Braeswood Tenants Unite To Fight Extreme Rent Hike By New Landlord in Houston, TX

Report on tenants in Houston delivering their demands to Fat Property, their landlord, who is hiking rent substantially after taking over the complex earlier this year. Originally posted by Houston Tenants Union.

HOUSTON, TEXAS – The tenants of The Terraces on Brompton united under the banner of Brompton Mutual Aid, to deliver a demand letter to the complex’s new owner, Fat Property.

Brompton Mutual Aid began meeting in March around shared meals, a community garden project, and the mutual desire to connect with neighbors after a year of uncertainty. Since Fat Property took over their home in June, tenants have faced problems including disconnected utilities, untimely and negligent maintenance, filthy pools, malfunctioning gates, inoperable elevators, and recurring thefts from vehicles.

⚠️WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS TENANT POWER⚠️

Fat Property, a slimy corporate gentrifier with roots in Montrose, recently bought the Terraces on Brompton, and hiked up our neighbors' rent. Tenants put their foot down and delivered demands last weekend. Watch what happened (1/2) pic.twitter.com/A94QFAACdd

— Montrose Local Tenants (@MontroseLocal) December 9, 2021

As conditions worsened, the group reached out to the Houston Tenants Union for help organizing for better living conditions. Beginning in October, tenants learned that the company was asking for an additional $200/month on lease renewals. The rent hike constitutes a 15-25% increase over current rates, which most tenants simply cannot afford. The community is committed to preventing Fat Properties from pushing them out of their homes. More than 120 tenants have signed onto the demand letter insisting on a 4% cap on rent increases for renewals, among other maintenance and accessibility demands.

residents at the braeswood complex terraces on brompton & organizers w/ @HoustonTenants delivered a letter to mgmt signed by 109 residents. austin mitchell: "when i renew the lease it's going to be $200 higher. we decided to demand a cap on this rent hike bc these are our homes." pic.twitter.com/txBT8btt51

— Jen Rice (@jen_rice_) December 4, 2021

Houston Tenants Union is an organization of tenants in Houston, Texas, committed to collective direct action, independence and rank-and-file democracy. Houston Tenants Union launched in June 2019, initiated by tenant organizers who were previously a part of Southwest Defense Network, Third Ward Defense Network, 2100 Memorial Campaign, Industrial Workers of the World – General Defense Committee, and other housing/tenant and labor movement work.

If you would like more information about this topic, please call lan Druke, HTU Communications Committee, at 281-904-7726, or email houstontenantsunion@gmail.com.

by Houston Tenants Union via It's Going Down