About the Tenants Union
The mission of the Tenants Union (TU) is to create housing justice through grassroots education, organizing and advocacy. Founded in 1977, the Tenants Union carries on a proud legacy of empowerment based education and powerful grassroots organizing. Our work creates concrete improvements in tenants’ living conditions and challenges and transforms unjust housing policies and practices. We achieve organizing victories through outreach, training, leadership development, strategic analysis, creative direct action and legislative advocacy.
The TU's work is grounded in the strong conviction that tenants must be the leaders of efforts to transform our housing conditions and communities. The work of the TU is led and supported by hundreds of members statewide. In our work the TU embraces the values of equality, equity, hope, sustainability, respect, grassroots leadership, dignity, direct action, civic courage, self-determination, anti-racism and anti-oppression.
More about the TU...
12/14/11: Take Action
Is your Seattle rental home unsafe or unhealthy? Join the TU in January to do something about it!
The City of Seattle is finalizing a pro-active rental housing inspection ordinance that would improve the health and safety of all rental units in Seattle. Currently, they are considering making revisions that strips out any meaningful inspections.
If you currently live in unsafe or unhealthy housing, or have ever had an experience living in substandard conditions, we encourage you to join us in January to create an action plan to ensure the City passes a strong ordinance to protect Seattle tenants!
Continue Reading...12/06/11: TU News
Rental Housing Inspection Program Could be Watered Down -- from Publicola
The city’s proposed mandatory rental-housing inspection program (remember that?) is close to becoming a reality, albeit in somewhat straitened form.
Last year, the city council voted unanimously to adopt some kind of rental housing licensing inspection program, in keeping with state law that effectively required cities to do so. A stakeholder group, composed of landlord, tenant, and government representatives, came back to the city’s Department of Planning and Development with input, which DPD used to come up with a set of written recommendations.
Continue Reading...11/07/11: Take Action
Action Alert: Attend Access to Housing Forum this Thursday the 10th!
The Race & Social Justice Initiative, the Seattle Women’s Commission, the Tenants Union and the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance invite you to attend the Access to Housing Forum held at Bertha Knight Landes Room at City Hall.
Join tenants, advocates, and invited elected officials to discuss how we can break down barriers to housing.
Thursday, November 10th at 6:30pm
Continue Reading...10/25/11: TU News
Tenants Union's Annual Meeting
Leadership. Justice. Community. Celebration.
Please join us at the Tenants Union’s Annual Membership Meeting taking place on Saturday, November 5th from 1-3pm at Southside Commons in Columbia City.
Continue Reading...05/04/11: Housing News
New Report Shows Housing Even Less Affordable in 2011
“The fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the Seattle-Bellevue area now requires 52 hours of work a week at the typical renter wage, up from 45 in 2010.”
Continue Reading...