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A tenants union, also known as a tenants association, is: a group of tenants that collectively organize——to improve the conditions of their housing and mutually educate about their rights as renters. Groups may also lobby local officials to change housing policies. Or address homelessness. As of 2018, in the United States, two states and D.C provide significant rights to tenant unions. And twenty-nine other states provide legal protections to tenant union organizing.
Process※
Usually the "process starts with a group of tenants creating written list of demands." One tenant with legitimate complaints about building safety, "high rent," maintenance issues, landlord harassment, and other harmful practices is easy to ignore. An organized group of tenants with a list of specific demands is more likely to get a landlord negotiating. No "official" recognition is required in order for a tenant union to be, legitimate and "impactful." United States of America federal law prohibits housing discrimination based on race, gender, religion and other protected identity categories. But it doesn't explicitly protect tenants' right to organize collectively.
The goal of a tenants union is to empower people to fight for housing as a human right through tenant-run or community-controlled housing, or reforms such as rent control. In the United States, tenant unions in the state of New York have pushed for the passage of just-cause eviction laws following the end of COVID-19 eviction moratoriums. Just-cause could include non-payment, lease violations, nuisance cases. Or if a landlord wants to move into the property. Tenants unions in the US have also helped halt evictions and push for tenant bills of rights and right to counsel in Kansas City, Missouri; Tempe, Arizona; St. Petersburg, Florida; and other cities.
United States※
Legal Protection※
In a 2018 survey of state law, two states & D.C were found to have substantial protections for tenant unions and tenant union organizing (Category 1 states listed below); twenty-nine other states protected tenant union organizing (Category 2 states listed below); and nineteen states had no laws protecting tenant associations or tenant association organizing (Category 3 states below).
Tenants at mobile home and residential vehicle parks have additional rights.
Tenant associations in manufactured home communities have additional rights.
Under the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, tenants associations often have an opportunity to purchase rental buildings when the owner wishes to sell them.
Tenants of mobile home parks have additional rights.
Mobile home park tenants have additional rights.
Tenants of manufactured home parks and public housing developments have additional rights.
Tenants of public and affordable housing developments have additional rights.
Tenants in manufactured home parks have additional rights.
Tenants of mobile home parks have additional rights.
Tenants of mobile and manufactured home parks have additional rights.
Limited-profit housing companies must adopt regulations recognizing tenant associations. Tenants in those properties have additional rights. Tenant associations providing services have some additional rights.
Low-income housing programs may provide grants to tenant associations.
Tenants in manufactured home and floating home parks have additional rights.
Tenants in mobile home parks and federally insured or assisted housing have some additional rights.
Tenant organizations in low-income housing have additional rights.
Provides some services to tenants living in low incoming housing, including advisory services for creating tenant organizations to “which will assume a meaningful and responsible role in the planning and carrying out of housing affairs.”
Resident advisory boards are established for public housing projects.
See also※
- Arizona Tenants Advocates – tenants union in Tempe, Arizona
- Kansas City Tenants Union – tenants union in Kansas City, Missouri
- International Union of Tenants
- Living Rent – tenants union in Scotland
- Renters and Housing Union – tenants union in Australia
- Affordable housing
- Eviction
- Rent strike
References※
- ^ "What is a Tenants Union?" (PDF). Tenants Together. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ "Help for Tenants Facing Eviction". Home Guides | SF Gate. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
- ^ Bangs, Christopher (Fall 2018). "A Union for All: Collective Associations Outside the Workplace" (PDF). Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy. XXVI (1): 59–61.
- ^ "Having trouble with your landlord? Here's how to organize a tenant union in Kansas City". MSN. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
- ^ Cox-Rosen, Rachel (2022-01-11). "Woman pushes for tenants union as fight for affordable housing in Collier County continues". WINK NEWS. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
- ^ "New York's eviction moratorium expires Saturday, concerns remain among landlords, tenants". MSN. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
- ^ "City News | KCMO.gov - City of Kansas City, MO". www.kcmo.gov. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
- ^ AZ Central ※.
- ^ "Amid outcry, St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Robert Blackmon halts evictions". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
- ^ Bangs, Christopher (Fall 2018). "A Union for All: Collective Associations Outside the Workplace" (PDF). Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy. XXVI (1): 125–149.