Affordable Housing Renters Seek to Unionize Across the US
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Senior residents of the River Pointe Tower apartments in Detroit hold signs with the name of the building’s New York owner, Capital Realty Group.
Photographer: Tara RaghuveerIn a first-of-its-kind effort, more than 1,000 renters across five US states are seeking to unionize all the affordable housing buildings owned by a single large landlord.
Backed by the national Tenant Union Federation, residents hope to secure agreements to address issues such as mold, pests and delayed repairs across private equity firm Capital Realty Group’s entire portfolio — including in states where renters have little to no protections. By unionizing, organizers say, the group can leverage the same bargaining power as fast-food workers, rideshare drivers and employees in other industries, Kriston Capps reports. Today on CityLab: Tenants Seek to Unionize One Private Equity Firm's Entire Housing Portfolio