Rents in Silicon Valley keep going up, while habitability issues go ignored. As tenants, landlords control our housing, and continue to make skyrocketing profits off of us. But if we work together, we can build the POWER we need to stand up for our rights.
The Silicon Valley Tenant Union gathers renters, just like you, to support you in starting a Tenant Association in your building or complex. When we combine these individual Tenant Associations under a larger umbrella to form the Silicon Valley Tenant Union, we can all fight for each other.
Why A Tenant Union?
Our Goal: Collective Power
Tenants should control rent and the fate of our communities. Landlords are allowed to raise your rent every year, regardless of whether they have increased costs or not. This is the equivalent of shrinkflation in our housing. Aren’t you tired of paying more just because someone with stocks wants more money? By standing together, we will have more power than those stockholders. If the whole of San Jose refused to pay rent, what could our landlords do? They won’t find another renter, they will have to give in to our demands!
Bottom-up Organizing
A union that is self-organized by tenants who control its goals and actions democratically. We will help you with training, information, and access to community partners; but, it is up to YOUR Tenant Association to decide what your priorities are! Do you want to fight to get rid of pests? We can tell you how to fight for that! Need your landlords to take care of the mold? We can tell you how to fight for that too! The goals of the Tenant Associations are set by the residents of that Association, and the Tenant Associations who combine to create the Silicon Valley Tenant Union (SVTU) get to set the goals of the SVTU.
Building the Tenant Union
The SVTU will be a coalition of Tenant Associations organizing and working toward a common good. Our landlords do not want us to get together because they know that we have more power than them. They rely on our work, our sweat, our effort, but if we work together instead, we can help each other live better lives. It is time we bring back the community that stands up for one another, and protects one another. Tenant Unions are a great way to get this community building started!
How We Win
Direct Action
Our strength is in the numbers. In many Silicon Valley cities, renters are the majority. Real change can come from all of us standing together, supporting each other in reporting code violations, protecting our neighbors, and calling out landlords who violate the housing laws.
Advocacy
When our local government talks about tenant’s rights, our landlords always show up to oppose the initiatives that would help the working class. They have all the time in the world because they live off of our money, while we can’t make the meetings due to work or family obligations. However, by keeping each other informed, being prepared, and planning ahead, we can show up ALL TOGETHER to tell our city councils to fund code enforcement, overturn pro-landlord policies, and prioritize housing affordability. If they refuse? We can use our cumulative power as voters to elect representatives who are actually on our side.
Getting Started
Our work starts where we live, in our buildings and complexes. Forming a Tenant Association in your building or amongst those who share the same landlord is the first step towards building our collective power.
Talk to your neighbors
If you are having issues in your rental, others in your complex probably are too. Introduce yourself to your neighbors, learn about them, and gather their contact information such as phone numbers or email addresses if people are comfortable sharing.
Have an initial meetup
If your building or complex does not have a good space to meet, a public space like a park or a library room can be an option. Focus on getting to know each other and identify everyone’s issues with their rental. What are the immediate issues people are facing? Are there a lot of you complaining about the same things?
Decide how to stay in touch
How will you keep talking to each other? Options can include applications like WhatsApp or Signal, an email list or else to keep you connected. Knowing each other and staying in touch is how we keep our momentum. It is also how we make sure that we are keeping updated on people’s issues.
Take action
Learn about your rights and the resources that are available to you. Report habitability issues to your city’s code enforcement. Send a petition to your landlord with the signatures of you and most of (or hopefully ALL) of your neighbors demanding your landlord fix issues. Speak up at your city council meetings to fight for your current renter protections, and to make those protections even better!
Reach out
SVTU organizers are here to support you in keeping your Tenant Association going. Reach out to us here. We do not offer any legal advice, but we are here to help train you in how to communicate with your neighbors. We want to make the SVTU cover every renter in Silicon Valley!