On the Home Front

Maria Hernandez lives in San Diego, California, where she has been part of the statewide Residents United Network (RUN) for 10 years. She now serves as the organization’s steering committee member representing San Diego. Marsh Santoro lives in Fairview, Oregon, and leads the Resident Advisory Committee for her building complex. Marsh is also a member of NLIHC’s Collective, a group of tenant leaders from across the nation. Maria and Marsh spoke with the NLIHC field team about their organizing work and how it has built power for them and other tenants.  

Q: How did you first become involved in tenant organizing?

Maria Hernandez (left) with San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson

Maria: I first participated in the Resident Popular Educators program with San Diego Housing Federation. They were just starting to create RUN and it sounded like something I wanted to do. I was blessed to live in affordable housing and wanted to be able to build more affordable housing for single parents like myself.

Marsh Santoro

Marsh: I live in a small community of 45 residential units. We had some rehab work done on the property and things started happening where tenants weren’t connecting with the property managers. For instance, when the pandemic hit, food boxes weren’t being delivered to the tenants. So, I helped out. That’s how I started building bridges between the tenants and building managers.

Q: What have been your biggest successes as an organizer?

Maria: In 2017, California’s governor Jerry Brown signed one of the biggest housing packages in the nation. My story was shared with Governor Brown that day. We’ve had a lot of other bills passed, too. We worked for years on the source-of-income discrimination bill, and it passed in 2019. We started Twitter and Facebook campaigns, letter campaigns, and held rallies at the State Capitol.

Q: What are your future plans for tenant organizing?

Marsh: I have a goal for my Resident Advisory Committee that I would also like to see implemented nationwide: property managers on call for every rental property. Not having property managers available during the weekend can be dangerous. For example, someone’s apartment flooded when it was nine degrees outside, and they couldn’t be rehoused for the weekend. We hope to get this done in the following year. We also want to have resident-property management liaisons at every property.

Q: How does your tenant organizing work contribute to the well-being and empowerment of your community?

Marsh: We are showing residents that their voices count and when we put them together, they make a difference. The Resident Advisory Committee makes a difference. When we come together as a community and show our concerns the property managers show us more. And as more buildings appear, we want them to be stronger than the ones that exist now.

Maria: Being part of RUN helped me figure out who to call with my questions. Sharing my story with elected officials has had a real impact on policies. Now, when they see RUN members with blue shirts walking into the Capitol, they know we’re there for business. Through my involvement with RUN, I was able to join the board of directors for Community Housing Works, a growing affordable housing developer. I’m also on the Policy Directing Committee with Housing California and help to recommend and select annual policy priorities for their statewide advocacy.

Q: What advice would you give to a tenant organizer who is just getting started?

Marsh: Don’t take anything personally. If you don’t know the answer to something, tell them you will try to find out. Don’t be afraid to tell other tenants you don’t know something. And if you don’t find the answer, that’s okay!

Q: How do you remain resilient in the face of challenges?

Maria: When I need a break, I hop into the car and drive to the beach, just to look at God’s beauty. RUN has helped me to find my purpose. It showed me that this work isn’t just for me, it’s for my children, and their children. I want my legacy to go on with others.