As ACORN Members have been doing since 1970, Our members work on the issues that matter to low and moderate-income families in their communities, homes, and workplaces.
Our chapters around the world have been getting out, getting active, getting heard, and winning major victories!
Find out how below!
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SOCIAL POLICY
Volume 54 Issue 2 is at the printer, soon to arrive in mailboxes near you.If you’d like to catch up on the severe lack of diversity in U.S. rural electric cooperatives, workers rising to beat Amazon, the need for change in unions, and more, renew or subscribe today at https://socialpolicy.org/subscribe
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TWO CONTINENTS, A CONVENTION, AND A CONFERENCE
Chief Organizer Wade Rathke travelled to Canada and the UK to attend the nation-wide meet ups of ACORN Canada and ACORN the Union in the UK. Catch up on Wade's recap of the member gatherings on the Chief Organizer Blog.
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OnEstEnsemble celebrated 5 years of social and environmental justice work from their beginnings as a union of precarious neighborhoods growing to 10 neighborhood committees, 50 active leaders, and 800 members! Click here to review 5 years of OnEstEnsemble in pictures
As a multi-sector organization, OnEstEnsemble initiated the organization of precarious workers on November 2021.
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Close to 200 ACORN members from across Canada attended the 6th bi-annual National Convention held from June 18th - 20th at Concordia University in Montreal. Themed, “Making Housing our Right,” the event was packed to include a member speak out, a housing plenary, and workshops on campaign planning and skill sharing. The conference was capped off with an impromptu fashion show, the gala dinner, and an action at demanding that PSP, one of Canada’s largest pension funds, divest from displacement.
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Throughout June in northern Honduras, ACORN continued to support reforestation activities in Choloma, Lopez Arellano, and Puerto Cortes. Students from José Leonel Díaz Alemán School have worked through the rainy season to achieve up to 80% of planting production. Also in Puerto Cortes, where a Board of Trustees from the La Laguna barrio was recently elected, protests continue over the lack of public lighting.
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Three women entrepreneur groups have been organized in the communities and, moving into July, ACORN Honduras plans to organize social groups around immigration issues and monitor the current resurgence of covid and dengue as children prepare to return to school.
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The Delhi Chapter of the Working People's Coalition released two final reports:
- The fact-finding report on worker safety issues after the Mundka factory fire, and
- Working People's access to minimum wage.
ACORN also stood with residents of Delhi NCR for access to water and opened a tailoring center for street vendors' family members to help generate additional income.
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It has also been a big month for ACORN the Union in the UK. Members from across England & Wales stood alongside the Trade Union Congress March & Rally to make sure that parliament heard the call, “We Demand Better,” as communities pay the price of the cost of living. After years of campaigning, the draft Renters Reform Bill was released and, alongside the Renters Reform Coalition, ACORN will continue to fight to ensure the implementation of these policies so that safe, secure and affordable homes become a reality.
ACORN members also joined striking RMT union rail workers in 16 locations across England and Wales to demand better working conditions, pay and security. ACORN Bradford took direct action against their landlord, Incommunities, after finding asbestos in their homes. It was a united fight mentioned in parliament that has won negotiations with the landlord.
ACORN Lokleaze won the ‘Speed Free Lockleaze’ campaign with councilors now prioritizing traffic calming measures and safer streets.
ACORN Haringey’s ‘Pools For People’ campaign delivered over 50 demand letters calling for proper management, affordable prices and a clean facility which effectively serves the community.
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ACORN
Jason Linkins (June 4, 2022) An Idea for Democrats: Reboot ACORN, The New Republic
- Regular Contributor to “THE SOAPBOX,” Linkins’ column, “ORGANIZE OR DIE” statea, “As the GOP continues its multipronged offensive on free and fair elections, democracy desperately needs an army of its own in the field.”
AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS
Katherine Hart (June 13, 2022) It Could Be The End Of An Era For Fair Grinds Coffeehouse Mid-City Messenger
- The handwritten sign on the door of Fair Grinds Coffeehouse on Ponce de Leon Street says: “We are closed for the summer.” Of the stapled fliers that once covered the wooden gate leading to the patio, only a few remain.
CANADA
Natalie Bannerman (May 31, 2022) Rogers, Shaw and the Commissioner of Competition seek to resolve injunction, Capacity
- Despite objections from [community groups like] ACORN Canada, the Rogers and Shaw merger will see Shaw fully divest its wireless business to Rogers.
UK
Ben Wray (June 11, 2022) Cost of living crisis: How can housing be made affordable? The National
- In Part VI of The National’s series on the cost of living crisis, Wray highlights the work of the Living Rent tenants' union in helping to pursue compensation claims.
Susannah O’Sullivan and Owen Polley (June 13, 2022) ACORN is a Community Union that has Landlords on the Run, Bristol 247
- Bristol’s landlords are starting to fear a phone call from ACORN.
Daryl Ames (June 26, 2022) Demolition review of York House flats amid serious concerns, Telegraph & Argus
- A LARGE block of flats at the heart of a Bradford estate could be demolished amid serious concerns about the standard of the properties, it has been revealed.
Uncredited (June 28, 2022) Living Rent calls for emergency protections as MSPs debate rent freeze. Scottish Housing News
- As the cost of living crisis continues to get worse, Living Rent believes that there is a need for emergency measures more than ever to protect tenants during one of the worst cost of living crises in generations.
Lewis McKenzie (June 29, 2022) Rent campaigners: 'Landlords pouring petrol on cost of living crisis', STV News
- There are calls for the Scottish Government to take action to tackle rising rental costs.
Derek Healey (June 29, 2022) Emergency rent freeze blocked despite cost-of-living fears, The Courier
- Struggling renters have been "badly let down" by SNP and Green politicians who rejected an emergency rent freeze, according to the North East MSP behind the plan.
Ruth Suter (June 30, 2022) "Angry and hopeless" Scots tenants forced out homes as rent rockets by hundreds, Daily Record
- Tenants in Edinburgh and Glasgow have had to move homes due to the eyewatering rent hikes.
Kate Knowles (July 4, 2022) Mum of two 'can't bear' to live in mice-infested and mouldy home in Handsworth, Birmingham Mail UK
- She has begged the council and a private lettings agent to sort out her temporary accommodation
Uncredited (July 4, 2022) Living Rent leaves Glasgow Tenants’ Commission over ‘lack of action’, Scottish Housing News
- A tenant-led housing commission set up by Glasgow City Council to make recommendations for reforms to improve affordability in the private rented sector has been labelled a “sham” by Living Rent after it walked out in protest over what it calls a lack of action and a refusal to protect tenants.
Drew Sandelands (July 4, 2022) Glasgow tenants' union walks away from 'sham' commission on tackling rising rents, Glasgow Live
- The tenant-led commission was set up after Glasgow City Council declared a 'rents crisis' in late 2020 but Living Rent has said the process has been too slow and too vague.
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