Ads that link to here are paid for by the Berkeley Tenants Union PAC, FPPC #1469678. Major funding provided by the Berkeley Tenants Union, Berkeley, CA ($1,600).
Ads that link to here are paid for by the Berkeley Tenants Union PAC, FPPC #1469678. Major funding provided by the Berkeley Tenants Union, Berkeley, CA ($1,600).
Local Candidates and Ballot Measures
State Candidates and Ballot Measures
Join us this weekend to kick-off BTU-endorsed campaigns for the November election!
On Saturday from 6pm to 8pm at Grassroots House (2022 Blake St), we’ll be hosting the campaign kickoff for the Right to Housing Slate for Rent Board and Jenny Guarino for City Council. This will be a fundraiser for the candidates, so we encourage you to bring your checkbook. (No one will be turned away for lack of a donation.)
All five candidates (Jenny + the four members of the slate) are using public financing, which means the city’s Fair Elections Fund will match donations from Berkeley residents by a ratio of 6-1. That means, for example, if you donate $10 to a candidate, they will receive $70, and if you donate $60 then they will receive $420! (You may donate up to $60 to each candidate, for a total of $300 total, which would become $2100 after matching funds are applied.)
Sunday is a two-parter at San Pablo Park (look for us next to the community center). From 3pm to 5pm, we’ll be holding our membership meeting and potluck (sign-up to bring a dish here). Then from 5pm to 8pm, we’re launching our first canvass for the November election! We’ll be campaigning for the Right to Housing Slate, the Tenant Protection & Right to Organize Act, Jenny Guarino, and Jovanka Beckles.
You can RSVP for this weekend’s kickoffs here. And you can sign-up to bring a dish for Sunday’s potluck here.
Want to donate but can’t make it this weekend? You can find the donation links for the Right to Housing Slate here and for Jenny here.
Earlier this month, our members voted to make the following endorsements:
Our members also voted to endorse Regional Measure 4 ($20 billion affordable housing bond). However, BAHFA voted to withdraw Measure 4 while our membership vote was ongoing.
Additionally, our members previously voted to endorse:
The BTU membership also previously voted to endorse YES on a ballot measure to repeal Article XXXIV of the California Constitution. However, the State Legislature subsequently withdrew that measure from the ballot.
Join us Sunday, August 25 from 3PM to 5PM at San Pablo Park (2800 Park Street) for our next regular membership meeting! This meeting will be a potluck, so we encourage you to bring food to share with other members! The main topics of this meeting will be finalizing our November endorsements and organizing for the November election.
After the meeting finishes, we will hold a canvass for the Rent Board Slate and Jenny Guarino for City Council District 2. You can RSVP for the canvass here.
UPDATE: The deadline to request a ballot is now Tuesday, June 18; the deadline to cast a ballot is now Friday, June 21
You must request your ballot by Friday, June 14 and then cast your ballot by Tuesday, June 18
Help select the progressive, pro-tenant Berkeley Rent Board slate!
Every election year since 1994, the Rent Board Convention has selected the progressive, pro-tenant slate for the open seats on the Berkeley Rent Board. The Berkeley Tenants Union is once again co-sponsoring this year’s Convention; the other sponsors are Friends of Adeline, Healthy Black Families, the Berkeley NAACP, the East Bay Democratic Socialists of America, the Young Democratic Socialists of America – UC Berkeley, Our Revolution East Bay, the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club, the Gray Panthers, UAW 4811, SEIU 1021, and the Cal Berkeley Democrats.
The 2024 Berkeley Rent Board Convention took place on Sunday, June 9 from 11am to 1pm on Zoom. (Additionally, UAW 4811 hosted a watch party at their union hall for anyone in the community who wanted to watch the Convention with other people.) You can watch the Convention recording. You may can also read the candidates’ questionnaire responses and read sponsoring organizations’ evaluations of the candidates.
Any Berkeley resident at least thirteen years old (including non-citizens) who fully supports tenants’ rights and affordable housing may vote in the Convention. Each Convention, hundreds of Berkeley residents cast ballots and this year is expected to be no different as the housing affordability crisis continues to loom in Berkeley. To vote in the Convention, you must request your ballot by Friday, June 14 and cast your ballot by Tuesday, June 18.
Finally, please consider making a donation to help the Convention organizers cover all the costs. To donate, go to www.berkeleytenants.org and click the yellow “Donate” button in the upper right corner of the website’s homepage (please type “Convention” in the “Add a message to BTU” line to help us distinguish these donations from BTU dues). If you would prefer to donate by cash or check, please email berkeleytenantsconvention@gmail.com to coordinate.
Important Links
Convention Timeline
Candidate applications for the Berkeley Rent Board Convention are due Sunday, May 19. For more information about running in the Convention, please review the candidate packet at bit.ly/2024CandidatePacket.
The Convention Planning Committee thanks candidates and community members for their feedback recommending this extension to make the process more equitable and inclusive.
Help select – or even run for – the progressive, pro-tenant Berkeley Rent Board slate! This year, there are FOUR seats up for election in November on the Rent Board. (If current Rent Board Commissioner Soli Alpert wins the May 28 special election for City Council District 4, then there will be FIVE at-large seats on the Board up for election in November.)
Every election year since 1994, the Rent Board Convention has selected the progressive, pro-tenant slate for the open seats on the Berkeley Rent Board. The Berkeley Tenants Union is once again co-sponsoring this year’s Convention; other confirmed sponsors include along with Friends of Adeline, the East Bay Democratic Socialists of America, the Young Democratic Socialists of America – UC Berkeley, Our Revolution East Bay, the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club, the Gray Panthers, the Green Party, SEIU 1021, and the Cal Berkeley Democrats.
