February Updates
We’re Hiring!
United Renters for Justice / Inquilinxs Unidxs Por Justicia (IX) is hiring! Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and people from other marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply. We are seeking an experienced community leader to serve as the Northside Organizer to work with renters on the northside of Minneapolis. We are also seeking applications for a permanent full-time Donor and Ally Organizer who will work with individual allies and supporters of IX with the goal of raising money for IX’s campaigns and fostering action from donors and community allies in support of IX’s mission.
IX has great benefits, including no-deductible medical and dental plans to cover the employee, their partner, and children, with premiums 100% paid by the organization. Applicants’ skills and experiences do not need to fulfill all requirements of the position.
We Will Make Our Dreams a Reality
The Sky Without Limits Cooperative is readying for its general asamblea in March. You can read more about the asamblea organizing model in a recent article by Co-Director Roberto de la Riva Rojas. Cooperative members are continuing to build out the culture and community of Sky Without Limits. They are conducting meetings to construct community agreements and developing the finance, maintenance, and participation committees (working groups for an active democracy). This year’s slogan is, “We will make our dreams a reality.” It’s going to be a great 2022 for Sky Without Limits!
HavenBrook Tenants Go Public!
HavenBrook tenant leaders Shanika, Arianna, and Rachel spoke with reporter David Pierini for the recent North News article “Northside tenants battle corporate landlord to make their homes safe, dignified.” “Everybody’s situation is different but we are all human and we deserve to be treated like that,” says Shanika. “There are people who are scared to stand up for themselves and I will continue to fight for them.”
In the Mother Jones piece “Will Minneapolis Pass a Law That Helps Renters Buy Their Homes?”, Arianna explained to reporter Morgan Baskin the need for a strong Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Ordinance in Minneapolis. “When you own something, you take better care of it…I think it gives people a sense of pride and a sense of meaning. And it would add value to our community.”
Growing Seeds of Hope
The Tenant Unions campaign created a new board, Seeds of Hope, which had its first meeting this month. Seeds of Hope is made up of tenant leaders from diverse campaigns, where they will make decisions around the fight for rent stabilization and TOPA (Tenant Opportunity to Purchase). They have had to fight for their homes, which have been affected by rent increases. It’s vitally important that they drive the leadership and make decisions around rent stabilization and TOPA.
Members of the Tenant Unions campaign also continue to organize and demand safe and dignified housing within their buildings. At 3215 21st Avenue South, tenants are negotiating with their landlord around repairs and lease renewals. At 3500 Columbus Avenue, tenants continue to see repairs and await a potential meeting with their landlord.
City Council Must Include Our Voices in Rent Stabilization
Recently, City Council announced their plan to create a working group to craft a rent stabilization policy. The Home To Stay MPLS coalition is calling on council leaders to do three things when creating this group:
Include only people who actually desire the city to have a rent stabilization policy,
Ensure that community trusted housing experts are a part of the working group, and
Ensure there as many renters as landlords represented in this group.
Take a moment to contact your City Council member urging them to create a working group ready to build a Minneapolis where every family – no exceptions – has a safe, secure place to live: https://bit.ly/RentStabilizationPetition
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