Los Angeles Human Right to Housing Collective
The Los Angeles Human Right to Housing Collective is a network of resident-led organizations and committees that have joined together to form a city wide tenants movement, the purpose of which is to build a base of power for promoting and influencing the human right to housing in Los Angeles area housing policies. Active member groups include Comunidad Presente, LA Community Action Network, LA Anti-Eviction Campaign, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, POWER and Union de Vecinos.
On May 20, 2011 members from these organization, including residents served by Union de Vecinos living in Boyle Heights and Maywood joined together in solidarity to protest against unfair housing practices at Los Angeles City Hall. The issues of concern included rent stabilization reform, protection for public housing, and the rights of tenants to be included in the decision making and participation processes that effect them regarding these issues. This video documents the protest which begins with a gathering on the steps of City Hall to listen to speakers, then moves to the street directly in front of City Hall and then finally into City Council Chambers where many involved in the protest spoke out in support of these issues, voicing there concerns to council members (though this part is not included in the video). This was also a protest against attacks by officers of the Los Angeles Police Department who ejected tenants from Council Chambers a year prior. The scuffles that broke out with over 60 LAPD officers using excessive force the previous year occurred after council members had backed off on a promised rent increase moratorium. The 4-month moratorium being considered by City Council was in part a reflection of many months of work by tenants and supporting organizations (Union de Vecinos) to reform the rent stabilization ordinance. When tenants began chanting against the betrayal by council members the council president ordered police to remove them by force. |