for the creation of a diverse commission that represents the most impacted members of the community when evaluating County policing policies, and in 2019, the Policing Advisory Commission was created.
Renters’ Rights: With our Baltimore Renters United coalition partners, we worked to pass a bill that requires all rental properties to be licensed and inspected in Baltimore City. Prior to that, only buildings with three or more rental units require inspection and licensing, allowing many apartments and row homes in horrible and inhumane condition to be rented out.
Ballot Measures: In 2018, we successfully advocated for the passage of Questions E, F, and H. Question E in Baltimore City. Question E banned water privatization, Question F established the Office of the Inspector General, and Question H established a Fair Election Fund and a Fair Election Fund commission.
Paid Family Leave: JUFJ was a lead organization in the DC Paid Family Leave Campaign that led to a precedent-setting paid family and medical leave policy passed in December 2016 that became law in April 2017. After years of fighting to protect and implement that law, benefits became available to DC working families in July 2020.
Economic Justice: In 2017, we helped lead the coalition that passed legislation raising the minimum wage in Montgomery County to $15 an hour. MoCo was the first suburban jurisdiction in the country to pass a $15 minimum wage.
Transforming Public Safety: The consent decree, agreed to by Baltimore City and the federal Department of Justice, came as a result of the federal investigation of the Baltimore Police Department, which found a pattern of behavior in violation of the Constitution and federal law. The consent decree commits BPD to put in place procedures to protect constitutional rights in police stops, advances principles to avoid unnecessary arrests, and overhauls how he BPD will investigate misconduct by police officers. JUFJ and our Campaign for Justice, Safety, and Jobs coalition parters worked on consent decree implementation.
Renters’ Rights: In 2016, JUFJ and partners advocated for two laws that DC Council passed to protect elderly and disabled renters and prevent catastrophic rent hikes. We are still working to fix rent control as part of the Reclaim Rent Control coalition.
Economic Justice: In 2016, JUFJ supported a property tax increase for school and safety net funding, partnered with Nonprofit Montgomery and PTAs. The County Council unanimously voted to increase the property tax rate by 8.9% with limitations on the burdens placed on low- or fixed-income homeowners.
Transforming Public Safety: In the 2016 General Assembly, we partnered with groups in fighting for key legislation to increase police accountability and transparency. We won several important measures, and will keep fighting at the local and state level to improve how law enforcement operates in our city.
Workers’ Rights: JUFJ and our partners in the Working Matters Coalition secured paid sick days for 97,000 workers in Montgomery County. (2015)
Economic Justice: Our members helped raise Maryland’s minimum wage to $10.10 by 2018, and raised Montgomery County’s minimum wage even higher, giving thousands of hard-working families a boost. (2013-2014)
Workers’ Rights: We were a driving force in the successful effort to expand D.C.’s 2008 paid sick leave law to include tipped restaurant workers and to strengthen enforcement of paid sick leave. (2011-2013)
LGBTQ Rights: Jews spoke out and organized to win LGBTQ marriage equality and immigrant tuition equity at the ballot box in Maryland. (2012)
Fair Elections: In 2012, JUFJ and DC Public Trust worked to end corporate money in DC politics by introducing a ballot initiative that would ban corporate donations to politicians.
Economic Justice: In 2011, we fought for and won progressive income taxation of people who can invest in our city and pay taxes according to their means, to protect vital safety net programs that ensure all DC residents’ basic needs are met. In 2014, we campaigned using #YogaTaxYes for a new budget proposal facing opposition from yogis and other fitness workers. These industries are now equally subject to DC’s sale tax.
Workers’ Rights: In 2011, we were part of the coalition demanding that Walmart pay a living wage and treat workers and communities with dignity.
Transportation Justice: From 2008-2012, we organized to ensure that the proposed light rail Purple Line benefits communities along its route in southern MD.(2008-2012)
Workers’ Rights: We helped pass legislation in Montgomery County, Maryland that protects the rights of domestic workers, including nannies, housekeepers, and others.
Voting Rights: We continue to work towards the passing of the DC Housing Voting Rights Act that would give DC a voting member of the House of Representatives.
Workers’ Rights: We educated the public about the challenges day laborers face, from exploitation to wage theft, and built better relationships between day laborers and the rest of the community.
Older campaigns:
- Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning: Our “Yes In My Backyard” campaign played a critical role in applying new affordable housing policies (particularly Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning) to the entire city by dispelling the impression that more affluent regions of DC opposed affordable housing.
- Eviction Prevention/Emergency Assistance: JUFJ played a key role in the dramatic expansion of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which helps keep families in their homes and out of shelters through small one-time assistance for rent.
- Hotel Worker Rights
- Living Wages in DC and Montgomery County
- Parking Worker Rights
