California Director
When I was working as a secretary in between undergrad and grad school, my income was $1,200 a month and my rent was $900. Things were tight! Then, my checks started to come in late from my boss, and I knew I had to get a second job. I did this, and it made things a little easier, but I developed an autoimmune disorder that I still have today, from the stress of trying to pay my rent. This is why I’ll be a life-long housing advocate.
Leora Tanjuatco Ross has been organizing for housing since 2015. Before YIMBY Action, she worked at the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo, where she focused on organizing people in support of affordable housing. Leora has also served as the president of the Peninsula Democratic Coalition, the oldest and largest Democratic club in Silicon Valley. When she’s near surface-level parking lots, she’ll point out that they could be homes to anyone within hearing distance. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Media Studies from the University of Virginia.
Most inequity stems from housing inequity. If you’re talking about disparities in education, health, or economic opportunity, you’re also talking about disparity in housing options.
No other group has harnessed the frustration of being an educated millennial who is strapped for rent cash every month. We share a vision of a world with more homes and fewer cars, and the guts to try to change the status quo.
