Organizing around tenant rights is about winning through building community and collaboration. We are not only proud of our work but our consistent victories in the city of Chicago. Here is an ever-growing list of our successes in organizing tenants around rental issues and housing rights.
2024
- S. Stony Island (8th Ward) – Tenants expressed concerns about management and security and wanted to form a tenant association. Tenants organized to form an association and through direct action ensured that new security measures were implemented.
- N. Sheridan (48th Ward) – Building tenants faced various safety issues including fire prevention, bedbugs, and poor building management. Tenants mobilized and formed a union, presenting management with their demands. Results included repairing fire escapes and the building’s elevator and mitigating a severe outbreak of bedbugs.
- S. Daniel Drive (9th Ward) – Tenants organized around the landlord’s reluctance to make necessary repairs, Despite landlord retaliation, tenants organized around holding the landlord accountable. Not only were repairs made, but tenants formed an association to continue efforts to ensure building quality and safety.
- S. Drexel (20th) – Tenants organized to focus on issues of poor property management. After establishing a union, tenants forced landlords to improve security and ensure further cooperation.
- W. Cermak Rd (20th) – After receiving significant rent increases without remediation for healthy home issues, tenants organized to assert their rights. After securing legal counsel and withholding rent, tenants received significant repairs (including windows and floors) and improved pest control efforts.
2023
- W 103rd (19th) – New property management company provided no-cause lease terminations for over 100 residents across six buildings. Tenants organized and received rent forgiveness, rental reimbursement, and some received lease extensions for one year.
- E. 79th (6th) – Landlord attempted to intimidate tenants by charging for refrigerators, visiting the property with armed security, and threatening eviction. Thanks to tenant organizing, landlord was forced to make changes including security screen doors, tuck pointing, heat, installing a new stove, and tenant rent forgiveness
- S. Burley (10th) – Tenants organized around issues concerning lack of repairs and the resulting landlord harassment and retaliation. Efforts around organizing resulted in hiring an extermination company, improving security, and increased tenant input on renovation priorities.
- E. 41st St (3rd) – Organizing around efforts to reopen the building’s community room, tenants formed an association to address this and other issues, including smoking in units, ventilation issues, and disrespectful management.