Bylaws/Constitution of the Tucson Tenants Union
Article I: Name, Platform, and Purpose
Section 1 - Name: The name of the organization shall be Tucson Tenants Union and is abbreviated as TTU.
Section 2 - Platform: The Tucson Tenants Union believes that housing is a human right, not a commodity. We seek to advance an intersectional movement that fights against structural oppression and the exploitation of the working poor by organizing tenants and allied groups. We believe that solidarity is key to building the power for transformational change: The right to universal safe and secure housing will only be won with a movement that builds collective power and is led by those most affected: communities of color and the working poor.
Section 3 - Purpose: The Tucson Tenants Union is a tenant-led organization fighting for housing justice in Southern Arizona. TTU is organized for the purpose of organizing collective tenant power to combat the displacement, abuse, and exploitation of tenants. This includes, but is not limited to:
1.1) Organizing a tenant-led movement which decommodifies housing and centers safe and secure housing as a human right for all.
1.2) Strengthening tenants’ power locally by empowering low-income families with the tools to advocate for themselves from a position of collective power.
1.3) Proposing local policies which strengthen housing rights such as rent control, expansion of housing affordability, and an end to the criminalization of unhoused community members.
1.4) Coordinating community outreach and education consisting of Open Meetings, canvassing, research, housing justice forums, and coalition building.
1.5) Shifting thought by building political education, activating and developing leadership among tenants.
Article II: Core Values and Community Agreements
Section 4 - Core Values:
1.1) Respecting Indigenous Sovereignty: We recognize that we’re occupying the ancestral lands of the Tohono O’odham.
1.2) Housing is a Human Right: Our homes and our communities are not commodities to be exploited for profit, they are precious resources that should be used to meet people’s needs. No person, regardless of race, gender, class, sexual orientation, age, disability, citizenship, or previous criminal or housing record should be denied a home.
1.3) Solidarity: We believe that solidarity is key to building transformational change. The right to universal safe and secure housing will only be won with a movement that builds collective power. This includes movements rooted in racial, gender, economic, migrant, environmental, and disability justice; trans and queer liberation, and indigenous sovereignty.
1.4) Community Control: We reject corporate ownership of land and homes and promote a model that values direct participation by and for the community. Housing must be designed and planned with equitability in mind.
1.5) Sustainability: We acknowledge that the climate crisis disproportionately affects the working class. Housing must be designed and planned with practices that are in line with a livable planet and makes these tools accessible to all communities.
Section 5 - Community Agreements:
Article III. Membership
Section 6 - Individual Membership: In order to become a member of TTU, potential members must meet the following requirements:
1.1) Members must be a tenant as defined by TTU - anyone who is not in control of their own housing: renters, the unhoused, working class homeowners and those whose homes are owned by banks.
1.2) Union members have the option to join one or more committees (more information under Article IV).
1.3) Exceptions:
1.3a) A property owner or manager who leases or rents housing property/ies to tenants- An agent or proxy of such a property owner
1.3b) Anyone working in the sector of real estate speculation
1.3c) Any member of state security forces (local and state police, federal level agents)
1.3d) Lawyers that represent landlords in court.
Section 7 - Group Membership: The Tucson Tenants Union is a city wide Union for Tucson, Arizona and the surrounding area. There is room for local groups/organizations to organize in their respective community to join the wider Union. All Local Chapters, Associations/Councils, and Organizations must agree with TTU’s mission statement, values, and goals to be admitted. Associations must also be primarily composed of tenants- a ratio greater than 60%. All entities that join TTU will have their membership reviewed each year by the governance committee to ensure their actions and stances remain aligned with TTU’s mission statement, values, and goals; if an entity is found to be in violation of the latter, their membership is at risk of being revoked, voted upon similar to rules stipulated under Section 11.
2.1) Local Chapters are neighborhood based organizations who organize within their respective community while linking to the wider Tenants Union.
2.2) Associations/Councils are organizations of tenants with the same landlord or those living in the same building.
