WHY DO WE NEED A TENANTS UNION?
Because the rent is too damn high!
According to Rent Cafe, the average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in Santa Rosa is $2,540 per month. A person’s wage would need to be nearly three times the minimum wage to afford to rent here. We are paying too much of our income in rent!
Because tenants face discrimination and harassment.
Immigrant tenants, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ people face significantly higher rates of discrimination and harassment in their housing.
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Because laws that protect tenants are often complex and riddled with loopholes.
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We support tenants in knowing their rights and advocating for themselves by hosting Know Your Rights workshops, building unions at home, and organizing for stronger renter protections on the local and statewide levels.
Because new development and for-profit affordable housing models often fail working class communities.
We advocate for housing development and housing investment that is community-owned and run and can remain affordable for generations to come. We envision development that does not drive up prices, does not profit already wealthy corporations, does not accelerate gentrification, and does not displace communities already at the margins.
THE SONOMA COUNTY TENANTS UNION
The mission of SCTU is to build power among tenants within Sonoma County that addresses their challenges within their living situations, moving from individual crisis to collective action. With the belief that housing is a human right, we develop people power to win lasting change for the renters. SCTU serves to strengthen tenants’ political and social power through education, advocacy, grassroots organizing, and collective action, and organizes to expand renter protections to prevent displacement, eliminate unjust evictions, and promote inclusive communities in Sonoma County.
BECOME A MEMBER!
More Members = More Power
Strength in numbers – the more people we've got behind us, the more political power we hold.
Mutual Aid
With enough members paying dues, we will be able to set up a general fund to provide tenants with financial assistance for certain expenses.
Solidarity and Connectedness
Share your story, hear other people's stories, make connections, share resources, and feel empowered by collective action.
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Voting Rights and Committee Work
Regular members have voting rights and can be on committees, so they have the power to shape the direction of the union and play an active role in fighting for tenants' rights and housing justice.
