How We Organize

How we organize

We believe that everyone deserves safe, decent, and permanently affordable housing. We also know we are up against rich and powerful forces who profit from our rents, fear, and instability. We also know there are more tenants than there are landlords. We have to get organized in order to win the conditions we want. We do not think we can win without the leadership of the people most severely impacted by the housing crisis.

Tenants Together’s work is building power through organizing and coalition building across California

We currently have staff (Translocal Coordinators) representing Tenants Together in three regions in California:

Northern California

Central Valley

Southern California

Translocal Coordinators support member organizations in each of these regions

Translocal Coordinators support with:

Building capacity and providing technical assistance: from one-on-one mentoring and support, to training of staff and tenant leaders, and developing organizing strategy.

Helping new groups of tenants form tenant associations and unions.

Facilitate connections between member organizations in regional and statewide formations so we can fight for change together.

What does “Translocal Organizing” Mean?

Translocal organizing means building power at the local level, AND connecting these local groups across different geographies.

This approach emphasizes the importance of local leadership, and local relationships as the core of our strength, while also coordinating in larger formations.

Translocal campaigns include statewide and national legislative efforts, as well as other types of campaigns.

For example, we have identified and connected groups of tenants who have the same landlord or property management company across different geographies.

We know that our power as tenants is held in our local communities, and we are only as strong as our local tenant groups.

Our opposition however, includes state, national and global forces, including real estate corporations, and international capital. Tenants Together believes we also need to connect tenants across these local communities to effectively challenge the opposition.

What is the Translocal Tenant Network?

The Translocal Tenant Network (TTN) is a formation within Tenants Together which exists to build our organizing skills across California, in terms of base building, campaign strategy, tenant counseling, communications, political education, and resilience.

The Translocal Tenant Network (TTN) is a formation within Tenants Together that exists to build our organizing skills across California, in terms of base building, campaign strategy, tenant counseling, communications, political education, and resilience. The TTN is made up of people who are in Tenants Together’s member or partner organizations, and our volunteers. The TTN hosts regular online trainings for tenant leaders, organizers and counselors.

Topics of past trainings have included researching landlords, narrative strategies for rent control campaigns, building-wide habitability organizing, and preventing burnout. If you are interested in joining Tenants Together and having access to these trainings, please contact the translocal coordinator for your region!

How to Become a Member Organization

Member Organizations

Check out a current list of our member organizations!

Our Member Organizations

Is your organization interested in joining Tenants Together? Reach out to a regional coordinator!