The House that Justice Builds

The People Who Build It

Building community power for housing justice represents both a dynamic process and an outcome for community members (Speer, Gupta, & Haapanen, 2020). This work requires consistent and emergent stewardship. Organizers are the center of gravity for this stewardship, and their role is critical. Building a movement that offers historically excluded individuals an opportunity to engage in strategies and campaigns toward housing justice requires mobilization (Pastor, Ito, Wander, Thomas, Moreno, Gonzalez, & Yudelevitch, 2020). Leveraging the resources of their organizations and the assets of their network, housing justice organizers build individual, relational, and communal capacity to sustain the housing justice movement.

The housing justice organizer’s multifaceted role requires dedication to dismantling dominant and oppressive ideologies and redistributing power. Organizers are agitators and problem solvers, process creators and relationship builders. As stewards of the movement, housing justice organizers also aim to empower and amplify the voices by which the movement is defined. For transformative change to occur, these voices must come from those who are most impacted by the systemic injustices of the current housing sector: the unhoused; tenants; and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), especially those who are women, femmes, or queer. The housing justice movement must be built for and with these individuals.

Organizers provide these individuals with a platform for their stories, build their leadership capacity, and engage them as “activists in their own right” (Housing Justice Fellow 2024). They bring the power of lived experience to bear in the housing justice movement, acknowledging that solutions cannot come from those who have not lived through the worst of the housing sector’s injustices. As one Housing Justice Fellow explained, “We [unhoused, tenants, BIPOC], we are in the penthouse, standing on the shoulders of those around us and coming back down to bring others up alongside us.” For the housing justice movement, “in coming together to share stories, a type of transformation occurs: people understand that their problems are not unique and not due to any personal shortcoming or mistake... It’s a shift from private shame to the desire to make their problems public and collectively build and wield power to change their conditions,” (Pastor, et al. 2020).

Housing justice organizers cannot accomplish transformative change alone. The movement requires diverse players, positioned in a variety of roles, in order to succeed (Pastor, et al. 2020). Community members offer ideas, imagination, vision, and hope based on their experiences; they answer the question “what will we do with the power we’ve built?” Funders, on the other hand, provide the necessary resources to build and sustain power among organizers’ bases. Funders’ power goes beyond their money: their influence can provide a supportive platform for advocacy, given their knowledge of the larger ecosystem and connections to institutions of power like the private and government sectors.

Even so, the flow of resources and capacity tends to favor the decisions of traditional systems of power (Pastor, et al. 2020). One organizer noted, “I feel like I’m on an island. I swim to the mainland to support [the movement], but nobody’s coming to the island to support me. It takes all of us to build.” With this in mind, the House that Justice Builds recognizes the central role that organizers play in community power-building while amplifying the necessity and positionality of other movement actors.

The Ground We Build It On

The ground represents the intentional efforts of housing justice organizers to prepare the individual and collective soil upon which the movement’s structure will be built. The effectiveness of the housing justice movement hinges on the diligent preparation of this groundwork, ensuring it is fertile sustenance for sustainable change. This meticulous approach underpins the movement’s capacity to address deep-rooted inequities and establish a just housing system.

Five essential practices form the core of this transformative groundwork. First, dismantling white supremacy involves challenging and eradicating systems and ideologies that prioritize whiteness at the expense of marginalized communities. Second, divesting from racial capitalism requires rejecting economic systems that exploit racialized labor and resources and perpetuate inequality. Third, the redistribution of decision-making power ensures that those most impacted by housing injustices work at the forefront of leadership and governance, fostering inclusivity and equity. These foundational practices are critical for disrupting the status quo and providing effective ground for a just and equitable housing sector.

Equally important are the fourth and fifth practices of holding a vision for justice and liberation and investing in the wellness of both individuals and communities. A clear, aspirational vision guides the housing justice movement, providing direction and purpose in the quest for systemic change. Simultaneously, prioritizing the wellness of organizers and communities ensures the sustainability of their efforts. Recognizing that the strength of the movement is intrinsically linked to the well-being of individuals, housing justice organizers embrace practices that promote self-care and collective care. These holistic approaches not only enhance resilience but also empower organizers to persist in their work toward achieving justice and liberation in the housing sector.

Dismantling White Supremacy

In housing-related issues, white supremacy is the system of beliefs and ideologies that are historically responsible for the practices and policies that have favored white comfort and access to housing over the dignity of access to fair and equitable housing for everyone, especially BIPOC folks. This system includes practices like redlining, denying BIPOC people access to housing in predominantly white neighborhoods, or racially restrictive covenants that prohibited the sale of property to non-white people. Housing justice organizers deeply understand the historical context that has led to the current inequitable practices. Because of this knowledge, they understand that it is not enough for the housing justice movement to center the voices and experiences of those most impacted by these disparities. Instead, organizers in the movement must simultaneously work to dismantle the current inequitable systems because diverse representation in them does not ensure that the harm caused by them will cease.

