Develop a Statewide Bill of Rights

Excerpt from 2016 HEP Policy Strategies Document

Initially, participants identified the need to develop a “Citizen’s” Bill of Rights. Through dialogue, we realized that not all of us are considered citizens by law and are therefore left out. We need something more robust to ensure that all of us are assured rights. Therefore, developing a Statewide Human Bill of Rights was recommended along with offering trainings to support this. Through the survey, we further learned that there is a need to make a distinction between human and indigenous rights as outlined in the Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

At the Statewide Health Equity Gathering, Tomás Rivera, Executive Director of the Chainbreaker Collective shared on a panel about his organization’s HIA on gentrification and efforts to create a community-led “Bill of Rights” that can help make lives better for the people who are bearing the brunt of the housing affordability crisis in Santa Fe. The Resident’s Bill of Rights resolution identifies five pillars to ensure equity in public infrastructure investment and land use planning: 1) affordability; 2) quality, sustainability, and health; 3) accessibility, fairness, and equity; 4) stability and protection from displacement; and 5) community control.