You may be wondering ...
 |
What
is an FAQ?
FAQ
is an acronym for Frequently Asked Questions. Here on this web site,
it is information CLVU would like people to have, and we’ve put it
in question form.
TENANT ORGANIZING
What
are some common landlord tactics?
The
key landlord weapon is eviction. In Massachusetts, a landlord needs
no reason to evict and can raise the rent any amount they desire
without cause. This weapon makes some landlords bold in being nasty.
Tenants often face harassment, illegal entry into apartments,
restrictions on use (loss of basement or yard privileges).
What are some typical landlord threats?
The key threat is the threat of eviction. But landlords often go beyond this by saying, or implying, that their power to evict is much greater than it is. Landlords will say, "You have to be out by the 1st of the month." They can say that, but it's not legally enforceable unless the landlord goes through a series of steps, during which time tenants can contest the eviction.
What is collective bargaining?
When tenant associations negotiate as a group with a landlord - that is collective bargaining. It can take into account differing tenant needs, provide for different outcomes for different tenants, but all that is decided in common, collective bargaining. The goal is a collective bargaining contract which codifies the agreement for a period of time, usually more than 1 year.
What is a tenant association?
A tenant association is any group of tenants who declares themselves such. There are no legal hurdles or limitations, no necessity of by-laws, incorporation, majority commitment, etc.
What is an Anti-Displacement Zone?
The ADZ is not a legal entity. It is a commitment by CLVU and others to prioritize outreach in that area, to spread the word about tenant rights and organizing possibilities, and, in so doing, to create a culture of resistance in that area to eviction for profit.
What is radical organizing?
Radical organizing links day to day practical organizing work around immediate demands with long term goals for fundamental social change. It links these things in an organic way; that is, we do day to day work differently if we are trying to link it to long tem change.
What is popular education?
Popular education links analysis and skill development to ongoing concrete actions for social change. It isn't "ivory tower." It is also participatory, using various techniques to involve people in their education.
What does community control mean?
Community control technically means a very decentralized form of political power, where significant decision making is lodged at the local, even neighborhood level. For an organization like City Life, with strong views about class and race, community control can be a good or bad thing. It can be used to empower working class communities of color, or to protect the privileges of upper middle class white communities.
What is Section 8? MRVP?
Section 8 is a federal program where a tenant pays a portion of their income toward rent (historically about 30%) and the government pays the rest. Sec. 8 is valued because it allowed free movement nationally. This feature is also its weakness. Voucher holders are scattered and hard to organize to defend their program. MRVP is the state voucher program, similar to Sec. 8 but weaker because it is not funded adequately. MRVP tenants have recently been paying 60-70-80% of their income for rent. This may change with the current state budget, if our struggle is successful.
Who else in the Boston area works for tenants’ rights and community control?
Other groups that do tenant organizing are: Chinese Progressive Association, Fenway CDC, Allston Brighton CDC, Mass. Alliance of HUD Tenants (in HUD buildings), Committee for Boston Public Housing (in public housing), Mass. Senior Action Council (in senior buildings). There are other groups that sometimes have been involved in tenant organizing, or who may want to be in the future.
PARENT ORGANIZING
Who runs the Boston Public Schools?
The Boston Public School system is governed by a 7-member School Committee, appointed by the Mayor from among nominees recommended by a broad-based Nominating Committee. Members serve 4-year terms.
The appointed committee replaced a 13-member elected committee in January 1992, as the result of a Nov. 1991 referendum. In a Nov. 1996 referendum, voters chose to retain the appointed committee rather than return to the 13-member elected committee. Current members and term expiration dates are:
Dr. Elizabeth Reilinger, Chair 1/2/06
Marchelle Raynor, Vice-Chair 1/7/08
Dr. Angel Amy Moreno 1/7/08
Alfreda Harris 1/1/07
William Boyan 1/1/07
Michele Brooks 1/5/09
Helen M. Dájer 1/2/06
What is special education?
Students with learning
disabilities should receive Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE
Law). Special Education consists of appropriate services and
programs for children with disabilities. Students in special
education can receive services like: speech and language therapy,
occupational therapy, one to one instruction, etc.
What is an IEP?
An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is
developed by a team of experts and it includes all the
services and programs necessary for a special education student to make
adequate progress in a school year. Parents are an essential part
of the team. The IEP is reviewed every year and evaluations are
performed every three years to update services and programs.
What are some BPS tactics that keep parents out of the loop?
Our
experience tells us that BPS continues to exclude parents from
decision-making positions, therefore making it harder and harder for
them to get involved. For example, notices go home late, school
site councils and parent site councils are not implemented, schools do
not offer translated materials and/or interpretation for parents at
meetings and events, etc.
What are barriers to parent involvement?
The majority of BPS
students are students of color. Many are from minority
groups. Schools that are not culturally competent and do not
provide translation, childcare and other necessary accommodations for
working class and minority families create barriers for parent
involvement. Another barrier for involvement is the lack of
information sent home from schools to promote parent involvement.
Why should parents organize?
Studies show that students whose
parents are active in their schools do better academically than
those whose parents are not active. We've also seen teachers pay
more attention to students whose parents come to school on a
regular basis. We believe parent organizing is essential for
school reform.
How do parents get organized?
Parents can identify an
issue at their children's school and decide to get
involved and change it. Jamaica Plain Parent Organizing Project
offers leadership development trainings and opportunities for parents
to fight for quality education.
What recent success has JPPOP had?
2002 - Mobilization in support of bilingual education - "NO ON UNZ"
in Massachusetts. JPPOP creates alliances with groups in
Worcester, Springfield, and Holyoke working against this issue and
mobilized 400+ people in a march against the UNZ initiative. The
ballot issue is passed but the city of Boston votes it down.
2003 - Working as a member of Boston Parent Organizing Network, the two groups form alliances during the fight against school budget cuts and succeed at putting $60 million back into the budget.
2005- The state Department of Education proposes regressive changes to its special education policy but a first round of testimony from mobilized parents is powerful enough for the DOE to back off.
2005 - JPPOP is at the 2005 BPS budget hearings where JPPOP parents and members of the Boston Parent Organizing Network speak forcefully on the need for parent coordinator positions at every school in the system. 15 positions are won for a pilot program.
2005 - JPPOP organizes immigrant teens from local high schools to stand up for their educational rights as non-English speaking students. JPPOP parents work in solidarity with the teens.
Site built by