CALIFORNIA TENANTS UNION
 
Tenant Leadership • Strong Councils • Collective Action
 
HOW WE ORGANIZE
 
Every tenant deserves a safe home, dignified treatment, and housing they can afford. Residents deserve a meaningful voice in decisions affecting their homes, their families, and their communities.
 
When tenants face unsafe conditions, displacement, harassment, or unanswered concerns, acting together can turn individual complaints into collective demands for change.
 
The California Tenants Union (CTU) brings tenants together to develop leadership, strengthen tenant councils, and advocate for fair treatment. Our approach starts with the people who live with these challenges every day. Their experiences should guide the priorities, decisions, and actions of their organizations.
 
LOCAL LEADERSHIP. STATEWIDE SOLIDARITY.
 
CTU’s organizing approach connects the work of local tenant councils with a broader statewide mission: helping residents build the knowledge, relationships, and collective strength needed to advocate for their communities.
 
At the building level, tenants identify shared concerns, choose their representatives, and establish their priorities. Through connections with other councils, residents can exchange practical experience and support one another when similar problems arise.
 
The Clark Tenants Council (CTC) brings this approach to the Clark Residence community, including the importance of maintaining resident communication and representation during temporary relocation.
 
Our organizing principle is straightforward: tenants should help shape the decisions that affect their lives.
 
HOW CTU SUPPORTS TENANT ORGANIZING
 
Our organizing framework centers on five areas:
 
Developing tenant leaders
Helping residents build confidence in speaking up, listening to neighbors, documenting concerns, and representing the priorities of their community.
 
Building strong tenant councils
Supporting tenant participation, clear officer responsibilities, accountable decision-making, and consistent communication with residents.
 
Turning shared concerns into action
Helping tenants identify common problems, organize supporting information, set realistic goals, and develop a coordinated approach.
 
Strengthening resident representation
Preparing tenant representatives to raise concerns, request written responses, follow up on commitments, and report developments back to residents.
 
Connecting councils and communities
Encouraging local organizations to share knowledge, exchange resources, and work together on issues that affect tenants across California.
 
THE CLARK TENANTS COUNCIL: ORGANIZING THROUGH CHANGE
 
The Clark Tenants Council provides a local foundation for resident participation and collective advocacy.
 
During rehabilitation and temporary relocation, maintaining a connected tenant community is especially important. Residents need ways to raise concerns, receive updates, communicate with their representatives, and remain involved even when they are living at different locations.
 
The council’s organizing priorities include:
 
- Maintaining communication with relocated residents.
- Gathering and documenting shared maintenance, accessibility, and relocation concerns.
- Bringing resident priorities to discussions with management and relocation representatives.
- Following up on outstanding requests and reporting responses to tenants.
- Encouraging residents to participate in council decisions and leadership.

A temporary change of address should not mean losing a collective voice.

CONNECTING LOCAL COUNCILS ACROSS CALIFORNIA

CTU’s proposed regional organizing framework would connect participating tenant councils throughout:

Northern California • Central California and the Central Valley • Southern California
 
As participation and resources grow, regional connections could help councils exchange information, develop leaders, and coordinate around shared concerns.
 
Local councils would remain grounded in their own residents’ priorities while contributing to a broader network of tenant knowledge and support.
 
PROPOSED CTU TENANT LEADERSHIP & COUNCIL TRAINING PROGRAM
 
CTU proposes developing a training program for tenant leaders, council officers, floor representatives, and volunteers.
 
Potential training subjects include:
 
- Starting and strengthening a tenant council.
- Understanding officer duties and conducting productive meetings.
- Recruiting members and encouraging resident participation.
- Documenting maintenance problems and organizing supporting records.
- Preparing for meetings with management.
- Communicating effectively during rehabilitation and relocation.
- Understanding accessibility concerns and accommodation request procedures.
- Protecting confidentiality and handling sensitive tenant information.
- Resolving internal disagreements and preventing volunteer burnout.
- Planning collective advocacy and evaluating progress.
 
The proposed program could combine online workshops, practical exercises, peer discussions, and mentoring as resources become available. Dates, participation requirements, and delivery formats would be announced when established.
 
BUILD WITH US
 
Whether you are organizing your first resident meeting or strengthening an existing council, tenant leadership begins with listening, participation, and a commitment to working together.
 
California Tenants Union
Statewide tenant organizing and leadership development
www.ca-tenantsunion.org
 
Clark Tenants Council
Local resident representation and community organizing
www.clarktenantscouncil.org
 
CTU and CTC are independent tenant organizations. They are not affiliated with property ownership or management, are not law firms, and do not provide legal representation.