Report on Community Engagement to Combat Poverty in Solano County

Executive Summary

A community meeting was conducted in Vallejo, Solano County, as part of a statewide listening tour organized by End Poverty In California (EPIC). The event, held in partnership with Supervisor Cassandra James, brought together community leaders to address the significant challenge of poverty in the region. The discussions focused on transitioning from dialogue to actionable strategies, directly aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty). Data presented indicated that one in ten residents and 13 percent of children in Solano County live below the poverty line, underscoring the urgency of the initiative.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The initiative and the resulting discussions demonstrate a strong commitment to achieving several key Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 1 (No Poverty): The event’s primary objective is the eradication of poverty. The dialogue centered on understanding and combating the root causes of poverty affecting a significant portion of the Solano County population.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): It was reported that poverty persists not from a lack of work, but from wages that have failed to keep pace with the cost of living. This highlights a critical gap in achieving decent work that provides a livable income.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): The meeting addressed the economic inequalities faced by Solano County’s diverse population. Supervisor James noted the county is “one of the most diverse in the nation” and suffers from systemic underinvestment, receiving only “crumbs” of funding, which perpetuates regional inequality.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The affordability crisis, especially the high cost of housing, was identified as a primary structural issue. This crisis threatens community stability by forcing working-class families to relocate, undermining the goal of creating inclusive and sustainable communities.
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The event itself is a model of SDG 17, representing a crucial partnership between a non-governmental organization (EPIC) and a local government official to mobilize community action. EPIC founder Michael Tubbs stressed the importance of collaboration across all levels of government and with community stakeholders.

Key Structural Issues Identified

The dialogue identified several systemic barriers to poverty reduction, moving the focus from individual failings to structural challenges. These align with the targets set forth in the SDGs.

1. Poverty as a Structural Failure: The consensus was that poverty is a result of systemic economic structures rather than individual shortcomings.
2. Inadequate Wages: It was noted that even full-time employment at rates of $17 to $25 per hour is insufficient to cover the high cost of living in California. This directly impacts the targets of SDG 8.
3. Severe Affordability Crisis: The prohibitive costs of housing, childcare, and groceries were cited as the main drivers of economic hardship for working families, a direct challenge to SDG 11.
4. Consequences of Inaction: Mr. Tubbs warned that a failure to act perpetuates the status quo, stating, “if we don’t do anything, nothing changes,” and that an “inability to do everything is not an excuse to do nothing.”

Call to Action and Strategic Recommendations

The meeting concluded with a strong call for decisive action and multi-stakeholder collaboration to implement sustainable solutions.

• From Dialogue to Implementation: A primary theme was the need to convert conversations into tangible outcomes. Mr. Tubbs emphasized that “meetings without works are even more dead” than “faith without works.”
• Strengthening Institutions and Partnerships (SDG 16 & 17): A federalist approach emphasizing collaboration between local, state, and federal government branches, alongside community organizations, was presented as the necessary framework for effective change.
• Advocacy for Equitable Funding: Supervisor James articulated the need to move beyond receiving “crumbs” and demand equitable investment for Solano County to support its community and infrastructure.
• Preserving Community and Promoting Equity: A core objective is to ensure that economic development uplifts the community while protecting the diversity that makes it unique, directly supporting the principles of SDG 10.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  The article’s central theme is the fight against poverty in Solano County, California. The organization leading the effort is explicitly named “End Poverty In California (EPIC).” The text directly states, “One in ten residents and 13 percent of children In Solano County live below the poverty line,” making SDG 1 the most prominent goal addressed.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article connects poverty directly to employment issues, arguing that work is not providing a sufficient standard of living. It highlights that “People aren’t poor because they’re not working… The issue is that work has not kept up with inflation,” and that even wages of “$17 an hour” or “$25 an hour” are insufficient due to the high cost of living. This addresses the “decent work” aspect of SDG 8.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article frames poverty as a “structural issue” rather than an “individual failing,” pointing to systemic inequalities. It discusses how the “affordability crisis” disproportionately affects “working-class families,” forcing them to leave the state. The focus on maintaining the county’s diversity and ensuring the community is not left behind with “crumbs of funding” also aligns with the goal of reducing inequalities.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The discussion is rooted in a specific community (Vallejo, Solano County) and its challenges. The article explicitly mentions the high cost of housing (“housing in California is too expensive”) and cost of living displacement as key problems, which are central to ensuring cities and communities are inclusive and sustainable.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article emphasizes the importance of collaboration to tackle poverty. It describes the event as a partnership between EPIC and Supervisor Cassandra James and highlights Michael Tubbs’ view that “it is important to have an emphasis on collaboration between branches of government across multiple levels, as well as community groups and other stakeholders.” This directly reflects the spirit of SDG 17.

What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 1.2: Reduce poverty in all its dimensions

   This target aims to “reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.” The article’s entire focus is on combating poverty as defined by the local context (“below the poverty line”), with specific data on residents and children, directly aligning with this target.

2. Target 8.5: Full and productive employment and decent work for all

   This target calls for “decent work for all women and men…and equal pay for work of equal value.” The article’s argument that existing wages are not enough to live on (“California is just an expensive place to live, particularly if you are making $17 an hour”) points to a failure to provide “decent work” that keeps pace with the cost of living.

3. Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all

   This target seeks to “empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of…economic or other status.” The listening sessions and community conversations described in the article are efforts to include affected residents in the process of finding solutions. The concern over retaining the county’s diversity and preventing displacement of the working class speaks to this goal of inclusion.

4. Target 11.1: Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing

   This target aims to “ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing.” The article directly identifies a key barrier to this, stating that “housing in California is too expensive” and that Supervisor James herself moved due to “cost of living displacement elsewhere in the Bay Area.”

5. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective partnerships

   This target is to “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.” The article provides a clear example of this in action: a civil society organization (EPIC) partnering with a local government official (Supervisor James) to convene “community groups and other stakeholders” to address a common goal.

Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator 1.2.1: Proportion of population living below the national poverty line

   The article explicitly provides data for this indicator. It states, “One in ten residents and 13 percent of children In Solano County live below the poverty line.” This is a direct measurement that can be used to track progress against Target 1.2.

2. Implied Indicator for Target 8.5: Gap between minimum/low-end wages and the local cost of living

   While not a formal SDG indicator, the article heavily implies this measurement. By stating that wages of “$17 an hour” and “$25 an hour” are insufficient to cover the costs of housing, childcare, and groceries, it suggests that a key metric for progress is closing the gap between what people earn and what it costs to live in the area.

3. Implied Indicator for Target 11.1: Housing affordability

   The article points to the high cost of housing as a primary problem (“housing in California is too expensive”). This implies that an indicator of progress would be a reduction in the housing cost-to-income ratio for working-class families or an increase in the availability of affordable housing units.

4. Qualitative Indicator for Target 17.17: Number and effectiveness of multi-stakeholder partnerships

   The article describes the formation of such a partnership. The “statewide listening tour” visiting “24 California counties” and the collaboration between EPIC and Supervisor James serve as a qualitative indicator of partnership-building in practice. Progress could be measured by the continuation and outcomes of these collaborations.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Summary

Source: thereporter.com