Furthermore, housing justice organizers committed to dismantling white supremacy recognize that to create a future that has accessible and affordable housing options for all people will require fundamental shifts in our individual and collective beliefs and ideologies. Such shifts will ripple forth to create long-term transformation in policies and practices in the housing movement. Many of the approaches that are currently being implemented and funded in the housing justice movement are, at best, band-aid solutions because at their core they are still grounded in white supremacist beliefs determining who is worthy enough to have access to what kind of housing. One Housing Justice Fellow noted that many social services—while indeed necessary in the short term so that “people get fed and housed; so that they are able to fight”—are not enough in the long term because “[they don’t] change the system”(Housing Justice Fellow 2024). Dismantling white supremacy within the housing justice movement means radically shifting the mindset toward addressing the status quo, a condition that perpetuates the need for the movement in the first place. Thus, the capacity of the housing justice movement to generate meaningful systems’ change starts with interrogating the ideologies that are driving the work. Without this interrogation, the movement is at risk of perpetuating the disparities it seeks to resolve.

Divesting from Racial Capitalism

Cedric Robinson defined racial capitalism in 1983 as the inextricable link between racialized exploitation, resource extraction, and capital accumulation in our economy. Racial capitalism creates “unsafe working conditions, low wages, toxic and polluting industries, displacement, and other forms of violence in the name of profit” (Bhatti & Carlson, 2023).

Generating a housing justice movement that moves the collective toward a future of justice will require divestment from capitalist ventures that, for example, often favor the profits of corporate landlords and private investors over the basic needs of those in the community. One of the central manifestations of racial capitalism in housing is the exacerbation of wealth inequality between racial groups. BIPOC communities face barriers to homeownership, including discriminatory lending practices and limited access to affordable mortgage options, leading to higher rates of housing insecurity and homelessness.

Moreover, gentrification, a byproduct of racial capitalism and racial wealth inequality, displaces longstanding BIPOC communities as wealthier, often white, residents move in, driving up property values and rents and further marginalizing vulnerable populations. BIPOC communities additionally face discrimination in housing markets, leading to higher rates of housing insecurity, inadequate housing conditions, and residential segregation.

Housing outcomes of racial capitalism, such as the increased rate of housing insecurity and homelessness, have direct health effects. They contribute to BIPOC individuals’ increased exposure to environmental toxins, stress, and a lack of access to essential resources like health care facilities and nutritious food, all of which negatively affect individuals’ and communities’ health. Environmental injustices disproportionately expose BIPOC communities to environmental hazards such as air and water pollution, hazardous waste sites, and industrial facilities. These environmental stressors contribute to adverse health outcomes, including respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers, further exacerbating existing health disparities along racial lines.

Racial capitalism directly prevents BIPOC and low-income communities from actualizing the social determinants of health (specifically, neighborhood and environment) that are required, according to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, to live a safe and healthy life. Social determinants of health are conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes. Systemic inequalities across social determinants of health leads to disproportionately negative health outcomes for BIPOC communities. Addressing these inequities requires dismantling the structures of racial capitalism and implementing policies and practices that prioritize health equity, access to quality housing, economic opportunity, environmental justice, and health care for all individuals regardless of race or socioeconomic status.

Housing justice organizers aim to dismantle these systemic inequalities and advocate for policies prioritizing housing as a human right. They challenge discriminatory housing policies, promote affordable housing initiatives, and advocate for community-driven solutions such as land trusts and cooperative housing models. By confronting the influence of racial capitalism on housing systems, these advocates strive to create more equitable housing outcomes for BIPOC communities and society at large.

Redistributing Decision-Making Power

Any shift in leadership, governance, and decision-making power must ensure that those who have been most impacted by the housing crisis are at the forefront of the movement, driving its agenda and making critical decisions. By doing so, the movement fosters transformative change toward a more just and equitable future.

Frequently in movement work, discussions center on amplifying the voices of those most impacted, giving them a seat at the table or “passing the mic.” Though these actions are important, stopping there limits the potential for creating transformative change. Housing justice organizers emphasize that merely including marginalized voices is insufficient; true empowerment and leadership must be transferred to these individuals to dismantle the systemic inequities ingrained in housing policies and practices. adrienne maree brown discusses this concept, termed decentralization, in her book Emergent Strategy.

Decentralization involves the dispersion or distribution of functions and powers, effectively delegating authority to a broader base. It is a practice that resonated for many Housing Justice Fellows. Decentralizing power in the housing justice movement means reimagining traditional hierarchies and structures. It involves creating spaces where those who have historically been marginalized not only participate but also lead. This approach challenges the status quo and acknowledges that those who have lived through housing injustices possess invaluable insights and expertise that are crucial for devising effective solutions.

The redistribution of power fosters a sense of ownership and agency among impacted communities. When individuals who have faced housing discrimination and instability are given the authority to shape policies and initiatives, the resulting strategies are more likely to address the root causes of inequity and resonate with those most in need. This grassroots-driven leadership ensures that the movement remains grounded in the realities of those it aims to serve, promoting sustainable and authentic change.

For the housing justice movement to succeed, it must move beyond symbolic gestures of inclusion to actual power redistribution. By decentralizing leadership and decision-making to those most impacted by housing injustices, the movement can achieve transformative change. This shift not only challenges historical power dynamics but also harnesses the strength and wisdom of marginalized communities, paving the way for a more equitable and just housing landscape.

Envisioning Justice and Liberation

Housing justice organizers need vision to create sustainable movements that improve the lives of renters across the United States. Vision in this context means having a clear, forward-thinking, and inclusive strategy that addresses the root causes of housing inequities while laying out a practical roadmap for achieving long-term, systemic change. A visionary approach is essential for mobilizing communities, securing policy changes, and ensuring that the movement’s efforts are sustainable and impactful.

