Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE)

Background

Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) originated as two separate entities during the early 2000s living-wage campaigns. The Ventura County branch formed in 2001, followed by the Santa Barbara County affiliate, known as PUEBLO, in 2003. Both groups secured local ordinances to mandate higher wages for certain workers. In 2013, the organizations merged to create a regional structure focused on social, economic, and environmental issues, expanding from labor advocacy to broader progressive priorities like immigration and climate policies. ³

Activities

Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) conducts grassroots organizing in working-class neighborhoods to oppose industrial developments and advocate for regulatory changes. In environmental efforts, the group has campaigned against power plants, liquefied natural gas terminals, and pesticide use, claiming these disproportionately affect immigrant communities. CAUSE also runs housing initiatives to support restrictions on rentals, including ordinances against evictions and requirements for affordable units in new developments. Regarding worker issues, the group backs unionization drives and wage increases, particularly for farmworkers, through coalitions like the Alianza Farmworker Living Wage Coalition. ^{4 3}

CAUSE hosted a “Raising Justice” fundraising event in October 2025 to direct fundraising efforts towards “housing justice, environmental justice, and [the] fight for immigrant worker power.” Funders of the initiative included EarthJustice, SEIU 2015, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Nature Conservancy, and Planned Parenthood California Central Coast. ²

CAUSE was the main proponent of a campaign to establish a $26 minimum wage for farmworkers. In October 2024, CAUSE’s headquarters began housing an office for the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board, generating criticism from growers who called CAUSE a “confrontational activist group” and who alleged conflict of interest concerns. The board later reversed course and opted not to open an office at the CAUSE headquarters. ^{5 6}

CAUSE also joined a July 2025 joint statement with over 500 left-of-center nonprofits opposing Republican-led congressional inquiries into federal grant recipients, framing them as politically motivated. ⁷

Advocacy

Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) holds left-of-center political positions. It advocates for expanded government interventions in labor markets, calling for mandatory overtime pay and so-called living wage laws for low-income workers. The group supports restrictions on fossil fuel infrastructure and promotes renewable energy transitions, framing industrial activities as forms of environmental racism. On housing, CAUSE pushes for rent controls and anti-eviction measures, opposing real estate investment and luxury developments. It engages in lobbying at the local and state levels, aligning with left-of-center coalitions on issues such as immigrant rights, voting access, and opposition to federal immigration enforcement collaborations. ^{8 4}

Funding

Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) receives support from various left-of-center foundations and organizations. In recent years, major funders have included the Crankstart Foundation, which provided $500,000 in 2023 for voting rights and “Latinx” community initiatives. Other contributors include the Environmental Health Coalition, PowerSwitch Action, the Sierra Club, the Tides Center, and the Weingart Foundation. ^{9 10}

Leadership

As of 2025, Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) was led by executive director Maricela Morales, who began her career in public health outreach to farmworker communities as a teenager. Morales, a Stanford University graduate with a degree in human biology, volunteered with CAUSE early in its existence. She previously served as mayor of Port Hueneme, California. ¹¹