Peninsula Interfaith Action

Who We Are: Peninsula Interfaith Action (PIA) creates leaders in the community who address local problems, put faith into action, build hope and find solutions. We help ordinary people achieve critical results for their communities. Through community organizing rooted in the shared values of democracy and our various faith traditions, PIA helps people create more housing, better neighborhood schools, adequate access to healthcare, improved public schools, fair treatment for immigrants and strong public safety. PIA's member congregations form a powerful organization representing 20,000 families from diverse religious, racial, and economic backgrounds. We are an affiliate of the PICO National Network and a member of PICO California with whom we seek solutions to local problems from a state and national perspective when needed. What We Do: Working with congregations from Daly City to Mountain View, PIA develops the leadership abilitities of residents of the San Francisco Peninsula who build partnerships with individuals, public officials and the private sector to provide more housing that is affordable, increase access to affordable healthcare, reduce youth violence, create fair and humane immigration policy, offer constructive activities for teens and take action to solve a range of local problems. PIA builds relationships through one-to-one outreach; strengthens neighborhoods through unity and action; empowers faith communities for civic engagement while developing leadership in communities of color, immigrant communities, and low- to middle-income communities. We also strive to create accountability and integrity in public life. Founded in 1997, we develop congregation-based leaders who have increased the amount of affordable housing on the Peninsula through dialogue city councils in Mountain View, Pacifica, Daly City, Palo Alto, San Mateo and East Palo Alto to pass Below-Market Rate ordinances and jobs-housing impact fees. PIA-trained leaders have prevented unreasonable rent increases and prevented subsidized housing from becoming market rate housing. Our leaders are seeking county-wide funding sources for the creation of more affordable housing. PIA-trained leaders have won increased dental services and medical translation services in northern Santa Clara County and won traffic safety measures in Palo Alto and Daly City. We have helped San Mateo and Santa Clara counties progress toward creating healthcare systems that serve all residents. PIA leaders have rallied to support immigration policies that are just and passed an ordinance that will raise over 1.5 million dollars in East Palo Alto for youth violence prevention services and programs. In order to increase civic participation in our community, PIA leaders are involved in a major campaign to encourage and assist legal permanent residents to become citizens. We also participate in state- and nation-wide campaigns to ensure healthcare for all children in California and across the country.