Having a vision helps to identify and address the underlying issues that contribute to housing injustice—to do this means recognizing the historical and structural factors that have perpetuated housing inequities, such as redlining, discriminatory lending practices, and exclusionary zoning laws. By understanding these root causes, organizers can develop comprehensive strategies that not only address immediate housing needs but also work toward dismantling the systemic barriers that prevent equitable access to housing.

Visionary leadership in housing justice involves setting long-term goals that go beyond short-term fixes. This work includes advocating for policies that ensure affordable housing, tenant protections, and community control over development. It also involves reimagining housing systems in ways that prioritize the needs and rights of renters, particularly those from marginalized communities. A visionary movement focuses on creating sustainable, inclusive, and resilient housing solutions that can withstand economic and social changes.

PolicyLink, a national research and action institute advancing racial and economic equity and one of the grantees involved in this project, provides valuable insights into how visionary leadership can drive housing justice. One of PolicyLink’s key initiatives is the “All-In Cities” framework, which aims to ensure that all residents, particularly low-income people and communities of color, can participate in and benefit from economic growth and development. In the realm of housing, PolicyLink advocates for equitable development policies that prevent displacement and ensure that existing residents can remain in their neighborhoods. This effort includes promoting community land trusts, which allow communities to collectively own and manage land to ensure permanent affordability and prevent displacement.

Visionary approaches to housing justice involve using data and research to inform policy decisions and advocacy efforts. PolicyLink excels in this area by conducting research that highlights the disparities in housing and providing evidence-based recommendations for policymakers. For instance, its reports on the economic and social impacts of gentrification and displacement offer valuable insights that can guide the development of equitable housing policies (Bell and Ruben, 2007).

In addition to using research, vision requires a commitment to innovation and experimentation. Housing justice organizers must be willing to explore new models and approaches that challenge the status quo. PolicyLink’s work on promoting inclusive economic development and equitable transit-oriented development is an example of how innovative strategies can be integrated into the broader housing justice movement. To accomplish similarly effective strategy work requires understanding and addressing the root causes of housing inequities, setting long-term goals, engaging and empowering impacted communities, leveraging data and research, and fostering innovation.

Investing in Individual and Community Wellness

An open secret in movement building and organizing is that the work can be exhausting, with organizers dedicating endless hours and considerable emotional energy to the cause. At its core, this work is a labor of love and heart. However, housing justice organizers must remain vigilant to avoid replicating the very systems of whiteness they aim to dismantle, especially practices that prioritize urgency and productivity over rest and self-care in the name of a greater cause. This false choice between working tirelessly or taking care of oneself is a construct of white supremacy. The truth is that for housing justice organizers to do their best work and ensure the well-being of the larger community, they must first care for themselves. This principle echoes the adage of “putting on your own oxygen mask first.”

Housing justice organizers must create space in their movement work to nurture their own wholeness and well-being. This self-care is essential for maintaining the internal strength needed to dismantle whiteness, divest from racial capitalism, and uphold a vision for justice and liberation. As adrienne maree brown articulates in Emergent Strategy, “What we practice at the small scale ripples to the whole.” This means that when individuals understand and value their own rest and wellness, they can intentionally foster rest and wellness within their community. A well-rested and healthy community possesses greater capacity to mobilize and combat the systems of oppression that fuel housing injustice.

Brown emphasizes the importance of wellness as a foundational aspect of sustainable and effective social change work. She advocates for a holistic approach to activism that includes caring for oneself and one’s community as essential to the larger goal of systemic transformation. Housing Justice Fellows reflected on the benefits they have seen when they embraced the fractal of investing in individual and community care, “we have so many awesome leaders that we can really lean into the value of both community and self care and understanding there's interconnectedness so that people don't get burned out [...] So it's like we're building up so much leadership that like we've both been able to like tap out this year for our health because then we've built up a strong enough movement where others can come in.”

Emergent Strategy highlights the importance of sustainable practices that honor the natural rhythms and cycles of life. brown encourages activists to be in tune with their own needs and to create movement cultures that value rest, reflection, and renewal. This approach fosters resilience and adaptability, which are crucial for long-term success of housing justice organizers.

The Foundation for Building Power

Building power in housing justice requires a multifaceted approach that incorporates transformative relationships, multiple ways of knowing, community celebrations, and radical accountability. These elements not only raise awareness and build coalitions but also ensure long-term sustainability through collective responsibility and resilience. By examining these components through the lens of housing justice, we can see how they contribute to meaningful change in communities.

Transformative relationships are the foundation of effective housing justice advocacy. These relationships prioritize mutual respect, empathy, and solidarity by recognizing the inherent dignity and agency of all individuals. In the context of housing justice, transformative relationships involve connecting with those directly impacted by housing inequities, such as renters facing eviction or people who are homeless. By centering their experiences and voices, organizers can develop a deeper understanding of the systemic barriers they face and work collaboratively to address them.

Multiple ways of knowing form a critical foundation for power-building among housing justice advocates. Black Feminist Theory offers a vital framework for understanding and dismantling intersecting forms of oppression within this advocacy. This theory highlights the significance of centering the experiences and perspectives of marginalized communities, especially Black women, who disproportionately face housing insecurity and discrimination. By challenging dominant narratives and amplifying the voices of those at the margins, housing justice organizers can develop more inclusive and equitable solutions. Integrating diverse epistemologies and lived experiences enriches the collective understanding and strengthens the movement towards housing justice for all.

