Tenants United Podcast

This is the second episode in our "The Housing Question" series! In this series, we'll discuss various topics from housing theories and how they relate to tenant organizing. This episode is about the commodification of housing and why housing for profit can never provide housing for all.

Resources for further reading:
Capital City by Samuel Stein, 2019
In Defense of Housing by David Madden and Peter Marcuse, 2016
Urban Warfare: Housing Under the Empire of Finance by Raquel Rolnik, 2019

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tenantsunitedpodcast

Interested in coming on the show, or just want to reach out? Send us an email at [email protected], or find us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TenantsPod.

This is the first episode in our new "The Housing Question" series! In this series, we'll discuss various topics from housing theories and how they relate to tenant organizing. This episode is about the dominant housing crisis narratives that are constructed by the ruling classes and how we can challenge them through alternative narratives and organizing.

Resources for further reading:
In Defense of Housing by David Madden and Peter Marcuse, 2016
"The politics of crisis: Deconstructing the dominant narratives of the housing crisis," in Antipode, by Julia Heslop and Emma Ormerod, 2020
"The gap: A shortage of affordable homes," The National Coalition for Low Income Housing, 2020
"The renewed ‘crisis’: Housing struggle before and after the pandemic," The Radical Housing Journal, Issue 2.1, 2020

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tenantsunitedpodcast

Interested in coming on the show, or just want to reach out? Send us an email at [email protected], or find us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TenantsPod.

Crystal, Adam, and Deidre from the Palm Beach County Tenants Union (PBCTU) share how their union was formed, including personal stories about how Crystal and Deidre organized with their own neighbors.

PBCTU
Website: https://www.pbctu.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pbctenantsrising/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pbctenantsunion

Learn more about ATUN here: https://atun-rsia.org/

Intro song: Apocalypse Now (& Later) by Laura Jane Grace and the Devouring Mothers
Closing song: The Friendship Song by Laura Jane Grace and the Devouring Mothers

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tenantsunitedpodcast

Interested in coming on the show, or just want to reach out? Send us an email at [email protected], or find us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TenantsPod.

In this episode, we're joined by two organizers from the Richmond Tenants Union in Richmond, VA to talk about how their union formed and discuss their two-pronged approach to tenant organizing and eviction defense.

Richmond Tenants Union
Website: https://richmondtenantsunion.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichmondTenantsUnion/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richmondtenants
Email: [email protected]

Intro song: Staring Out The Window At Your Old Apartment by Jeff Rosenstock
Closing song: Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of Your First by Pat the Bunny

Interested in coming on the show, or just want to reach out? Send us an email at [email protected], or find us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TenantsPod.

In Part 2 of our 2-part series on evictions and the CDC moratorium, we're joined by Laurie Heer Dale with the Nebraska Volunteer Lawyers Project. We talk about the Tenant Assistant Project in Lincoln, NE, how the project has helped tenants before and during the moratorium, and how others can organize similar projects in their own cities.

Nebraska Volunteer Lawyers Project Website: https://nevlp.org/ 
Lincoln Tenant Assistance Project Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LNKTAP/

Opening song: Oh, Had I a Golden Thread by Pete Seeger
Closing song: If I Had a Hammer (Hammer Song) by Pete Seeger

In Part 1 of our 2-part series on the CDC's eviction moratorium, we're joined by John Pollock with the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel to talk about the moratorium, why tenants are still being evicted, and how a right to counsel would help.

National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel
Website: http://civilrighttocounsel.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNCCRC

Other Resources
CDC Eviction Moratorium
Eviction Lab
National Housing Law Project
National Low Income Housing Coalition

Opening Song: Plants by Crumb
Closing Song: Vinta by Crumb

In this episode, two organizers from Tenants United Hyde Park/Woodlawn in Chicago join us to discuss their approach to tenant organizing and how they are building the better world we know is possible.

Tenants United Hyde Park/Woodlawn
Website: https://www.tenantsunitedchicago.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tenantsunited1
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tenantsunitedhp
Email: [email protected]

Intro song: "Diddy Bop" by Noname feat. Raury and Cam O'bi
Outro song: "Bye Bye Baby" by Noname

Interested in coming on the show, or just want to reach out? Send us an email at [email protected], or find us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TenantsPod.

On the first episode of Tenants United Podcast, we interview Jade and Lucas, two organizers with Omaha Tenants United. We discuss OTU's history, talk about organizational structure, and share tips for new tenant organizers.

Omaha Tenants United
Website: https://omahatenantsunited.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OmahaTenantsUnited
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OmahaTenants
Email: [email protected]

Intro song: "Comrades" by Bambu
Outro song: "Welcome to the Party" by Bambu

Interested in coming on the show, or just want to reach out? Send us an email at [email protected], or find us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TenantsPod.