In Memoriam

Willie Stevens, 73

 
 
 

Member of the Housing California Board of Directors & Residents United Network

[SACRAMENTO, CA] – On August 2, 2022, Housing California learned of the passing of William “Willie” Eugene Stevens Jr., an active member of the Housing California Board of Directors since 2019, and member leader of Housing California’s Residents United Network (RUN) since 2018. Most recently, Willie partnered closely with Housing California policy staff to advance the first-ever RUN-sponsored bill, AB 1961 (Gabriel), to create a statewide affordable housing database. In addition, Willie significantly contributed to the recent creation of RUN’s Steering Committee, which will make recommendations to Housing California’s legislative agenda.

Upon receiving word of his passing, the members of RUN gathered on Wednesday, August 3 to hold space and reflect on Willie’s immeasurable contributions to the housing justice movement and his community. On August 29, Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel conducted an Adjournment in Memory which acknowledged the passing of the RUN leader.

Willie was a native of Toledo, Ohio but called Oakland his home for many decades, working in the affordable housing industry in the Bay Area for the past twenty-four years. During that time as a property manager, he saw the impact that affordable housing had on people who were struggling with the price of housing. Joy filled their eyes when he handed them the keys to a nice, clean, safe place to live.

When he retired in 2011, he went from having a comfortable income to being on social security fixed income, which was barely enough to cover his rent. He exhausted his savings and sold everything he owned. His landlord evicted him and he felt like it was a miracle when his application was accepted at Allen Temple Arms in Oakland.

At Allen Temple Arms, Willie was a member of the resident council and resident agenda committee, involved in a program that takes Seniors out shopping, and active in the Measure A1 housing bond campaign. He was a part of the East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO) leadership academy where he gained skills on how to speak with legislators, learned how bills are passed, and about organizing tactics to get more affordable housing built in the Bay Area. 

Willie was a joyful warrior with an infectious smile who shared his story and tireless passion for housing justice in print and on camera. He will be missed by the Board and staff of Housing California, RUN members and partners, and the members and associates of numerous community-based organizations, including the United Stingers of Oakland and Alameda County, LeadingAge California, EBHO and the Resident and Community Organizing Program (RCROP).

He shared that his greatest career achievements had been serving as a representative for his community and sharing information with all of his community members so that they were equally informed. Willie said, “I have integrity, and ask questions on behalf of myself and the community, and I make sure that we can all participate and that the process is fair.”

As a housing justice advocate with Housing California and RUN, Willie spoke in support of AB 1961 (Gabriel) at the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee meeting on April 20, 2022. A persuasive speaker, Willie spoke his truth as he noted, “I had to stay in hotels and motels where I could pay by the week. I looked at Craigslist, Go Section 8, non-profit housing providers and local housing authorities to apply. If we had AB 1961, I wouldn’t have had to update each application each time I moved from one motel to another.” He finished by stating, “I prayed to God each night before I closed my eyes that I wouldn’t end up homeless. I’m here today to fight to end homelessness and ask for your support to pass AB 1961.”

Always thinking of easing the burden of others, he provided the following quote as he spoke about the difficulty of securing affordable housing, “What I had to go through, I find it’s pretty typical,” Stevens said. His hope now is “for nobody else to have to go through the same type of thing.”

Willie is survived by brothers Norman Stevens and Keith Gordon. A memorial is planned for early September in Allen Temple Arms in Oakland.