The 2024 Berkeley Rent Board Convention is will take place in early June (likely June 8 or 9).
Persons interested in running for the pro-tenant slate must complete the candidate questionnaire – located at bit.ly/2024CandidatePacket – by SUNDAY, MAY 19. You do NOT need to be a tenant to run at the Convention.
Any Berkeley resident at least thirteen years old (including non-citizens) who fully supports tenants’ rights and affordable housing may vote in the Convention. Each Convention, hundreds of Berkeley residents cast ballots and this year is expected to be no different as the housing affordability crisis continues to loom in Berkeley.
More information about the Convention will be announced via email closer over the next few weeks. If you have any questions, please visit berkeleytenantsconvention.net or email berkeleytenantsconvention@gmail.com.
Finally, please consider making a donation to help the Convention organizers cover all the costs. To donate, go to www.berkeleytenants.org and click the yellow “Donate” button in the upper right corner of the website’s homepage (please type “Convention” in the “Add a message to BTU” line to help us distinguish these donations from BTU dues). If you would prefer to donate by cash or check, please email berkeleytenantsconvention@gmail.com to coordinate.
UPDATE: The deadline to submit a candidate application has been extended to Sunday, May 19. For the updated post, please click here. The Convention Planning Committee thanks candidates and community members for their feedback recommending this extension to make the process more equitable and inclusive.
Candidate applications for the Berkeley Rent Board Convention are due Sunday, May 12. For more information about running in the Convention, please review the candidate packet at bit.ly/2024CandidatePacket.
Help select – or even run for – the progressive, pro-tenant Berkeley Rent Board slate! This year, there are FOUR seats up for election in November on the Rent Board. (If current Rent Board Commissioner Soli Alpert wins the May 28 special election for City Council District 4, then there will be FIVE at-large seats on the Board up for election in November.)
Every election year since 1994, the Rent Board Convention has selected the progressive, pro-tenant slate for the open seats on the Berkeley Rent Board. The Berkeley Tenants Union is once again co-sponsoring this year’s Convention; other confirmed sponsors include along with Friends of Adeline, the East Bay Democratic Socialists of America, the Young Democratic Socialists of America – UC Berkeley, Our Revolution East Bay, the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club, the Gray Panthers, the Green Party, SEIU 1021, and the Cal Berkeley Democrats.
The 2024 Berkeley Rent Board Convention is will take place in early June (likely June 8 or 9).
Persons interested in running for the pro-tenant slate must complete the candidate questionnaire – located at bit.ly/2024CandidatePacket – by SUNDAY, MAY 12. You do NOT need to be a tenant to run at the Convention.
Any Berkeley resident at least thirteen years old (including non-citizens) who fully supports tenants’ rights and affordable housing may vote in the Convention. Each Convention, hundreds of Berkeley residents cast ballots and this year is expected to be no different as the housing affordability crisis continues to loom in Berkeley.
More information about the Convention will be announced via email closer over the next few weeks. If you have any questions, please visit berkeleytenantsconvention.net or email berkeleytenantsconvention@gmail.com.
Finally, please consider making a donation to help the Convention organizers cover all the costs. To donate, go to www.berkeleytenants.org and click the yellow “Donate” button in the upper right corner of the website’s homepage (please type “Convention” in the “Add a message to BTU” line to help us distinguish these donations from BTU dues). If you would prefer to donate by cash or check, please email berkeleytenantsconvention@gmail.com to coordinate.
What: Come join BTU, DSA, UAW, and SEIU canvassing to protect Berkeley tenants and elect Cecilia Lunaparra to the City Council
When: Saturday, March 16, 2024, 11:00am – 2:00pm
Where: UC Berkeley Unit 3 Courtyard (2400 Durant Avenue)
<< RSVP Here >>
This Saturday at 11AM, we’re holding our second canvass for two major BTU campaigns: Campaigning for Cecilia Lunaparra for Berkeley City Council District 7, plus signature gathering for the Berkeley Tenant Protection and Right to Organize Act, a ballot measure to expand rent control and give tenants a legally enforceable right to unionize and collectively bargain with their landlord.
We’ll meet in the courtyard of UC Berkeley’s Unit 3 dormitory (2400 Durant Avenue) at 11AM before beginning the canvass. Make sure to wear comfortable clothing so that canvassing is as fun as possible!
Can’t make Saturday’s canvass but still want to help collect signatures? Just fill out the RSVP form and indicate in the last question that you can’t make it.
What: Come join BTU, DSA, UAW, and SEIU kicking-off canvassing to protect Berkeley tenants and elect Cecilia Lunaparra to the City Council
When: Saturday, March 9, 2024, 11:00am – 2:00pm
Where: UC Berkeley Unit 1 Courtyard (2650 Durant Avenue)
<< RSVP Here >>
This Saturday at 11AM, we’re launching the field campaign for two major BTU campaigns: Canvassing for Cecilia Lunaparra for Berkeley City Council District 7, as well as signature gathering for the Berkeley Tenant Protection and Right to Organize Act, a ballot measure to expand rent control and give tenants a legally enforceable right to unionize and collectively bargain with their landlord.
We’ll meet in the courtyard of UC Berkeley’s Unit 1 dormitory (2650 Durant Avenue) at 11AM before beginning the canvass. Make sure to wear comfortable clothing so that canvassing is as fun as possible!
Can’t make Saturday’s canvass but still want to help collect signatures? Just fill out the RSVP form and indicate in the last question that you can’t make it.