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About Us
The Journey of the Skidrow Tenants Union: From Grassroots Advocacy to Statewide Representation
The Skidrow Tenants Union was founded by David Nash Stabolito in response to the ongoing housing crisis, systemic neglect, and widespread tenant exploitation in the Skid Row community. Recognizing the urgent need for renters to have a unified voice against unfair evictions, substandard living conditions, and predatory landlords, Stabolito organized a small group of tenants determined to fight for their rights.
What started as a grassroots effort quickly gained traction as more residents joined the cause. The Union began by providing direct assistance to tenants facing eviction, advocating for improved living conditions, and demanding accountability from property owners. Through organizing efforts, legal advocacy, and public awareness campaigns, the movement grew, drawing the attention of tenants from surrounding communities who faced similar struggles.
As our influence expanded, so did our mission. The Skidrow Tenants Union built a strong network of tenant councils, empowering renters to collectively negotiate with landlords and fight against housing injustices. Through years of dedication, advocacy, and coalition-building, we became recognized as a key voice in tenant rights.
This growth led to a significant milestone: our advancement into the California Tenants Association (CTA). Becoming part of the CTA allowed us to amplify our impact beyond Skid Row, advocating for stronger tenant protections at the city and state levels. Our affiliation with CTA has strengthened our ability to push for legislative changes, provide legal support to renters statewide, and hold property owners accountable on a larger scale.
Today, the Skidrow Tenants Union remains committed to its founding principles—independence, advocacy, and tenant empowerment. We continue to operate separately from private property owners, focusing solely on protecting and advancing the rights of renters. Thanks to the vision of David Nash Stabolito and the dedication of countless tenants, we have grown from a local movement into a powerful force for housing justice across California.
Message from the President of the California Tenants Association
Dear Tenants, Advocates, and Community Members,
Welcome to the Skidrow Tenants Union, where your voice, your rights, and your future matter. Joining this movement is not just about securing better housing—it is about reclaiming power, standing up against injustice, and ensuring that every tenant is treated with dignity and respect.
For too long, landlords, developers, and corporations have controlled the housing system, prioritizing profits over people. Too many tenants have suffered from unfair evictions, skyrocketing rent increases, unlivable conditions, and the constant fear of losing their homes. But here, at the Skidrow Tenants Union, you are no longer alone in this fight. From the moment you become part of this movement, you are backed by a community of renters, advocates, and legal experts who are committed to defending your rights and securing housing justice for all.
What Life Looks Like with the Tenants Union
🔹 Protection from Unjust Evictions
We believe that no one should lose their home due to greed, neglect, or discrimination. Our legal resources and community organizing efforts help tenants stay housed and fight back against unlawful displacement.
🔹 Demanding Safe and Decent Living Conditions
Every tenant deserves to live in a home that is safe, clean, and properly maintained. We hold landlords accountable, push for necessary repairs, and challenge housing policies that allow slumlords to exploit renters.
🔹 Building Collective Tenant Power
Individually, we are vulnerable. But together, we are unstoppable. The Skidrow Tenants Union organizes tenant councils, uniting renters within buildings and neighborhoods to demand their rights and negotiate with landlords as a collective force.
🔹 Fighting for Stronger Tenant Protections
As part of the California Tenants Association, we don’t just respond to housing crises—we work to prevent them. By advocating for tenant-friendly policies at the local and state levels, we help shape laws that protect renters and ensure housing remains a human right, not just a commodity.
A Movement Rooted in Solidarity and Strength
The Skidrow Tenants Union was founded by David Nash Stabolito, who saw firsthand the struggles of tenants in our community and refused to stand by while people were pushed out of their homes. What started as a small group of renters organizing against unfair evictions has grown into a powerful movement with a voice in city and state housing policies.
This union exists because of tenants like you—people who refuse to be silenced, who demand fairness, and who believe in the power of collective action. Together, we have already won major victories, but the fight is far from over. The more tenants who join this movement, the stronger we become.
Housing is a right. Justice is a choice. And when we stand together, we win.
Welcome to the movement. Welcome to power. Welcome to the Skidrow Tenants Union.
In Solidarity,
D Nash Stabolito DD, PhD
President, California Tenants Association
Message from a Local Council Captain
Dear Fellow Tenants,
Welcome to the Skidrow Tenants Union! As a Local Council Captain, I want to personally let you know that you are not alone. Here, we stand together, fight together, and win together.
I know firsthand how frustrating and exhausting it can be to deal with landlords who neglect repairs, raise rents unfairly, or threaten eviction. Many of us have been through it—we’ve had to choose between rent and food, struggled to get basic maintenance done, or lived in fear of losing our homes. That’s why this union exists. We are here to protect each other, to make sure no tenant is forced to fight these battles alone.
What We Do as a Union
✅ We Organize. We bring tenants together within buildings and neighborhoods to demand better conditions and hold landlords accountable.
✅ We Defend. If a landlord is harassing you, raising rent unfairly, or trying to evict you without cause, we will fight back.
✅ We Educate. Knowing your rights is the first step to protecting them. We provide the tools and information tenants need to stand strong.
✅ We Win. When we take action together—whether it’s demanding repairs, stopping an unjust eviction, or changing housing policies—we make real change happen.
Why Your Voice Matters
Every tenant who joins makes us stronger. Your experience, your concerns, and your ideas matter. This isn’t just an organization—it’s a movement, built by tenants like you and me who refuse to be ignored. The more we come together, the more power we have to shape the future of housing in our community.
If you need help, if you have questions, or if you’re ready to take action, reach out. We are here for each other, and together, we will not be pushed out, priced out, or ignored.
Welcome to the fight. Welcome to the Skidrow Tenants Union.
In Solidarity,
Sahra Davis, New Hope
Local Council Captain, Skidrow Tenants Union
FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE
April 13, 2025
Court Rally & Press Conference to Defend Tenant Leadership at LA Superior Court — April 28, 2025
LOS ANGELES, CA — The California Tenants Union is calling for a powerful rally and press conference at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse (111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA) on Monday, April 28, 2025, in response to a retaliatory eviction attempt against the President of the California Tenants Association.
This case is bigger than just one tenant — it's about the right to organize, to speak truth to power, and to hold corporate landlords accountable.