Bermuda Is Love campaigns to start tenants union
A human rights charity has partnered with a tenants association to form Bermuda’s first union for leaseholders’ rights.
Bermuda Is Love and the Bermuda Autonomous Tenants Association launched #TenantsUnited this month to organise renters to campaign for better housing conditions.
The charity said that Bermuda’s housing crisis is just as much about a “tenant crisis” as it is about a shortage of homes.
Bermuda is Love explained: “A tenant crisis exists when people who rent their homes lack the knowledge, relationships, confidence and collective organisation needed to protect their interests and shape the decisions that affect their lives.
“While housing problems are often experienced individually, they are created by systems that can only be changed collectively.
“Tenant unions provide that collective voice.”
The group added: “Just as workers organise through trade unions to improve wages and working conditions, tenants can organise to improve conditions in their homes and neighbourhoods.
“Through democratic organisation, education, mutual support and collective action, tenant unions enable ordinary people to defend their rights and advocate for safe, secure and dignified housing.”
• August 15: Free legal advice from the Housing Law Clinic at the Human Rights Commission in Milner Place on Victoria Street from 9am to 11am
• August 22: a tenant organising training session at the Human Rights Commission, same place and time as above
• August 30: tenant care package decoration workshop at the Human Rights Commission in Milner Place on Victoria Street from 2pm to 4pm
Bermuda Is Love jump-started the campaign with the Bata, an organisation that dedicated itself to building tenant power across Bermuda.
The group described its mission as educating tenants about their rights, helping those experiencing housing problems, jump-starting tenant associations and advocating for housing as a human right, all while raising “tenant leaders” to spearhead the advances.
#TenantsUnited is one of Bermuda Is Love’s monthly campaigns, which this year have included themes such as the power of compassion.
The campaign’s leaders will host several events throughout August to educate and organise anyone considering joining.
Bermuda Is Love will close out the month with a workshop to decorate care packages for the Eliza DoLittle Society to give to people facing housing challenges.
Attendees were asked to donate non-perishable foods or toiletries upon arrival.
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