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The National Tenants Bill of Rights: A Roadmap for Local, State, and Federal Protections
When people struggle to pay rent, every aspect of their lives is harder. While much of the housing crisis debate focuses on increasing housing supply, building more units alone will not fix our broken housing system. Robust tenant protections are needed to address the power imbalance between landlords and tenants that fuels racial inequity and Continue reading
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Homeowners, Renters, and Households of All Incomes Back Housing Reforms
Households throughout the country, particularly those with the lowest incomes, are struggling with the high cost of housing because of decades of underbuilding, high construction costs, and the resulting shortage of homes for sale and for rent, all combined with inadequately funded housing assistance. A national survey released in late 2023 shows strong support for state and municipal policies to allow… Continue reading
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From Activism to Elected Office: Supervisor Dean Preston and the Movement for Tenants’ Rights
This article is adapted from an interview with Dean Preston, founder of Tenants Together and member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Supervisor Dean Preston began his career in the early 2000s as a tenant attorney in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. Preston frequently defended tenants who were at risk of eviction because of state Continue reading
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The Rent-Wage Gap: Perspectives on Housing Affordability
In our current economic landscape, a pressing ethical concern emerges from the widening chasm between escalating rental expenses and stagnant wages. This discrepancy, often disregarded, holds ethical implications for individuals, families, and communities. This essay seeks to illuminate this issue from various standpoints, encompassing perspectives from tenants, landlords, economists, and policymakers. Continue reading
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Building Power through Organizing: An Interview with Maria Hernandez and Marsh Santoro
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 Continue reading
On the Home Front 