Tenant Unions Join Forces against Mega Landlords

New Connecticut Tenant Union chapters in Avon at Avon Place and in New Haven at Park Ridge have been fighting hard to bring their landlords to the bargaining table—and now, they've succeeded. And they aren't fighting alone. Tenants all across the country are joining in the struggle against landlord greed.

Big news is being made as several new tenants unions in properties for seniors owned by New York based Capital Realty Group are jointly negotiating with their landlord. New Haven's West Hills and Park Ridge Tenant Unions along with Detroit. Michigan's River Pointe Tower Tenants Union came together and held a zoom meeting with Capital Realty Group management demanding pest control. mold removal, repair of HVAC systems and more.

In the meeting Capital Realty made a verbal commitment to recognize and meet in good faith with any tenant unions within the Capital portfolio, to honor tenants right to organize, to sign a non-retaliation notice and hold a follow up meeting to negotiate a formal agreement., set for September 8.

Now Capital Realty Group tenants in Louisville, Kentucky are organizing at the American Village for seniors.

Meanwhile the Avon Place Tenant Union, a chapter of the Connecticut Tenants Union, began collective bargaining with their NYC-based landlord company, Empire Realty. The union’s bargaining committee met with a representative, established terms for the bargaining process, and scheduled a second session with the principal owner, Ahron Rudich.

This was just weeks after tenants first announced their super-majority tenant union.  “My neighbors and I are proud of the work we’ve done to get to this point—to form our union, stick together through intimidation and retaliation, and bring our landlord to the bargaining table with us,” said Amy Arlin, chapter vice president.

Empire Realty (under its property-specific shell company, Avon Place LLC) currently owes the Town of Avon over $1.6 million in unpaid taxes, sewage assessment fees, and tenant relocation costs. The Avon Place Apartments have fallen into significant disrepair and neglect under Empire’s three years of ownership