Community celebrations play a vital role in fostering solidarity and resilience within the housing justice movement. These gatherings provide opportunities for individuals to come together, share their stories, and celebrate collective achievements. By acknowledging and honoring the resilience of communities facing housing injustices, these celebrations inspire hope and solidarity, strengthen bonds, and galvanize collective action.

Radical accountability is essential for ensuring that the housing justice movement remains rooted in principles of equity and justice. This process involves holding oneself and others accountable for their actions, decisions, and impacts on marginalized communities. By prioritizing transparency, accountability, and integrity, organizers can build trust and credibility within the communities they serve, fostering meaningful partnerships and collaborations.

In practice, these elements work synergistically to advance housing justice goals. Transformative relationships provide the foundation for effective advocacy by fostering trust, collaboration, and solidarity among diverse stakeholders. Multiple ways of knowing, grounded in Black Feminist Theory, offer a critical lens through which to analyze and address intersecting forms of oppression within housing justice advocacy, ensuring that solutions are inclusive and equitable. Community celebrations serve as powerful tools for raising awareness, building coalitions, and inspiring collective action, and radical accountability ensures that advocacy efforts remain accountable to those most impacted by housing injustices.

Transformative Relationships

Transformative relationships are crucial in housing justice, forming the bedrock for building power within communities and societies. These relationships affirm each individual’s dignity, recognizing their inherent worth and agency while fostering solidarity and a collective identity among diverse groups within the housing justice movement.

Right to the City (RTC) exemplifies this through its Transformative Organizing Framework. This framework serves as the cornerstone of RTC’s annual training for organizers, cultivating both individual and collective agency and confidence. By equipping organizers with the necessary skills and perspectives for transformative work, RTC helps build a robust foundation for sustained and meaningful change in housing justice.

Among housing justice organizers, there is a distinction between change and transformation. Although policy changes are valuable, they are often reversible and temporary. Organizers recognize the need to aim for transformation, which involves a fundamental reconfiguration of power and relationships to favor renters and marginalized communities. This deeper level of change is not merely about implementing new policies but reshaping the entire framework within which housing decisions are made, ensuring lasting benefits for those most impacted by housing injustice.

Transformative relationships extend beyond surface interactions, inspiring fundamental shifts in perspectives, behaviors, and circumstances. They build power not just for individuals but for entire communities and organizations. This power-building effort was evident in the experiences shared by housing justice organizers, who aligned their aspirations and visions with the transformative goals set by RTC. The impact of these relationships is profound because the relationships enable communities to affirm each other’s dignity and foster a sense of solidarity and collective identity.

For instance, the RTC’s Transformative Organizing Framework focuses on developing leaders who can think critically about power dynamics and advocate for systemic change. These leaders are trained to engage deeply with their communities, understand their unique struggles, and mobilize collective action that transcends individual concerns. This approach ensures that the fight for housing justice is not just reactive but proactive by addressing root causes and empowering marginalized voices. The emphasis on solidarity within the movement strengthens the collective identity. Diverse groups within the housing justice movement, though varying in their specific issues and demographics, find common ground through shared goals and mutual support. This collective identity is crucial for sustaining long-term efforts and achieving transformative outcomes.

Multiple Ways of Knowing

Black Feminist Theory asserts that conventional knowledge systems, often dominated by white, male perspectives, fail to fully capture the realities of marginalized communities, particularly Black women. This theory underscores the importance of valuing alternative forms of knowledge production, such as oral histories, storytelling, and creative expressions, which are often marginalized in mainstream discourse. Housing justice organizers in California have integrated these principles into their strategies to amplify the voices of those most impacted by housing injustices.

For instance, using multiple data collection strategies, including culturally relevant activities like the “Spades Game,” has been instrumental in understanding power dynamics within communities. This game, now famous among Housing Justice Fellows, serves as more than just a recreational activity; it provides insights into the lived experiences and perceptions of power among marginalized groups. By valuing experiential knowledge and community wisdom, housing justice organizers ensure that the narratives and perspectives of those directly impacted are central to their efforts.

Housing justice organizations, such as those supported by the Center for Popular Democracy (CPD), have leveraged multiple ways of knowing to inform their approach. Their organizing model prioritizes building transformative relationships that center the experiences of Black women and other marginalized communities. Through grassroots organizing, community forums, and creative expressions like art and music, CPD empowers residents to advocate for policies addressing systemic inequities in housing.

Similarly, Chicago-area nonprofit Not Me We integrates storytelling and oral histories into its advocacy work to humanize the housing crisis. By sharing personal narratives of displacement, discrimination, and housing insecurity, organizers create empathy and solidarity among community members, mobilizing them to demand policy changes that prioritize housing justice. Organizations like Tenants Together use digital storytelling and social media campaigns to amplify the voices of tenants facing eviction and displacement. Through platforms like Instagram and Twitter, they share personal stories and testimonials, shedding light on the human impact of housing injustices and mobilizing support for tenant protections and affordable housing initiatives.

Housing justice advocacy rooted in multiple ways of knowing is essential for advancing housing justice goals in California. By valuing alternative forms of knowledge production and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities, housing justice organizers build solidarity, foster empathy, and mobilize collective action for systemic change. Through grassroots organizing, storytelling, and creative expressions, they challenge dominant narratives and advocate for policies that center the needs and experiences of those most impacted by housing inequities. Incorporating multiple ways of knowing into housing justice efforts creates a more inclusive and effective movement.

