The Masses Editorial Board is republishing the following call for aid from the All-Chicago Tenant Alliance. ACTA is a class-conscious organization of tenants organizing collectively against landlords in the city, and whose work highlights the growing need for a united class-conscious tenants movement in the USA. ACTA’s Strike Fund is one of the many ways tenants can push collective struggle farther, ensuring that basic needs are met while rent strikes are ongoing. We encourage readers to donate what they can to the Strike Fund here.
What Is The ACTA Strike Fund?
Rent money that is withheld from the landlord during a strike is not spending money for tenants. It accumulates in an account and serves as the tenants’ leverage. Therefore, it has to be put aside and cannot be used.
The ACTA Strike Fund is a pool of money donated by tenants and organizers to cover the risk tenants take when going on rent strike.
This money will only go towards legal fees and support for tenants who have engaged in a Rent Strike.
The most significant benefit of a strike fund is the insurance it gives us in the event of defeat: it can help tenants with relocation and court fees. If the tenants ave to back down, the fund will support any costs they incur.
The future of the militant tenant movement begins now…
On December 6, 2024, landlord Drew Millard took out a loan for $3,515,000 to take possession of an apartment building on the corner of 2257 N. Sawyer. On Christmas Eve, he left a not for the tenants informing them of his plan to throw them out. Why? So that he can renovate the building and raise the rents 100%.
Without skipping a beat, the tenants began organizing a tenants union. The call themselves the Belden Sawyer Tenant Association. For two months, they gave called, sent letters, sent emails, contacted the aldermen and the newspapers, held a rally, a press conference and protests at the offices of Millard’s investment firm 33 Realty. Nothing has worked…
That’s why BSTA is going on strike, that’s why they need a war chest, and that’s why we are opening a campaign to build a STRIKE FUND…
…if we have anything to do with it, there will be more tenants on strike in the future!
A large strike fund will not only support the union on strike now, it will also make it easier for unions to stand up and take militant action in the future.
Donate today to help BSTA and mitigate the risk of the rent strike – the tenant union’s strongest weapon against landlord terror.
Will you support the strike with $5-10 a month?
ACTA needs your help:
The All-Chicago Tenant Alliance is entirely volunteer run, dues and donation funded. We’re raising money for our organizing space and materials. Please consider supporting today by using the link in our bio.
ACTA is an organization made up of Chicago tenants. We look to build durable tenant unions across the city which are prepared to defend themselves from the exploitation and abuse of their landlords while building power for an offensive movement against the dominance of landlords.
A world without landlords is possible.
