FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday July 27th
Contacts: Aimee Inglis, Acting Director, Tenants Together: 415-495-8100 x 1001, aimee@tenantstogether.org
Amy Schur, Campaign Director, ACCE: (213) 804-3161, aschur@calorganize.org
Californians for Affordable Housing:
Tenants Together formed in 2008 with the mission to "galvanize a statewide movement for renters' rights." At that time, the California Apartment Association threatened renters' with a ballot initiative to make all rent control in CA illegal. The foreclosure crisis hit and unsuspecting tenants were displaced as landlords defaulted on mortgages. Now the ranks of tenants in California has swelled from 13 million to 16 million and counting, and landlords are taking advantage of a market glut with venture capital and international investors to gouge tenants with unfair rent increases.
Today at 4:30pm at City Hall, Concord tenants are gathering with their community to ask the city to pass policy solutions like rent control and just cause in response to rising rents and evictions. Four of the tenant-leaders have been fighting slumlord Steven Pinza for repairs and fair rents, and are now being evicted by Pinza. Tenants Together, California’s statewide organization for renters’ rights, has been assisting the tenants.
The LA Tenants Union is a diverse, tenant-led movement fighting for the human right to housing for all.
To mobilize tenants in a city as diverse and expansive as Los Angeles, the LA Tenants Union is establishing local chapters. Locals organize around neighborhood issues and help link neighborhood struggles to the larger movement for housing justice.
Eastside
In the article “In Silicon Valley Suburbs, Calls to Limit the Soaring Rents” the NY Times effectively published California Apartment Association talking points and assumptions without checking the facts.
Here are three of the most inaccurate statements that assume the facts are settled:
Today, Tenants Together, along with a majority of our member organizations, joined a broad coalition of housing rights activists concerned with the Governor's "By-right" development proposal. While we don't disagree with the need to build more housing in California, especially affordable housing, bypassing the community process for development means low-income tenants will get the short end of the stick.
A group of activists seeking a rent-control ordinance and other tenant-protection measures gathered in Ocean Beach on Saturday (June 4), circulating a petition they hope will convince the city council to open a dialogue concerning their grievances.
This year for our annual event we're celebrating our collective work to make new rent control a reality in communities facing rising rents and displacement. This is a true coalition effort so we have a lot of awards to give out this year!
Through a massive outreach and listening campaign, Faith in the Vally leaders have developed a comprehensive vision for change focused on
updated 03/22_RV
A 45-day moratorium on rent increases of more than 3 percent will take effect in Santa Rosa on June 18 after the City Council formally approved the measure Tuesday on a second vote.
The council initially passed the measure May 10 and confirmed it Tuesday on a 4-3 vote, a split that reflects the sharp divisions in the community over the wisdom of the move.
The temporary moratorium is aimed at preventing landlords from hiking rents while the city designs a rent-control program. That process is expected to take several months.