By recognizing and valuing the diverse experiences and insights of marginalized communities, housing justice advocates can develop strategies that are more responsive to the real challenges faced by these groups. This approach not only enhances the effectiveness of advocacy but also ensures that the movement remains grounded in the lived realities of those it aims to serve.

Community Celebrations

When housing justice organizers come together to celebrate collective achievements, cultural history, and resilience, they forge a powerful sense of solidarity, strengthen community bonds, and amplify their voices in the ongoing struggle for housing justice. These celebratory gatherings serve as crucial platforms for raising awareness, mobilizing resources, and catalyzing collective action around housing inequality and homelessness. At the heart of community celebrations for housing justice lies a recognition of the shared struggles and triumphs of communities marginalized from equitable housing outcomes.

Community celebrations also play a pivotal role in raising awareness about the complex and intersecting factors contributing to housing injustice. Housing Justice Fellows shared that they were more conscious and intentional about “celebrating small wins,” not overlooking them, to keep up morale and energy with their communities. Community celebrations foster a deeper understanding of critical housing justice issues, which empowers individuals to become informed advocates and agents of change within their communities.

For example, PolicyLink is committed to advancing racial and economic equity, with a focus on policy solutions that create thriving communities for all. Housing justice is a core component of its advocacy because the organization recognizes the fundamental role housing plays in determining access to opportunity and well-being. Community celebrations for housing justice align with PolicyLink’s approach in several ways. Firstly, they emphasize the importance of community engagement and collective action in addressing housing inequality. PolicyLink advocates for policies and strategies that center the voices and experiences of marginalized communities, recognizing that solutions must be rooted in the realities of those most impacted.

These celebratory gatherings serve as platforms for raising awareness and mobilizing resources, which resonates with PolicyLink’s emphasis on advocacy and policy change. By bringing together community members, organizers, policymakers, and other stakeholders, these events amplify the urgency of housing justice issues and galvanize support for transformative action. The recognition of shared struggles and triumphs at these celebrations mirrors PolicyLink’s commitment to intersectionality and understanding the complex factors contributing to inequity. Housing injustice is often intertwined with other forms of oppression, such as racial discrimination, economic inequality, and systemic disinvestment. PolicyLink’s advocacy approach acknowledges these intersections and works toward holistic solutions that address root causes.

This emphasis on celebrating small wins reflects PolicyLink’s belief in the power of incremental progress and grassroots organizing. PolicyLink recognizes that sustainable change often emerges from grassroots efforts and community-led initiatives. By celebrating successes, however small, organizers maintain morale and momentum, sustaining energy for the ongoing struggle for housing justice.

Finally, the role of community celebrations in fostering a deeper understanding of housing justice issues aligns with PolicyLink’s focus on education and empowerment. PolicyLink seeks to equip individuals with the knowledge and tools to advocate for change within their communities. By increasing awareness and fostering dialogue, these celebrations empower individuals to become informed advocates and agents of change in the fight for equitable housing.

Radical Accountability

Housing justice organizers emphasize radical accountability as essential for their collective success. Radical accountability involves taking responsibility for one's actions and their impact on others while acknowledging the broader systems of power and privilege that shape individual behavior. This concept demands a deep commitment to introspection, self-reflection, and collective transformation to challenge oppressive structures and work toward social justice. By integrating radical accountability into their practices, organizers cultivate a culture of responsibility and awareness, essential for driving meaningful change in housing justice.

Radical accountability is a potent tool for building community power by fostering trust, resilience, and collective agency. Housing justice fellows recognize their roles in perpetuating systems of oppression and commit to changing these dynamics. This commitment helps them cultivate a sense of responsibility for shaping the future of their communities. By embracing radical accountability, organizers nurture trust, transparency, and mutual respect among community members, strengthening the collective bonds necessary for effective advocacy. This approach ensures that all voices are heard and respected, leading to more inclusive and equitable solutions for housing justice.

Moreover, radical accountability promotes long-term sustainability by embedding principles of transparency, accountability, and equity into the community's norms and values. Housing justice advocates demonstrate this by actively engaging in honest and constructive dialogue within their communities. This practice transforms conflict into opportunities for growth and learning, providing a framework for navigating challenges with humility, empathy, and a commitment to understanding diverse perspectives. By holding themselves and others accountable for their actions, these organizers deepen solidarity and resilience, laying the groundwork for sustained collective action and systemic change in housing justice. This collective action amplifies their voices and increases their influence in decision-making processes at various levels, ensuring that the gains made through their advocacy endure for future generations.

The Frame for Movement Building

The University of Southern California’s Equity Research Institute states that movement building means “scaling up from single organizations and issues to long-term initiatives, perspectives, and narratives that seek systems change.” Housing Justice Fellows discussed the centrality of movement building to advancing housing justice in many forms and noted three central components that affect deep change. This transformative change occurs on three interconnected levels:

1. Interpersonal Level: Leadership development.
2. Organizational/Community Level: Base-building and organizing.
3. Societal Level: Coalition and network-building.

Movement building includes direct, campaign-like actions, leadership development, and political strategy. For instance, the Center for Popular Democracy (CPD) discussed the importance of political formation as part of its organizing strategies. Housing justice movement building also helps individuals and organizations connect the short-term outcomes to the long-term goal. According to Right to the City (RTC), organizing extends an invitation to be part of system change, inviting people to take collective action with others and redefine their own identity in relation to the larger collective. PSA discussed its challenges of “holding both”: building for long-term transformation while fighting short-term issues.

