The Los Angeles Tenants Union (LATU) is a left-of-center activist group that supports housing policies opposing redevelopment and rent increases and supporting government-mandated rent controls, government-directed rent stabilization, and government-provided housing. The group was formed around 2015 and reported having roughly 3,000 members paying $5 in monthly dues as of October 2024. The group is not registered as a nonprofit and describes itself as an autonomous group that provides support to a variety of local chapters throughout Los Angeles. The organization has worked with radical-left organizations including the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL). ^{1 2 3}

Background

The Los Angeles Tenants Union (LATU) was founded by activists Tracy Rosenthal and Leo Vilchis, who met in 2012 through an activist art project called School of Echoes. They would form LATU around 2015. The LATU is described as an “autonomous union” of tenants, and reports having 3,000 members. The group is not registered as a nonprofit and its governance model is unclear. While the group claims to be a union, it is not a formal organization but rather a loosely affiliated activist group that organizes tenants to oppose evictions and support the adoption of far-left housing policies. ¹

The group advocates for allowing homeless encampments as well as opposing the clearing out of such encampments throughout California. The group defines a “tenant” as “basically anybody who has no control of their housing” including homeless people. ¹ The group’s proposals include the adoption of universal rent control and organizing against landlord harassment, evictions, and displacement. The group also supports repealing the Ellis Act and Costa-Hawkins Act in California, which allow landlords to pay a relocation stipend and evict tenants when they decide to go out of business. ³

Activities

The Los Angeles Tenants Union (LATU) and its local affiliates have led several campaigns since its founding including large-scale rent strikes and protests. Many of the group’s efforts have been supported by left-wing members of the Los Angeles City Council such as Gil Cedillo (D) who have attempted to use eminent domain to seize buildings from landlords to prevent redevelopment or rent increases. In 2020, the group held protests around the Hillside Villa complex, causing the complex’s owner to label them and another group, Chinatown Community for Equitable Development, as “outside agitators.” The Hillside Villa owner further stated, “Basically they’re saying that all apartments should be owned by the government — that’s what they’re saying…If the city has that much money, they can buy any building they want, or build it, and of course the answer is that the city doesn’t have that much money.” ⁴

In 2024, LATU co-founders Vilchis and Rosenthal published a book, Abolish Rent: How Tenants Can End the Housing Crisis which advocates for far-left housing policies such as abolishing the usage of private landlords. The authors were quoted as saying, “[to] name rent as a power relation of exploitation and domination was really central to us.” ¹

In 2022, the group held a “people’s assembly” which adopted a list of demands and goals including “Overthrowing capitalism,” “seizing properties and ending vacancies to guarantee housing for all,” and “Organizing a general cancellation of rent increases that will eventually lead to rent cancellation as a whole.” The assembly was led by organizers from the radical-left Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL). ²

1. Abraham, Roshan. “Los Angeles Tenants Union holds People’s Assembly to address housing crisis.” ShelterForce. October 10, 2024. Accessed October 12, 2024. https://shelterforce.org/2024/10/10/la-tenants-union-founders-call-on-renters-to-fight-back/
2. Zuno, Michelle. “Los Angeles Tenants Union holds People’s Assembly to address housing crisis.” Liberation. December 14, 2022. https://www.liberationnews.org/los-angeles-tenants-union-holds-peoples-assembly-to-address-housing-crisis/
3. “Home.” LA Tenants Union. Accessed October 13, 2024. https://latenantsunion.org/en/
4. Brey, Jared. “Activists Urge Los Angeles to Use Eminent Domain to Save City’s Affordable Housing.” Next City. February 11, 2020. Accessed October 12, 2024. https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/activists-urge-los-angeles-use-eminent-domain-save-affordable-housing