2.3) Organizations can be other activist groups and/or established non-profit groups who stand in solidarity with the tenants struggle in Tucson.
Section 8 - Rights and Responsibilities: Union members have the following rights:
Rights
1.1) Voting - Members who are tenants as defined by TTU have the right to vote on any and all matters. Exceptions: Homeowners and members who do not live in the city of Tucson or the surrounding area.
1.2) Transparency on Budget - Members may request financial information and in an effort to promote transparency; elected officials must work to provide this information in a timely manner. The treasury committee will report on finances during every all-member meeting.
1.3) Access to Information - Members may request and have the right to access information on training (technical, leadership, mentoring, etc.) decision making, meeting minutes, and financial books.
1.4) Meeting Accessibility - This includes but is not limited to childcare, food, transportation, location, interpretation, safety protocols, mode (virtual, in person, or hybrid).
1.5) Grievances - Members have the right to express criticism of the union, leadership, proposals, etc.
1.6) Additional rights - Members have the right to demand codification of additional rights if and when potential new rights are identified.
Responsibilities
1.1) TTU members must pay dues to hold membership in the Union. Exceptions will be made based on ability to pay. (More information found under Section 14)
1.2) Require onboarding; New member orientation
1.3) Members are required to attend at least 2 meetings per year.
1.4) Our organizational model is centered on reciprocity. We hope that anyone who comes to us for tenant organizing and whose unit we help to organize will return the favor by helping us organize other tenants. This is how we grow. Tenants who organize with us are encouraged to become members of TTU.
1.5) All members are expected to contribute to bettering the organization to the best of their abilities.
1.6) Abide by the values and guidelines of the organization.
1.7) Prospective members must affirm their commitment to the Statement of Values, and agree to abide by the guidelines set forth in the Constitution.
Article IV. Organizational Structure
Section 9 - Committees: All members of TTU are strongly encouraged to join a committee and play an active role to better serve the Union. Committees are designed to promote involvement beyond the open meeting. Committees have 2 co-chairs to facilitate organizing within each committee. Co-chairs must be nominated, discussed, and voted upon, similar to rules stipulated under Section 11. Their terms cannot exceed 5 years and must be reappointed by committee vote every year. The Committees are as follows:
1.1) Organizing/Outreach- Focuses on bringing new members into the Union. Will attend and organize community events and actions. Will develop strategies, tactics, and trainings on how to organize towards housing justice and membership building.
1.2) Governance: This Committee is a governing body with an advisory role who provides direction, recommendations, and oversight to TTU and its adherence to the constitution. This includes the structure of TTU, decision making processes, and the governance makeup of the Union. This Committee does not hold more power in terms of voting, decision making, etc. and exists instead to guide TTU to a favorable place. Governance committee officers must be nominated, discussed, and voted upon, similar to rules stipulated under Section 11.
1.3) Sustainability/Treasury: Oversees the treasury committee made up of 3 officers. Responsible for overseeing the financial accounting of TTU; collecting and keeping records of dues; creating financial reports available to the rest of the Union, presenting financial reports during every open member meeting, fundraising, approval of all expenses (any over $100 will be voted on by members).
Section 11 - Voting: The Tucson Tenants Union is a democratic organization where all members, regardless of status or role, have one vote each. All votes will include background information and a discussion(s) to express concern and/or support for a proposal. Votes can take place during the Open Meeting and/or via online voting.
2.1) Voting:
2.1a) Simple Majority: More than 50%
2.2) Voting Requirements:
1.x) TTU members must reside in the greater metropolitan Tucson area in order to vote, whereas non Tucson area residents are welcome to join TTU.
2.3) Quorum: Quorum must be established in order for a vote to take place. At least 10% of the total membership or 20 people whichever is lower, must be present in order to have a quorum.
Section 12 - Open Meetings: Open Meetings are intended for, but not limited to, the Union to meet collectively to discuss updates, receive presentations, brainstorm/collaborate, and for Union members to be informed about updates. Attending the Open Meeting is not mandatory for membership in the Union, but it is highly recommended to attend, so you can be informed on updates in the Union and to learn how to plug in and contribute to the Union as a member.