Leadership Development (Individual)

Movement building for housing justice prioritizes leadership development at all levels, empowering individuals within communities to take on active roles in organizing, advocacy, and decision-making. According to the University of Southern California’s Equity Research Institute, leadership development means “equipping grassroots leaders with the skills, knowledge, and experiences to play a greater role within their movement.” This broader framing is consistent with how housing justice movement actors discussed leadership development.

During the fellowship, Housing Justice Fellows discussed the significance of developing individual leaders to advance the housing justice movement. For instance, when Fellows defined “community power for housing justice,” they consistently mentioned leadership development as core to their work as organizers. Housing justice representatives of national networks of grassroots organizing and base building groups shared similar sentiments, with one representative sharing that “the movement needs strong leaders. We need to build a bench of leaders to motivate and inspire other people.”

Housing Justice Fellows largely discussed tenants' critical role as leaders in the movement, and many of their efforts are centered around identifying and building tenant leaders. Their stories and narratives are critical to a transformative housing justice movement. They also shared different views on how leadership may look in the movement: everybody taking an active role in education and action, someone there to consistently show up and push people, stepping up to do the work. Building these tenant leaders includes providing training, resources, and opportunities for skill-building and leadership cultivation and ensuring that leadership is decentralized and reflects the communities impacted by the issues being addressed. Housing justice organizers redistribute power by increasing the access and opportunity of those most impacted by housing injustice to be leaders and decision-makers for the broader movement.

Base Building and Organizing (Organization)

Base building and organizing are strategies used within movements by organizations to build power, mobilize communities, and create change. According to the University of Southern California’s Equity Research Institute, organizing and base building groups are central to any power building ecosystem because they develop an active and aligned base of leaders and members that can engage decision-makers and keep them accountable.

Base building establishes a strong community foundation by cultivating relationships, developing leadership, and organizing around shared interests and values. All these activities mean engaging with individuals on a personal level, listening to their concerns, and building trust over time. Base building empowers community members to take collective action and advocate for their needs and rights. This includes outreach efforts, community education, and capacity-building activities to strengthen the community’s ability to organize effectively. Organizing means involving people in efforts to change their circumstances by altering the underlying structures, decision-making processes, policies, and priorities that produce inequities.

Organizing aims to build power and influence within communities, institutions, and broader society to address systemic injustices and advance local and national housing justice agendas. The Center for Popular Democracy called organizing “the practice we’re doing to build power.” Its fellows shared that this practice starts by analyzing who has power and who doesn’t in the housing justice movement. For instance, organizing a base of tenants can equalize the balance of power between tenants and landlords.

Housing Justice Fellows and grantees agreed that base building and organizing are core strategies that are used to develop leaders and thus power the housing justice movement. For example, People’s Action Institute discussed base building as a component of organizing, or as “phase one” of an organizing arc. They shared that organizing for housing justice includes strategically mobilizing people around specific housing issues or campaigns to achieve defined goals. It involves coordinating collective action, building coalitions, and leveraging resources to create meaningful change. Housing justice organizing efforts stem from base building initiatives as organizers work to activate and mobilize the community around shared concerns. Mobilization may include activities such as protests, rallies, direct actions, lobbying, and grassroots advocacy.

Coalition and Network Building (Movement)

Movement building involves engaging communities, organizations, and individuals to create coalitions and networks. These coalitions and networks may include people directly impacted by the issues at hand, allies, accomplices, grassroots activists, advocacy organizations, faith groups, labor unions, and more. By building a broad support base, movements can amplify their impact and create a united front for transformational change. Coalitions and networks amplify the power of individuals and organizations because they work together to challenge system inequities.

The University of Southern California Equity Research Institute’s “Power Flower” discusses a power ecosystem, with organizing and base-building organizations centered in the ecosystem but unable to achieve the ecosystem’s goals alone. Organizing and base-building groups are central to the power ecosystem, supported by other actors that provide specific strategies to support the larger ecosystem, such as research and legal support, advocacy, and policy expertise. These organizations draw on a network of individuals, organizations, and programs that support the core operations and sustainability of organizations through funding, technology, capacity building, and organizational development.

For more information on coalition and network-building, read more in the Ecosystems section of the graphic.

Building Materials

The strength of the housing justice movement and its capacity to create change is built by the strategies, capabilities, infrastructure, and ecosystems that its stewards leverage. These are the building materials for housing justice, and each individual, their organizations, and the movement as a whole has the opportunity to leverage any number of these materials in their work. While the subsequent sections on building materials describe each component separately, as well as provide specific examples, here we will describe how they interact to build the movement’s capacity for change.

In community power-building, as in housing justice, we first must understand and define power itself. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. defined power as “nothing but the ability to achieve purpose. It is the strength required to bring about social, political, and economic change.” Historically, power has been exercised by some over others, and we are made to seek our own slice of a seemingly finite power. In community power-building, however, we seek shared power, the ability of the people to come together and move toward transformative change (USDA, 2005). Shared power is expansive; there is enough for everyone. If we understand power to be the ability to bring about change, then capacity is our measure of it.

