Students and people of color must get due representation in Merced’s new districts

As Merced’s district maps are being redrawn, the student housing community is at risk.

Over the next month, the city of Merced will conclude our redistricting process following months of community meetings during which leaders have heard directly from hundreds of residents. The current redistricting proposals dilute our political voice to shape our future, decide how the city budget is allocated or who we elect to represent us.

Housing is a top issue of concern for Merced students as the rates of housing insecurity for students and our families has been alarmingly high. As most students balance a heavy load of schoolwork and demanding responsibilities, the least of our worries should be securing a safe roof over our head. Right now we have the opportunity to create districts that center the needs of working families and student renters.

While I was a student at UC Merced, I lived in the Loughborough neighborhood of District 5, a community of mostly Black and Latinx working families and renters, including many students of color. My priority was living close to campus, but to do that I had to meet challenging requirements to cover application fees, show I had three times the rent, and have a co-signer. I know I’m not alone, and the challenges to secure student housing have become even more difficult since.

Last fall, UC Merced was one of several UC campuses where students began their semester living out of hotels because of construction delays, or were forced to commute long distances to resume in-person classes. UC Merced was forced to delay the start of in-person classes because 1,000 students couldn’t find housing. At the same time, some students chose to live in District 1 and 2 in south Merced due to affordability, but had difficulty accessing public transportation to get to school. For families looking to become homeowners, Merced home prices are also at an all-time high up 23.9% in January 2022 compared to 2021, selling for a median price of $365,000.

The new redistricting map must also account for the growing population in Merced. Since I graduated from UC Merced in 2021, I have moved to District 6, which has experienced a population increase of 15.88% since 2010, predominantly driven by student housing needs. The final redistricting maps will determine our representation and resources for the next decade and the growth of District 6 must be taken into consideration. We deserve maps that truly reflect a vision that is people-centered and not profit-driven by corporate development that will gentrify our neighborhoods and displace students or working families.

Keeping communities together means ensuring those communities with shared interests can amplify their collective voice on issues like housing. Since September of last year, Power California has brought Merced residents together to inform a new city map that prioritizes keeping communities of interest whole, an accurate balance of representation, and a smaller percentage of population deviation.

The Merced Forward Together map (Map 106) will do just this and was created in partnership with Merced community members who reside in all six districts. It will keep student housing in District 5 together, take into account current and future growth of the city in District 6, and also create three districts with a Latino CVAP over 50%. It is the only map that has a deviation below 3% to ensure equitable representation.

The map boundaries of Map 106 will improve infrastructure and recognize the connection of communities of interest and areas they shop in — working families, renters, and students all play a huge part in the economic development and should reap the benefits of how development like the Merced Mall moves forward. It reflects community needs and will give Black and Latinx communities a stronger unified voice.

Merced City Council will be meeting on Monday, March 7, to discuss the redistricting map proposals and hear public comment. This is a crucial time to include community input and our City Council must listen to the needs of young people, students, and working families who want to grow deep roots in Merced and deserve fair representation.

Let’s move forward together and support Map 106 to ensure the final redistricting process is equitable and community driven. We must keep our communities whole.

This story was originally published March 6, 2022 at 5:00 AM.