TechEquity

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= a civic tech group


Description

Jason Shueh:

"Founded in 2015, the organization is unaffiliated with the city and works to ensure East Bay tech companies give back by hiring local, buying local, investing in youth education and affordable broadband, and, generally speaking, operating as inclusively as possible. TechEquity is currently compiling a list of core commitments tech companies can make to support affordability and accessibility." (http://www.govtech.com/civic/Seeking-Techquity-Preparing-Industry-While-Preserving-Diversity.html)


More Information

  • the concept of Techquity, used by the mayor of Oakland (Libby Schaaf), Jason Shueh explains:

"The seismic shift in numbers isn’t lost on Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. In response to the Uber announcement, her administration is in the middle of a major gamble to construct 17,000 affordable housing units while protecting another 17,000. The project and policy measure are part of a two-pronged play to reduce gentrification’s negative impacts. The city limits and diffuses market prices while encouraging community commitments from technologists and tech companies. Schaaf coined the term “techquity” to represent this harmony between business goals and resident interests.


“Techquity is using the power of government to have a very intentional conversation with our tech business community about being diverse, inclusive and more mission-driven,” she said.

Apart from passing targeted legislation on transportation network companies, Schaaf said there are no quick tools to compel action. “[Uber] did not ask for tax breaks, they did not ask for any special treatment or exceptions, so there’s nothing I can force them to do,” Schaaf said, but added that she has expressed the city’s expectations." (http://www.govtech.com/civic/Seeking-Techquity-Preparing-Industry-While-Preserving-Diversity.html)