The Law Foundation has been working closely with our local Vietnamese community through tenant organizing to advance their rights to safe and affordable housing. This past year we have assisted two apartment complexes with primarily Vietnamese tenants in forming tenant associations, with a 50% majority participation rate. These tenants are generally low-income, elderly, and receiving government assistance.
Residents of the tenant association at Corde Terra Village apartments have been making reasonable requests to have their tenant notices translated into their primary languages, such as Vietnamese, as well as improvements to safety and security. They were met with harassment and retaliation from property management who have repeatedly canceled meetings with the association.
In late October, the Law Foundation joined the tenant association in marching to the leasing office to demand the promised meeting with property management and a response to their requests. These seniors brought water and snacks so they could remain at the office until they got their promised meeting, but it never happened. After multiple attempts to negotiate with upper-level management in person, the tenants were left disappointed.
That’s when the residents organized to rally in front of the apartment developers’ office. The group received support from community leaders, elected officials, and press attention.
The result? Tenants finally secured an in-person meeting with the apartment managers. The management has made more efforts to be more responsive to tenant needs, including providing notices in multiple languages so that they can be understood by all tenants.
The Law Foundation engages in tenant organizing to center low-income renters as the decision-makers of their tenant protection priorities. When people come together to take collective action on their own behalf, they have a greater ability to influence people in decision-making positions. This creates a more equitable distribution of power.