Section 13- Community Assets- Membership onboarding, ongoing trainings, resource sharing, and other engagements will be opportunities to assess members' individual capacities and needs and as spaces to share personal tenant organizing stories and situations. These assessments and testimonies will offer a look at where we are as a whole and as parts of the Union, and be a tool to map how to adapt individual tenant organizing vision and values, strategies, and methods to local contexts. This model of direct participation will help in finding material applications for how to get involved, how to grow local tenant leadership, and how to create equity across the Union. Using an asset-based approach is part of creating a tenant-led Union, of realizing accessibility needs of our Union as well as the other rights codified. "Nothing about us, without us, is for us," calls for adaptively designing organizing tactics for local issues and communities, by the members and allies living-working there, in order to build a sustainable organization with collective power.
Article V. Finances
Section 14 - Dues: Dues will be used for any and all organizational tasks as they arise. This includes but is not limited to meeting supplies, educational materials, community events,and mobilizations.
1.1) Dues Structure:
1.1a) Monthly sliding scale with $1 being the minimum
1.2b) Monthly flat sliding scale from $1-$100
1.3c) No member will be turned away if unable to pay dues
1.2) Collection of Dues: Dues will be collected at the beginning [or end] of the month in cash, electronically. or via check. Cash dues will be collected during union meetings.
1.3) Spending Procedure:
2.2a) The Sustainability/Treasury Committee will decide on financial spending less than $100. If spending exceeds the amount of $100, the spending shall be discussed at an Open Meeting and approved via vote on behalf of the Union membership. Voting follows similar rules stipulated under Section 11.
1.4) Funds
1.4a) TTU shall retain the right to collect dues from members in accordance with TTU membership policy.
1.4b) Union funds shall be kept in a communal reserve and overseen by the Treasury/Sustainability committee
1.4c) Union funds shall be made available to working groups and individual members as resolved by membership.
Article VI Officers
TTU shall have a number of administrative officer positions as necessary to complete tasks and ensure smooth operations. Officers shall be nominated and elected by membership in accordance with TTU voting procedure. New officer roles may be added, combined or removed as necessary in accordance with TTU resolution process.
Clause: To best reflect the values of direct democracy, mutual aid, freedom, and solidarity, no hierarchical system of leadership shall be established. The role of elected positions in TTU are not political but administrative. TTU leaders are not political decision-makers, but are tasked with ensuring that the organization runs smoothly. All positions are subject to recall at any time.Any member of the TTU may take on a task-oriented role to complete specific goals. Such roles may arise spontaneously, are temporary in nature, and are taken on with the mutual consent and for the mutual benefit of the TTU. Members of the TTU may also organize working groups and initiatives, to facilitate work delegation to complete specific goals. Working groups and initiatives shall also be non-hierarchical, and include temporary, task-based roles that any member of the TTU may perform.
Roles
Treasurer/s:
Responsibilities shall include but not be limited to:
● Collection of monthly dues from all members
● Maintaining and providing an accurate account of all dues transactions and funds
currently held by TTU
● Maintaining an accurate account of members in “good standing” and “bad standing”
● Reporting on TTU fund status at every monthly meeting
Intake Coordinator/s:
Responsibilities shall include but not be limited to:
● Contacting and on-boarding new members
● Connecting new members with Treasurer and Secretary roles to smoothly integrate
membership
● Work against gatekeeping through transparency to the whole of TTU and by
democratically sharing responsibility of on-boarding with existing members with
greetings, add to email list, discord, zoom meetings and any actions planned.
Outreach Coordinator/s:
Responsibilities shall include but not be limited to:
● Working with all members to democratically work to bring new tenant organizers into
TTU
● Ensure fluidity and ease of communication between outreach coordinators and intake
coordinators
● Develop strategies for broadening relationships into tenant communities throughout City
● Help coordinate communication and tactical discussion between TTU and any councils that are created.
● Maintain relationship and communications with Autonomous Tenants Union Network.New Paragraph
