WHAT WE’RE ABOUT

Our Mission

Educate and organize tenants, especially those by virtue of being people of color, black, brown, immigrant, low-income, LGBTQ+, disabled, elderly or otherwise oppressed people on dismantling the systematic and inequitable housing system. When housing injustice is recognized, accountability and transparency is demanded from all appropriate institutions and governmental structures.

Our Vision

A future where housing is a basic right.

Our Values

Tenant Self-Determination: We are committed to supporting and amplifying tenants' demands for safe, stable, and affordable housing.  Those who are closest to the problem are closest to the solution. We prioritize solutions that ensure tenants have power over their own lives and what happens in their communities. 

Community Teamwork:  We are creating a future where housing is an unquestionable basic right. We believe our communities can and will have sovereignty over land and housing within our lifetime. To build a sustainable movement, we need our collective brilliance and shared resources. We must connect with & support each other, witnessing each other’s individual struggles with compassion as we move toward our collective vision by addressing the issues our communities face one-by-one, piece-by-piece. 

Sharing Knowledge: When we are equipped with housing justice  knowledge, we have clarity and strategy to inform effective actions against the oppressions we face as tenants. We are part of a powerful community lineage of leaders who shared knowledge with us so that we can continue the work toward our vision. We strive to facilitate knowledge-sharing between and among our folks because knowledge is power. 

Leadership Development: We are a leaderful movement. BRU is not a service provider organization. We value “getting in where you fit in,” and showing up with authenticity and flexibility. We encourage the hard work of individual growth,  supporting members as they hone their knowledge and skills to move the work forward.. No one person can hold this movement together. Our movement can only be successful if we all pitch in and do our part.  

Rest & Sustainability: We believe that every tenant deserves the right to rest and to live with dignity. Rest is non-negotiable. It is a vital part of sustaining ourselves, our communities, and our movement. As we build collective strength to fight for housing justice, we know that lasting change requires sustainable practices and sustainability requires rest.