New Pittsburgh Tenants Union: 'A Long Time Coming'

Margaret J. Krauss reports that the city of Pittsburgh will soon have its very own citywide tenants union, a result of the advocacy of the Northside Coalition for Fair Housing and other organizations.

The Pittsburgh Tenants Union will act as an umbrella organization, advocating for individuals — with safety concerns such as mold — as well as smaller tenants unions. Broadly, the organization will educate people about their rights, as well as actions they can take to address issues with landlords.

Krauss sets the need for a citywide tenants union amid a discussion about the Pittsburgh housing market, which mimics the trends around much of the country: too many people are priced out of the market. According to Krauss, "while construction of multi-family units throughout the U.S. is on a tear, the cost of those apartments remains out of reach for low- and moderate-income families. Fully half of renters nationwide make less than $34,000, and just 10 percent of new units are accessible to them."

So far the Pittsburgh Tenants Union has 100 new members, and is in the process of identifying specific goals.