Bringing this all together, we understand capacity through the following formula:

Consider this: an individual person has a reservoir of capacity within themselves, which is dependent on their energy, knowledge, and skills, to complete a task. They also have their individual ecosystem: loved ones, service providers, and colleagues that they can call on to expand their energy, knowledge, and skills. Together these strategies, capabilities, infrastructure, and ecosystems sustain the capacity of individuals. In the context of the capacity of the housing justice movement as a whole, this reservoir contains not only individuals’ capacity but also the capacity of their organizations and of the entire movement. When these building materials, expressed at the individual, organizational and movement levels are grounded in the foundational values described earlier, the capacity of the movement is exponentially amplified.

Strategies

Strategies refer to the specific sets of actions that the movement undertakes to build and wield power. Existing power-building frameworks discuss and define similar concepts. For instance, the University of Southern California Equity Research Institute’s “Power Flower” discusses multiple organizations working together to deploy multiple strategies in building and wielding power. All the strategies the framework cites happen within a power ecosystem, including organizing, advocacy and grassroots lobbying, alliance and coalition building, campaigns, arts and culture leadership development, movement building, and narrative change.

During the fellowship, Housing Justice Fellows discussed and adapted these broader strategies to the housing justice context to create a new understanding of strategies, both internal and external:

Internal strategies

• Knowledge building to build the base of collective knowledge within the movement, including different types of information and research.
• Strategic planning to move beyond short-term thinking to more long-term planning, including how to secure more long-term sources of funding more consistently. For instance, one Housing Justice Fellow in the evaluation discussed the importance of “being able to strategically think about a long-term vision and have dedicated staff doing the work.” Strategic planning in this context includes thinking about the big questions, moving deliberately, and building a wider theory of change for the movement.
• Healing and restoration work that prioritizes community and breaks down barriers between people. As one organizer shared, “Once people recognize their collectivity and engage in solidarity with others, it becomes much easier to work together toward justice.”
• Evaluation integrated within all aspects of the movement. As one Housing Justice Fellow stated, “Everything worth doing is worth evaluating, from individual meetings to the bigger outcomes of a project. Recognizing this and continually assessing the outcomes and purpose of various power building activities taking place allows for the development of stronger strategies.”

External strategies

• Knowledge sharing to ensure that any knowledge built is transparent and accessible to all movement actors.
• Electoral strategies to advance policy reforms, including electoral engagement, ballot initiatives, and political education.
• Communication strategies that incorporate social and other kinds of media and work to shift narratives around housing through messaging and storytelling. These strategies include providing political education on racial capitalism, the decommodification of housing, social housing, and the larger issues influencing the housing crisis.
• Narrative organizing that specifically fights the dominant narrative of resource scarcity and advances the narrative of housing as a public good. The strength of the scarcity mindset in housing leads to separation between people and perpetuates systems of white supremacy, patriarchy, and racial capitalism not only in individuals but organizations and movements. By turning that narrative on its head and instead focusing on a narrative of redistribution, where resources are shared and spread equitably, housing justice actors can push back on the scarcity narrative and transform history.
• Mobilization work that moves people to take action en masse. One participant in our evaluation discussed a successful digital action on ending corporate control of housing, in which more than 850 people across the country emailed their senator to end corporate control of housing.

Together, the movement employs a combination of internal and external strategies over time to advance the movement’s goals, all while building the movement’s internal capabilities to build and wield their power.

Capabilities

Capabilities refer to the knowledge, skills, and other resources movement actors need to implement power-building and power-wielding strategies within the movement. Existing power-building frameworks discuss and define similar concepts. For instance, the Barsoum power-building framework discusses a power-building ecosystem composed of diverse organizations that each contribute a range of strategic capacities. Those capacities enable organizations in the ecosystem to implement campaigns, strategies, and actions. The framework describes seven overarching capacities that are needed for power-building: organizing, advocacy, civic engagement and electoral, governing, narrative, adaptive, and developmental/support.

In the context of the housing justice movement, organizers possess, cultivate, and share capabilities that allow them to effectively achieve goals and desired outcomes. While capacity in this context refers to the volume and strength of work an organization can do, capabilities refer to the knowledge of the work itself in addition to understanding what resources one has to complete it. Capabilities are used on the individual, organizational, and ecosystem levels. Certain capabilities allow for organizers to execute their tasks effectively whereas others are developed through doing the work. Capability development leads to increased output, desired outcomes, and the opportunity to move the movement closer to its big picture objectives.

Housing Justice Fellows highlighted capabilities that they brought to the movement, that they developed through the movement, and that they still need help in developing. These include internal capabilities, such as leadership development within organizations, and external capabilities, such as narrative building, that allow movement actors to amplify and extend their strategies. For instance, many organizers discussed healing and restoration as a critical internal capability required for leaders within the movement, whereas political education on racial capitalism, decommodification of housing, and social housing were mentioned as core external capabilities.

