The AHSL recently hosted a panel on Tenant Organizing as part of our Right to Housing Series.
For those interested in learning more about this topic, the Hamilton Tenant Solidarity Network (HTSN) generously shared some recommended readings, a documentary, and adaptable organizing guides:
Recommended reading:
“Rent Striking the REIT: Reflections on tenant organizing against financialized rental housing in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada” (2019) by Emily Power and Bjarke Risager. Radical Housing Journal.
Article about the 2018 Stoney Creek Towers (Hamilton) rent strike against InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust.
“The Housing Monster” (2012) Prole.info.
Illustrated book that describes the root causes of the housing crisis and processes of gentrification.
“Demanding the Right to the City and the Right to Housing: Best practice for supporting community organizing” (2020) Martine August and Cole Webber.
Short report outlining the organizing principles and campaigns by Parkdale Organize (Toronto), Herongate Tenant Coalition (Ottawa), and the Hamilton Tenants Solidarity Network and the ways community legal clinics and other non-profit agencies should (and should not) support community organizing.
Recommended viewing:
“This is Parkdale” (2017) Submedia and Parkdale Organize.
Documentary about the 2017 Parkdale (Toronto) rent strike against MetCap, a landlord backed by the Alberta Investment Management Corp. (AIMCo), the province’s public sector worker pension fund.
Organizing guides created by HTSN over the years (feel free to adapt these to do outreach in your building):
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