NLIHC today released the winter issue of Tenant Talk, our semi-annual newsletter designed to engage residents in housing advocacy. The new issue, Advancing Tenant Protections: Building Tenant Power to Achieve Renter Equity, highlights the rapid growth of tenant protections in the U.S. and the role played by tenants in the movement for tenants’ rights. Download a digital copy of the new issue here, or register to receive a free physical copy in the mail. Digital copies will soon be available in Spanish.
History shows that tenants play an important role in shaping housing policy during times of crisis. Power imbalances have probably always existed between owners of shelter and those who need access to this shelter to survive, but these imbalances changed during the era of rapid industrialization in the nineteenth century, when tenancy became more common in many parts of the U.S. Since then, tenant groups have formed to fight against unjust living conditions, high rents, and evictions – and that’s just to name a few concerns! In places with histories of tenant movements, such as New York City, the first tenant-related laws were passed as early as the 1860s, and new laws have been fought for by tenant groups ever since. These advocacy efforts have shown time and time again that tenants have the power to push for and enact essential protections, especially during times of crisis.
The new issue of Tenant Talk provides an overview of the latest developments regarding key tenant protections, such as the right to counsel, source-of-income protections, rent stabilization measures, “just cause” eviction legislation, and tenants’ right to organize. The publication includes articles by renters and tenant advocates, including members of NLIHC’s Tenant and Community Leader Cohort, as well as by people with lived expertise who have been impacted by tenant protection legislation. As always, the issue also gives updates on policy, racial equity, and research news. We hope this issue of Tenant Talk will be useful in the ongoing fight for equitable and permanent tenant protections.
Tenant Talk | Volume 14, Issue 1 Spanish
Join our next “Tenant Talk Live,” a webinar with and for renters and residents, on March 6 from 6 to 7 pm ET. Register here.
