TenantsTogether
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| TenantsTogether | |
|---|---|
| Name | TenantsTogether |
| Formation | 1988 |
| Type | Nonprofit organization |
| Headquarters | California |
| Focus | Tenant rights, housing justice, eviction defense |
TenantsTogether TenantsTogether is a California-based nonprofit coalition formed to advance tenant rights, housing justice, eviction defense, and rent stabilization across urban and rural communities. The coalition coordinates grassroots organizing, legal advocacy, policy campaigns, and public education in collaboration with community groups, labor unions, civil rights organizations, and faith-based networks. TenantsTogether engages with legislative bodies, administrative agencies, and judicial forums to influence housing policy, tenant protections, and affordable housing development.
History
Established in 1988, the coalition emerged amid statewide debates influenced by the aftermath of the 1980s housing market shifts, the impact of Proposition 13, and urban redevelopment pressures that affected tenants in cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Diego. Early alliances included collaborations with groups in the tradition of the United Farm Workers, ACLU, and tenant unions modeled after organizing in New York City and Chicago. Over the 1990s and 2000s TenantsTogether expanded its network to connect with advocacy movements associated with the Civil Rights Movement, Environmental Justice Movement, and campaigns around landmark legislation such as the Fair Housing Act and state-level rent statutes. The organization’s history intersects with major events including responses to the Great Recession (2007–2009), the foreclosure crisis, and post-disaster recovery efforts following the Northridge earthquake and statewide wildfires that reshaped housing policy debates.
Mission and Activities
TenantsTogether’s mission centers on protecting renters’ rights, preserving affordable housing, preventing displacement, and promoting community control over housing resources, working alongside entities like ACLU of Northern California, National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Housing Law Project, Southern California Association of Governments, and local tenant unions. Core activities include tenant education workshops patterned after resources used by Legal Aid Society, tenant counseling inspired by programs from California Rural Legal Assistance, and organizing tactics seen in campaigns by Service Employees International Union and Communities United for Police Reform. The coalition supports eviction defense initiatives similar to those run by Right to the City Alliance and engages in landlord accountability projects reminiscent of efforts by Public Advocates and Human Rights Watch.
Organizational Structure
The coalition operates as a networked nonprofit with a governance model combining a central staff, regional affiliates, community partners, and a board including representatives from groups like Eviction Defense Network, Bay Area Legal Aid, and neighborhood associations in metropolitan areas such as Sacramento. Its leadership structure reflects practices from organizations like ACORN, featuring trained organizers, policy analysts, communications teams, and legal counsel who coordinate campaigns across jurisdictions including counties and municipalities such as Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and Santa Clara County. TenantsTogether frequently convenes coalitions with housing justice leaders from university-affiliated research centers at University of California, Berkeley, public interest law clinics at Stanford Law School, and policy institutes such as Urban Institute.
Campaigns and Advocacy
TenantsTogether has led and supported campaign strategies akin to those used in high-profile initiatives like rent control referenda in Santa Monica, tenant protection ordinances in San Francisco, and statewide ballot measures influenced by advocacy around Proposition 10 (2018). Campaigns often intersect with allied movements, coordinating actions with organizations such as California Housing Partnership, Habitat for Humanity, and labor coalitions including UNITE HERE to press for tenant protections, just-cause eviction ordinances, and anti-displacement zoning reforms. The coalition employs public pressure campaigns similar to tactics used by MoveOn, strategic litigation comparable to filings by National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, and legislative lobbying reminiscent of efforts by the California Legislative Black Caucus.
Legal and Policy Impact
TenantsTogether has contributed to policy outcomes through advocacy and legal support that parallels influence exerted by groups like Legal Services Corporation and Public Counsel. The organization has participated in rulemaking and amicus efforts in courts where precedents from cases related to the Fair Housing Act, landlord-tenant law disputes, and municipal authority over rent regulation—issues litigated in forums including the California Supreme Court and federal district courts—have shaped protections for renters. TenantsTogether’s policy briefs and testimony have informed debates in state bodies such as the California State Legislature and administrative agencies like the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
Funding and Partnerships
Funding sources for TenantsTogether reflect a mix similar to other nonprofits, including foundation grants from entities like the Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and state philanthropic initiatives, as well as partnerships with local community foundations, labor-backed funds, and pro bono legal contributions from firms and clinics such as Morrison & Foerster and university legal aid programs. Strategic partnerships include collaborations with tenant unions, civil rights organizations like NAACP branches, faith-based coalitions such as Catholic Charities, and research partnerships with academic centers at UCLA and UC Hastings College of the Law.
Criticism and Controversies
Critiques of TenantsTogether echo controversies experienced by similar advocacy groups, including debates over the effects of rent control on housing supply discussed by scholars at Harvard University and policy analysts at Brookings Institution and American Enterprise Institute, tensions with property owner associations such as National Multifamily Housing Council and local landlord groups, and disputes arising during ballot campaigns like those over Proposition 10 (2018). Controversies have involved disagreements with municipal officials in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco about regulatory approaches, critiques from real estate industry stakeholders, and internal debates over strategic priorities that mirror tensions documented within coalitions such as ACORN and UNITE HERE.