Jae Garner

Housing story

In college, I struggled to afford to rent a bedroom despite the fact that I worked full time and had a supervisor-level position. Many times I had to rely on getting food from friends in order to afford to keep a roof over my head. After I graduated, I worked in communities where I had the opportunity to get to know many of my unhoused neighbors. Learning from them and relating to many of their stories motivated me to get involved in housing advocacy.

Biography

Jae Garner has been involved in housing advocacy for over four years. Starting as an advocate for ending homelessness, they worked with local organizations to support permanent supportive housing before finding the pro-housing movement and expanding their advocacy. Jae joined YIMBY Action staff in 2020 and currently serves as Director of Marketing and Communications. Their strategies have resulted in a 34 percent increase in YIMBY Action members, growing our people power and spreading awareness of the pro-housing movement. Jae has also been a main driver of YIMBY Action’s internal and external Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. They received their Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from California State University-Fullerton. Jae is also on the Board of Directors for Orange County LGBTQ+ Pride in California.