Leadership Development
Tenants & Neighbors prioritizes leadership development for low and moderate income tenants to lead our campaigns and be tenant activists in their communities. We have four Leadership Committees made up of tenants from all over the city. Each represents the four types of housing where we organize: Rent-Stabilization, Rent Control, Mitchell-Lama, and project-based Section 8 housing.
Tenants & Neighbors Announces its 3rd Annual Tenant Leadership Institute (TLI)
The Tenant Leadership Institute (TLI) will train up to fifteen of our active members to play even stronger leadership roles in Tenants & Neighbors, your communities, and in the broader housing movement.
The program is free of charge to participants, and includes meals and metro card fare, but a commitment to attend and take part actively in all of the sessions is required, as is a commitment to complete the entire leadership practicum.
Applications will be accepted until January 10, 2018, and applicants will be notified on a rolling basis if they have been selected. Find the application here: TLI Application 2017
The TLI is a four-month intensive training program. There will be a weekend-long orientation retreat January 27-29, 2018, in Westchester, New York, free of charge, which will be followed by eight day-long training sessions two Saturdays per month through the first week of June. Training topics will include: campaign mapping; base building; engaging the community; budgets and grassroots fundraising; understanding the political system; engaging your elected officials; effective communications and negotiation skills; evaluating campaign progress and accomplishments; an anti-racism workshop; and celebrating victories.
Some workshops will include guest speakers, including prominent leaders and organizers in housing justice and other progressive movements, elected officials, and tenant leaders from our membership.
The training component of the program will be followed by a twelve-month leadership practicum, in which participants will play visible leadership roles in one of our campaigns to preserve and strengthen affordable housing in New York, while simultaneously receiving leadership mentoring, coaching, and peer learning opportunities.
Any questions contact the Program Director, Delsenia Glover at dglover@tandn.org, or 212-608-608-4320 ext. 308 with any questions.
HUD Tenant Leadership Committee
The HUD Tenant Leadership Committee has been working on educating HUD tenants citywide about recertification procedure and organizing against sequestration budget cuts. To get involved with the HUD Tenant Leadership Committee, contact Jen Berkley at JBerkley@tandn.org or 212-608-4320 ext. 311.
Mitchell-Lama Tenant Leadership Committee
The Mitchell-Lama Tenant Leadership Committee has been organizing to reform the rent increase system in Mitchell-Lama developments and to recapture lost Mitchell-Lama developments. To get involved with the Mitchell-Lama Tenant Leadership Committee, contact Jen Berkley at JBerkley@tandn.org or 212-608-4320 ext. 311.
Rent Control Tenant Leadership Committee
The Rent Control Tenant Leadership Committee has been organizing to change the rent increase system legislatively through the Alliance for Tenant Power. The Committee created a white paper: Rent Control White Paper with Assembly member Linda Rosenthal to show the need to reform the rent control system. To get involved with the Rent Control Tenant Leadership Committee, contact Delsenia Glover at DGlover@tandn.org or 212-608-4320 ext. 308.
Rent Stabilized Leadership Committee
The Rent Stabilized Leadership Committee has been organizing to strengthen the rent laws legislatively when they expire in June 2015. The Committee is working with the Alliance for Tenant Power to push our legislative agenda. (click to go to Legistative Platform). To get involved with the Rent Control Tenant Leadership Committee, contact Delsenia Glover at
DGlover@tandn.org or 212-608-4320 ext. 308.
Tenant Leadership Institute
The Tenant Leadership Institute is an intensive 8-week leadership development program for tenant leaders to be trained in campaign strategy, facilitation, outreach, lobbying, and media relations. The inaugural Tenant Leadership Institute took place from February-June 2014. The next Tenant Leadership Institute will be February-June 2016. If you are interested in participating in the next Tenant Leadership Institute class, please contact Delsenia Glover at DGlover@tandn.org or 212-608-4320 ext. 308.