City supervisors in San Francisco are currently debating a first-of-its-kind proposal for legislation that would grant new organizing rights to all private housing tenants, protecting them in forming tenant associations and requiring landlords to meet with tenant associations “in good faith” to discuss tenant concerns. In a city famous for sky-high rents and rapid gentrification, the mere introduction of such a proposal, authored by city supervisor Aaron Peskin, represents a huge victory and an opportunity for tenants nationwide.

Moreover, the proposal in San Francisco is modeled after Right to Organize regulations that NAHT fought to win for tenants in federally assisted housing nearly two decades ago. NAHT Executive Director Michael Kane, quoted in a recent San Francisco Public Press article, describes how such regulations increase tenant power and promote tenant organizing in federally subsidized buildings: “I heard stories of people getting harassed, and they would take the regulations to the property manager, who would back off.”

Stay tuned for more news on this exciting development in San Francisco!