Supporting Workers to End the Housing Crisis

$1,430,811,479 – This is not a line item in the city budget, it’s how much in wages is stolen from workers across the Bay Area every year, leaving construction workers vulnerable and unable to build the housing we so desperately need.

Because make no mistake: we are in a housing crisis. And we will not address it without our workers.

That's why today, with support from the NorCal Carpenters Labor Union, Operating Engineers Local 3, and SF YIMBY, I proposed a WAGE Act to fight exploitation and corruption in the housing industry.

The problem: a majority of construction jobs in SF are not unionized, leading to worker exploitation — they are not being paid their hours, overtime or workers compensation.

The reason: bureaucracy and understaffing in wage theft violations.

When this theft continues unabated, our workers can't afford to live in San Francisco to build the homes, buildings, and skylines that shape the city we love.

With over $1.4 Billion in stolen wages from SF labor workers, WAGE Act or Workers Against Grievous Exploitation and Anti-Corruption Act, is focused on two goals: 

1. Increased transparency by requiring developers to disclose all subcontractors

2. Securing additional funding to hire more worker protection prosecutors

This initiative is the start to tackling our wage theft crisis. And in doing so, our housing crisis as well.

Because there is no housing built without labor. And there is no labor without protecting union jobs.