Housing Justice Fellows spoke about capabilities broadly, identifying that housing justice movement actors need to be able to:

• See, hold, and articulate a vision of the future for the tenants, renters, and others they advocate for. By holding this vision, movement actors can craft language and approaches that are inclusive, expansive, and reflective of the communities they are working within.
• Articulate the issues people actually face. With a lens on issues wider than the average tenant’s concerns, housing justice movement actors can highlight struggles that individuals are experiencing and link them to more systemic issues in line with the movement’s goals.
• Know where the organization they represent lies within the greater ecosystem. This alignment allows movement actors to highlight their strengths to funders and solidify how they can support the ecosystem’s movement toward accomplishing a goal.
• Be culturally relevant, responsive, and resonant. For instance, one organizer spoke about how it is important to “always be celebrating.” She went on to explain that it is a “Black thing” that allows for recognizing folks for the work that they do. This capability affirms the dignity of recognition that is important for those who have been marginalized because of social, economic, or political oppression.
• Bring others along on the journey. This principle also reflects mutuality—that people need each other to survive, thrive, and ultimately flourish.
• Be ready to build relationships. At the heart of the movement is the capability to build meaningful relationships with others on an individual, organizational, and ecosystem level. Those relationships are used to the extent they have cultivated trust.
• Evaluate, reflect, and learn. As one Housing Justice Fellow shared, “Evaluation and reflection, lessons, and learning…are key parts of movement building. One of the key issues is that we don’t learn from our mistakes.”

Infrastructure

Existing power-building frameworks discuss the need for an ecosystem centered on grassroots organizing and base building groups and discuss other actors needed to support organizing and base building organizations. Within the housing justice movement, power-building frameworks must also consider infrastructure–the supports, resources, and structures necessary to facilitate the movement.

For example, ecosystem infrastructure must include a wider set of actors. Core functions of the ecosystem such as base building and grassroots organizing mean reaching out to and bringing in both individuals and the organizations that work with them—and providing them with necessary supports such as support for leadership development, training, and capacity growth. This work is cyclical and ongoing, as leaders come and go. The cyclical nature of this work was mentioned by groups like the Resident Action Project (RAP) as well as Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada.

The housing justice movement also needs to build relational infrastructure. Building the infrastructure for relationships extends the ecosystem of the movement out to other actors who may not play a central role, such as financial actors who have the ability to provide credit for homeownership. It also means including core services that are not just treating the roots of these problems, like generational wealth, but also providing short-term support to ease their symptoms, such as shelter programs and transitional housing. Not all folx will thrive in the same housing situation; “home” looks different for everyone.

Relational infrastructure also connects to other movements as well, such as the fight for more livable wages. The Nevada Housing Justice Alliance discussed how its members are seeing more and more adjacent movements, from behavioral health to child health, include housing as a key issue. Building relational infrastructure also means investing in relationships across a wide range of ecosystem actors. RAP discussed the need to build stronger relationships with political actors so that they are in community more with residents and their issues are top of mind for political actors. The Nevada Housing Justice Alliance discussed bringing in groups that may not be traditional partners and potentially have differing or opposing views on some aspects of the movement, for instance working with development coalitions like the Nevada Housing Coalition.

Finally, for the movement to advance, it must have strong financial infrastructure by bringing in more funding. This work could include more collaboration between 501(c)(4) organizations in the movement and 501(c)(3) nonprofits so that other movement actors can see/know about these connections. Without this financial infrastructure, inherently unequal power dynamics between ecosystem actors exist that will privilege some and prevent true relationship building for others. Strong financial infrastructure also is necessary if the movement can ever combat the power that comes with the capital that industry can bring.

Funding for the housing justice movement has many different uses. For instance, organizations may hire dedicated staff needed to build and strengthen coalitions, moving from more loose affiliations to more formal partnerships. For example, the Nevada Housing Justice Alliance described its ability to hire a dedicated staff member, which led to changes in building more formal partnerships and memoranda of understanding with coalition members. Combining financial, relational, and ecosystem infrastructure builds a stronger housing justice movement and strengthens the ability to implement strategies and capabilities.

Ecosystems

Ecosystems refer to the wider network of actors who work collaboratively with movement leaders to bring new infrastructure and strategies into the movement, as well as to strengthen individual capabilities of movement leaders. The concept of “power ecosystems” or “power-building ecosystems” has recently taken hold within the research community interested in understanding how community power is built and wielded. For instance, the Barsoum power-building framework describes a power-building ecosystem composed of diverse organizations that each contribute a range of strategic capacities.

The Housing Justice Fellows agreed that the housing justice ecosystem required to advance the movement’s goals needs to expand beyond the types of organizations identified in existing power-building frameworks like the Power Flower and Barsoum’s. Grassroots organizing and base building organizations are still central to this refined ecosystem but are supported by a core group of individuals, organizations, and networks that provide movement actors with additional supports. Extending the ecosystem to include a broader range of actors is critical for the housing justice movement to effectively build and wield its power.

Given the essential role that housing plays in the lives of individuals, additional actors that provide short-term housing and shelter support are also required as part of the movement, such as shelter programs, transitional housing, tiny homes, and other supports. Legal and political actors are also a vital part of a more expansive housing justice ecosystem. These can include legislative bodies at the local, state, and national levels; city and municipal governments; legal aid advisors; and lobbyists, who are able to influence the legal and policy environment. Building alliances with these individuals and groups is necessary for the success of electoral strategies that support housing justice across facets of life.

Notably, the housing justice movement ecosystem requires effective collaboration and engagement with a larger set of housing-related actors, including homeowners’ associations, landlords and realtors, housing authorities, and housing developers. As one evaluation participant stated, “Even where there’s a massive federal role, everything really happens at the local level. There’s only so much the feds can do. So much of actualizing housing justice is organizing folx at the local level.”

The interconnectedness of housing with other issues means that this ecosystem also connects to other movements, such as the fight for more livable wages. Building stronger connections and relationships between this broader set of movement actors will in turn build a stronger housing justice ecosystem able to effectively build and wield its power at multiple levels and influence justice in housing and beyond.