Union de Vecinos is a local branch of the Los Angeles Tenants Union (LATU) located in East Los Angeles. Union de Vecinos was founded in response to the proposed demolition of housing projects by the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the East Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights. ¹

Activities

Union de Vecinos claims to advocate on policy areas including organizing the “right to healthy and stable neighborhoods,” “environmental justice,” and the “right to housing.” ²

Union de Vecinos is listed among the partners of the NOlympics LA campaign, an activist group which opposes the decision to hold the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles ³ due to claims of climate change, population displacement, and high costs. ⁴ The NOlympics LA campaign was founded by the Housing and Homelessness Committee of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). ⁵

Union de Vecinos has previously advocated against police presence in in Los Angeles communities, ¹ and in 2022 it was one of several organizations to signed a letter to the mayor and city council opposing the new budget for the Los Angeles Police Department. ⁶

In 2004, Union de Vecinos partnered with the United Farm Workers union to promote local get out the vote (GOTV) campaigns prior to the 2024 Elections. ¹

Financials

In 2022, Union de Vecinos reported $382,633 in revenues and $360,789 in expenses, with $267,840 in total assets. ⁷

That year, the group received donations from several left-of-center organizations including $251,475 from the Justice and Education Fund and an additional $5,000 from the Goldhirsh Foundation to support the group’s LA2050 Listens Event. ⁷

People

Elizabeth Blaney is the co-director of Union de Vecinos, along with Kenia Alcocer and Leonardo Vilchis. ⁷ Blaney is a CPA, and previously worked at the Adelante Eastside PAC of the Community Redevelopment Agency. She also worked as a Community Advisory Member for the 6th Street Viaduct Improvement Project Development Team, and as a member of the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council. ⁸

1.  “‘Where the Most in Need Direct the Work’: Lessons from Union de Vecinos’ First 25 Years.” University of the Poor, November 7, 2021. https://universityofthepoor.org/union-de-vecinos-first-25-years/.
2. “Right to Healthy & Stable Neighborhoods.” Union de Vecinos. Accessed October 27, 2024. http://www.uniondevecinos.org/index.php/what-we-do-3/right-to-health-and-stability/.
3. “Our Partners.” NOlympics. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://nolympicsla.com/partners/.
4. Lambert, Molly. “Deadspin: The Fight against the Los Angeles Olympics Isn’t over Yet.” Deadspin. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://deadspin.com/the-fight-against-the-los-angeles-olympics-isnt-over-ye-1837041115/.
5. “About.” NOlympics. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://nolympicsla.com/about/.
6. “Letter to Mayor and City Council on LAPD’s $213 Budget Increase Proposal.” Stop LAPD Spying Coalition, February 23, 2022. https://stoplapdspying.org/letter-to-mayor-and-city-council-on-lapds-213-budget-increase-proposal/.
7. “Union de Vecinos.” Cause IQ. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/union-de-vecinos-de-pico-aliso,522076978/.
8. “Elizabeth Blaney – Union de Vecinos.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethblaney/.