Author: Mass Union

Mass Union’s Policy Priorities for Public Housing Day 5.7.25

The Mass Union of Public Housing Tenants respectfully requests our Senators’ support for the following so that we, tenants in public housing, may live with the dignity we deserve.

    • Increase the Public Housing Operating Subsidy, Line Item 7004-9005.

 ASK: $153 million

 Cosponsor and support any amendment that increases this line item. Tenants in state-aided public housing live with mold, rats, bedbugs, broken elevators, sewage problems and more. Massachusetts can and MUST do better. We don’t deserve to live this way. Your help is crucial.

    • Provide more funding for the Access to Counsel Program, Line-item 0321-1800.

 ASK: $5 million

 Cosponsor and support any amendment that increases this line item. Public housing tenants facing eviction need your support. Sometimes, we face eviction because our rent was miscalculated, or we are trying to improve the conditions in our community. Your support for Access to Counsel will provide full representation for those of us who need it most.

    • Support Tenant Voice in Redevelopment.

 ASK: $350,000

 Mass Union is very grateful that the Affordable Homes Act provides protections for tenants undergoing redevelopment with private partners, including requiring that tenants be provided with Technical Assistance to help us navigate complicated deals. These protections are crucial. We are working to find funding sources for Technical Assistance for tenants so we may provide meaningful input into this process. Please stay tuned.

Resident Leader Training Series – Spring 2025

Register below by May 14!
Wednesdays, May 21, 28, June 4, 11
11:00am – 12:30pm
Via Zoom – Link provided after you register

Please join us for our flagship training, the four-part Resident Leader Training Series. This series will focus the core concepts of Mass Union’s network leadership model. Whether you are a seasoned resident leader or new in your leadership journey, join us to learn skills to build and sustain tenant power in your community. The core concepts covered in the training include the following:

    1. Balance of Power
    2. The Big Four
    3. Spaghetti Power
    4. Network Leadership
    5. The Blueprint for Change

We’re Hiring! Organizing & Network Manager

April 23, 2025

The Massachusetts Union of Public Housing Tenants is a union for people who live in public housing. Our board is entirely made up of public housing tenants and our mission is to protect and improve public housing across the state. We are a membership organization, and our members are local tenant organizations across Massachusetts. We provide our member groups and all public housing tenants with support so they can build power in their own communities in order to fix the problems that plague our housing. The impact of our work is to provide greater safety, security and dignity for public housing tenants in Massachusetts. We are a small team with relatively new leadership in place building an organizational culture centered around our eight core values and work/life harmony for staff is a priority. We are looking for people who value both hard work and self-care.

The Organizing and Network Manager position supports local tenant organizations directly and manages the cohort of tenant leaders known as Network Leaders. Network Leaders are tenants of public housing who provide peer support for other tenant leaders in specified geographic areas. This job requires a high level of both interpersonal and administrative skills to build tenant relationships and support the Network Leaders. This position is at the center of a vibrant network of tenants and tenant leaders who are building power to improve their communities.

Primary Responsibilities

  • Collaborate with Network Leaders and staff to support new and existing tenant groups through direct support, tenant meeting facilitation, and any other duties as needed.
  • Manage the cohort of four to six Network Leaders to ensure that the goals are accomplished, such as checking in with each of their assigned groups regularly. facilitating online Roundtables, for their groups, providing outreach regarding Mass Union events and opportunities.
  • Ensure that all Network Leader roles are well coordinated with training, elections, and general duties.
  • Develop and implement templates and other written materials to support tenant elections, meetings, and other functions.
  • Track and report on engagements in Salesforce.
  • Supervise a graduate-level Community Engagement Fellow who will provide support for local tenant elections and other needs as directed.
  • Working closely with the Director of Leadership Development and the ED, ensure that Network Leaders are well-trained and equipped for their work.

Requirements and Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
  • Five+ years of nonprofit experience in organizing, advocacy, or program management
  • Commitment to our mission to build power and voice for marginalized people and communities
  • Ability to work as a highly motivated team player contributing to emerging systems and structures
  • Ability to work independently while valuing self-care and boundaries in order to avoid burnout
  • Strong interpersonal skills to build relationships with diverse, low-income tenants
  • Strong written and verbal communication and administrative skills, and attention to detail
  • Ability to run tenant meetings
  • Prior staff supervision experience a major plus
  • Demonstrated proficiency with all Microsoft applications
  • Prior database experience strongly preferred (Salesforce or other)
  • Bilingual/bicultural a major plus – Spanish, Haitian Creole, Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese or other
  • Ability and willingness to travel within the state of MA

Salary: $75,000
Generous Benefits and Paid Time Off
Hybrid Position based in Dorchester

Please email njones@insourceservices.com with your resume and cover letter. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.

