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Organizing
Community development relies on policies, resources, and recognition that were won by decades of organizing—and organizing remains essential to face new threats, preserve existing wins, and continue to fight back against the big lie that the way things are is inevitable.
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Are NYC’s Rent-Stabilized Buildings Really in Crisis?
A two-year rent freeze, affecting about 1 million rent-stabilized apartments in New York, was just approved. Before the freeze passed, landlords said their buildings wouldn’t survive it. But recent analyses suggest the real culprit behind distressed buildings is predatory equity, not rent stabilization.
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Safe and Sheltered: How Tenant Organizers Protect Their Neighbors in Minneapolis
To protect themselves from ICE, many families are staying home from work; tenant organizers in Minneapolis, Chicago, and Los Angeles are pushing for eviction moratoriums to keep them safe.
When Rent Rises, So Does Minimum Wage: A New Model in Santa Fe
Wages have long been out of step with housing costs. Santa Fe hopes to change that by tying minimum wage increases to HUD’s Fair Market Rent estimates.
More Upstate Towns Opt in to—and Toughen—New York’s Good Cause Eviction Law
By adjusting rent thresholds and shrinking landlord exemptions, more than a dozen municipalities have adopted stronger versions of a state law that protects tenants from high rent increases and unreasonable evictions.
Scattered Homes, Shared Landlords: The Changing Landscape of Tenant Organizing
As the single-family rental market grows, tenant organizers are adapting their tactics to a housing landscape that stretches across neighborhoods—with no shared spaces, and often, no clear landlord.
New National Collaborative Links Local Housing Justice Efforts
Bridge to Power aims to boost partner organizations’ capacity, information exchange, and agency.
The House on Chestnut Street: NJ’s Tenant Activists in the ’70s
In the memoir Staking Our Claim, Pat Morrissy talks about the early days of Shelterforce, organizing for rent control laws in NJ towns, and supporting tenant leaders in their fights for better homes.
The Tenant Movement Has Lost Two Leaders—Michael McKee and Joan Pransky
Pransky was an activist lawyer who fought for and defended both tenants and rent control policies in New Jersey. McKee organized in New York City, founding multiple organizations and helping to defend and strengthen rent regulations at the state level.
Rats, Faulty Heating, and Mushrooms on the Ceiling: Inside the Fight Against Pinnacle
As more than 5,000 rent-stabilized units connected to the Pinnacle Group prepare to go up for auction in 2026, residents warn would-be buyers not to overlook the years of disrepair that made those units unlivable.
LA Tenants’ Strikes Forced a Major Landlord to Refund Opaque Utility Fees. Their Fight Isn’t Over.
A commonly used billing system can allow landlords to quietly shift building utility costs onto tenants. Tenants say it’s time to break open the black box.
For Immigrant Households, Fear of Arrest and Deportation Erodes Tenants Rights
It’s getting tougher for immigrant communities to believe they still have rights as renters—even if they are living in the country legally. Here’s how tenant organizers are helping these communities push back against ICE and the landlords who are weaponizing the current political environment.
Striking Tenants Withhold Rent for 247 Days and Win
A victory in Kansas City suggests that the tactics of organized labor can work for tenants.
After a Six-Year Struggle, Tenants in Boston’s Mattapan Neighborhood Win Permanent Affordability
When a new owner imposed sharp rent hikes in 2018, tenants organized and fought back. Now, more than 300 housing units will be affordable for the foreseeable future. Here’s how the tenants made it happen.