The Dig Abolish Rent w/ Leonardo Vilchis and Tracy Rosenthal
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Jan 27, 2025 In this insightful conversation, tenant organizers Leonardo Vilchis and Tracy Rosenthal discuss their experience fighting for housing justice in Los Angeles. They share powerful anecdotes from their book, 'Abolish Rent,' emphasizing the importance of tenant unions and collective action. The duo covers the struggles of marginalized communities and the impact of gentrification on tenants. They shed light on successful rent strikes and grassroots movements, advocating for community solidarity as a means to combat the ongoing housing crisis.
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Origins of LA Tenants Union
- In 1996, the federal government destroyed public housing, displacing 1200 families in Los Angeles.
- This sparked the beginning of Union de Vecinos, which grew into the citywide LA Tenants Union and the national Autonomous Tenants Union Network.
Crisis and Opportunity
- The housing crisis, exacerbated by climate change fueled fires, impacts tenants through job losses and displacement.
- Real estate developers' performative concern over price gouging reveals their opportunistic nature.
Shifting Struggle, Pandemic's Impact
- The shift in labor and production modes, with more people working from home, has changed the location of struggle to our communities.
- The pandemic forced tenants to confront the risks of inaction, leading to a resurgence in tenant organizing.
