By james art San Bernardino’s worsening housing crisis sparked a strong response from local tenant unions, housing advocates and community organizations, culminating in a community-wide event aimed at addressing tenant concerns and advocating for tenant rights. Organized by Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE), the Oct. 19 Block Party brought together several key housing and social justice organizations—including Just San Bernardino, Time for Change Foundation, Inland Equity Community Land Trust (IECLT) and IE Tenants Union— to offer resources and support to those affected by the housing crisis.
The event provided a platform for local advocates to discuss pressing issues such as skyrocketing rents, poor living conditions and neglect that many tenants face. With a collective voice, attendees called on city officials to prioritize affordable housing and renters’ rights.
Housing advocates oppose rent increases
Lorena Barbosa, housing advocate for the Time for Change Foundation, was among the leaders who spoke at the event, highlighting the hardships facing many renters in San Bernardino as rents continue to rise at an alarming rate. Barbosa described an environment where tenants live with “holes in the roofs, infestations, no hot water, no heating,” while some landlords raise rents up to three times in one year, causing housing complexes to deteriorate with few tenants left.
“The reality is that some landlords don’t care about the living conditions of their tenants,” Barbosa said. “They raise the rents while letting the buildings fall into disrepair. But if we can put a cap on rent increases and hold these landlords accountable, we can make a difference.”
Barbosa believes that collective action is the key to change. “When we come together as a community, our voices are truly heard. When tenants speak up, especially those who are undocumented and fear retaliation, we can make real change,” she added.
Undocumented renters, she stressed, are among the most vulnerable, often staying silent for fear that speaking out could lead to retaliation or even deportation. Barbosa’s message to the community was clear: unity and collective action is the only way forward.
Inland Equity Community Land Trust fights for tenants’ rights
Deborah Harmon, representing the Inland Equity Community Land Trust (IECLT), shared her personal experience with housing instability that inspired her to take action. Harmon recounted his experience as a tenant at Day Park Apartments in San Bernardino, where he faced neglect and mistreatment from his landlord.
“We had no hot water, there were cockroaches and basic maintenance was neglected,” Harmon explained. “But what drove us to form the tenants’ union was the lack of knowledge about our rights. We were tired of being taken advantage of.”
Harmon stressed that tenant unions are critical to ensuring that landlords provide basic necessities such as hot water, electricity and safe living conditions. Since then, Inland Equity Community Land Trust has expanded its reach by creating tenant unions in Riverside, Hemet, Redlands, Ontario and San Bernardino with the goal of empowering communities to hold landlords accountable.
“Every city should have a tenant union to make sure landlords are held accountable. Our Tenants Union started with just a few of us, but now we are growing and we believe this is a movement that can bring about change,” said Harmon.
Established in 2020 as a project of the Inland Equity Partnership, IECLT is focused on providing affordable housing for rent and ownership in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The organization has shifted its focus during the COVID-19 pandemic to help renters stay in their homes by advocating for rental assistance and ensuring CARES Act assistance reaches those most in need.
Reflecting on the importance of the event, Harmon noted, “We are here today to come together to bring resources to the community that they may not know are available to them and to help them rise above their circumstances, in which they are.”
Balancing the narrative: Landlords’ perspective and community response
While tenant unions and advocates have expressed legitimate concerns about living conditions and rising rents, some landlords say maintaining properties in low-income communities can be challenging. Citing the difficulties faced by many tenants, landlords say that property neglect is sometimes a reflection of tenants’ lack of care for their living spaces. However, defenders of the event were quick to point out that this prospect could also be seen as an excuse to avoid necessary maintenance and repairs.
“Of course there are poor people who don’t make the bare minimum, but there has to be a balance,” noted San Bernardino resident Marcus Lopez. “Landlords should provide basics like hot water and safe, livable structures, but tenants should also take pride in their living spaces and treat them as their own.”
Community Actions for Downtown Redevelopment
In addition to tenants’ rights, another key focus of the COPE Block Party was the revitalization of downtown San Bernardino. Local advocacy group Just San Bernardino is calling on the community to attend the upcoming City Council meeting on November 6 to demand a Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) for the downtown San Bernardino redevelopment project. The CBA outlines several key priorities, including building affordable housing, protecting the environment and economic opportunity for local residents.
The proposal includes a commitment to build no less than 25% of the housing units in the redevelopment project as affordable housing, ensuring that the rent for affordable units will not exceed 30% of a qualified tenant’s annual income. CBA also seeks to establish a Community Stabilization Fund to support underserved residents through eviction prevention assistance and relocation assistance. In addition, the agreement calls for identifying parcels of land to be farmed by community-based organizations, such as community land trusts, to develop and maintain affordable housing through long-term land leases.
Economic development within the CBA prioritizes the food economy, promoting food businesses and incubators such as micro kitchens. It also calls for leasing retail and office space to women- and minority-owned businesses, and support for contracting with women- and minority-owned vendors.
Labor practices were also highlighted in the CBA, which includes commitments to fair planning and labor peace agreements for businesses operating in the downtown redevelopment area. In addition, the proposal outlines the creation of a first-source referral center to connect San Bernardino residents with job opportunities generated by the project.
The City Council meeting will be held on November 6th at 5:00 PM at the Feldheim Central Library located at 555 West 6th Street in San Bernardino. Community members are encouraged to attend and make their voices heard through public comment on the future of downtown redevelopment. For more information about Inland Equity Community Land Trust and the tenant union efforts, visit their Inland Equity Community Land Trust website or contact Deborah Harmon at [email protected].