Housing & Economic Justice Team at HUD Meeting on Renters Bill of Rights
Earlier this summer, Liberty Hill Vice President of Public Partnerships Almas Sayeed and Deputy Director of Housing Justice Jessa McCormack were invited to attend a briefing and roll out of The White House Blueprint For A Renters Bill of Rights, alongside the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and approximately 350 tenants and tenant organizers from across the country.
Released in January 2023, The Blueprint is intended to support the development of policies and practices that promote fairness for the more than 44 million households living in rental housing in the U.S. The Blueprint lays out five “common-sense principles” that create a shared baseline for fairness for renters including “The Right to Organize.”
As part of the briefing, the Liberty Hill Housing & Economic Justice team was invited to speak on the organizing work happening in Los Angeles through Stay Housed L.A., the Right to Counsel Coalition and other local tenants’ rights initiatives. The team shared insight about the invaluable work and stories about organizing that have changed the L.A. County ecosystem, and the foundational role it has played in creating a key moment for the Housing & Economic Justice movement in Los Angeles.
Additionally, HUD Deputy Secretary Ethan Handelman re-emphasized the department’s commitment to supporting renters by making $10 million available nationwide for tenants’ rights education and outreach. The funding is crucial in supporting and enabling tenants to better advocate for safe, clean, and quality affordable housing.