April 30 – Special Advocacy Training – i.e. Public Housing Day Prep Webinar

Wednesday, April 30, 2pm – 3pm Via Zoom

This online session will help tenants prepare for our Public Housing Day on May 7 . We’ll review our plan for the day, our state policy agenda, and talking points. This will ensure that together we can make our voices heard to support fair funding for public housing, Access to Counsel for tenants facing eviction, and protection for tenants undergoing redevelopment. Tenants who register for Public Housing Day will be sent the link for this session as well.

April 16: LTO Business Banking Workshop in Brockton

Wednesday, April 16, 10am – 3pm – Please arrive by 9:30 at the latest
Caffrey Towers, Brockton, MA
Breakfast and Lunch Provided
Spanish Interpretation Provided

Is your Local Tenant Organization (LTO) ready to open up a bank account, secure an EIN, and get up to date on budgeting practices that ensure compliance?  If so, we invite you to join us on Wednesday, April 16th for an in-person workshop at Caffery Towers in Brockton, Ma. In collaboration with our new community partner, JPMorgan Chase, the workshop will provide information on general business banking products and basic budgeting practices. We look forward to hosting you and supporting your LTO.

April 30: MKI Training: Sustainable Strategies for Language Access

9:30am

Duration:

6 hours

 Online

Description

Language Access is a fundamental component of equitable community engagement. To meet the needs of underserved communities, our projects and outreach strategies must be multilingual and culturally welcoming. Language access allows people’s voices to be heard and affirms that their voice does matter. We live in a globalizing and increasingly multilingual world. Our public processes need to be multilingual, too.

Join this interactive webinar series to:

  • Work through sustainable strategies for language access.
  • Talk about bridging from providing access to meaningful multilingual participation.
  • Address the intersection of language and disability justice and examine how communication access benefits everyone and strengthens your public process overall.
  • Strategize on public participation design that is not only linguistically accessible but culturally inclusive.

Session 1: April 30 | 9:30AM-12:30PM

Session 2: May 14 | 9:30AM-12:30PM

Registration deadline

April 16: MKI Webinar: LHA Board Stewardship and Fundamentals of Non-Profit Governance

April 16 (Wednesday)
5 pm – 7 pm
This training will focus on effective Local Housing Authority Boards and Commissions stewardship strategies, meant for and free for all members. Topics will include fundamentals of non-profit governance, building capacity, resilience, and diversity, the roles and responsibilities of board members, and conflict of interest avoidance.

March 27 MKI & EOHLC Webinar: RSC and Supportive Housing Programs

March 27 (Thursday)
10 am – 11:30 am
The Resident Service Coordinator program and the state Self-Sufficiency Program are two grants administered by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) to support residents living in state-aided public housing. Speaker Ann-Elizabeth Young, Livable Public Housing Communities Specialist, will discuss each program’s scope, purpose, and impact in this presentation.

We’re Hiring! Social Media & Operations Intern

Applications Due May 12, 2025

Start Date: June 2, 2025

Duration: June 2 – July 31, with possibility to extend into August

Hours: 12/week (two 6-hour days, flexible schedule)

Location: In-Person in Dorchester (near Ashmont Station)

Pay: $18/hr

 

Areas of focus: Civic engagement, archive management, housing advocacy

The Massachusetts Union of Public Housing Tenants is a nonprofit run by tenants for tenants. We are union of Local Tenant Organizations and our mission is to preserve and improve public housing across the state. Mass Union believes that those most impacted by a problem should play a leading role in solving it. We are led by tenants who live the problems of public housing 24/7. We provide training, technical assistance, and direct support for individual tenants and Local Tenant Organizations so that tenants have a seat and speak with one voice at decision-making tables.

POSITION SUMMARY

Mass Union is looking for an intern to support our operations, including event management, leadership development, social media, and record maintenance. The ideal candidate is one who is passionate about social justice and wants to work in a grassroots environment. The intern will have many opportunities to build relationships with tenants and other leaders in the housing justice field, learn about the formation of tenant unions, and get involved in important policy advocacy in Massachusetts.

We are seeking a team player with strong detail orientation and commitment to our mission. Experience with Microsoft OneDrive and Salesforce is preferred but not required. Candidates must be able to lift 20lbs.

DUTIES

  • Manage and expand social media presence
  • Support event planning, including the Convention, with registrations, outreach, and other efforts TBD
  • Help organize and improve the office space
  • Other operations duties as needed
  • Participate in trainings, committee meetings, and other activities to gain exposure to the field
  • Provide support with policy or organizing, as time allows, per the interest of the intern

Please email our Operations Manager Lilith Dyke at lilith@massunion.org with your resume and short cover letter attached.

Mass Union Signs Letter to Stop Elon Musk and DOGE from Gutting HUD

As we know, HUD is the federal agency dedicated to addressing our most pressing housing, community development and homelessness challenges and serves millions of renters, homeowners, and people experiencing homelessness.

Attempts by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to terminate at least half of all HUD employees, if successful, would be DISASTROUS for our communities.

Mass Union has signed a national letter to stop this. Read the full letter here, which will be finalized on March 11, 2025.