what we do
the vast majority of students at UT Austin live off-campus. they may arrive for the start of the fall semester to find out that their promised apartment remains unfinished. or they might have a landlord who refuses to address mold. or they need SMART housing but have to live for months without a window.
these seemingly individual experiences are unfortunately common in the student housing surrounding UT.
while securing housing is always stressful, students are a uniquely vulnerable demographic. while proximity to our schools are a pillar for academic and holistic well-being, we lack resources and knowledge to self-advocate, and what institutional knowledge we develop over our college years is cycled out every four years upon graduation. developers are often cognizant of this imbalance and exploit this opportunity through misleading promotions and expectations that students sign leases up to 10 months before move-in.
dreamed up by a group of students who see decent housing as a human right that is critical to the holistic development of students, the UT tenants' union came together as a cross-disciplinary collaboration that seeks to advocate across the university and city at-large. we provide the infrastructure to respond to a changing city and demand better conditions for its residents. the union sets up a structure that lasts far beyond any of our individual graduation dates.
we've banned windowless bedrooms city-wide and are building on the community established by what was formerly UT for Housing Transparency. it takes many, diverse choices to create change, and we see the union structure with deep, horizontal leadership representing a vast range of disciplines as our most effective tool for longevity and collective bargaining power. two-tiered membership means that our members can tailor their involvement based on their interest and capacity.
members join in solidarity with the union to have a place to turn to should they ever need the support. organizers join to actively advocate for and amplify student voices to make city and university-wide changes.
our goals are simple: we intend to address property level issues that student tenants face with collective bargaining power and a legal aid network, and we will organize to make broader policy changes at the city and university level using our multidisciplinary, city-wide network. we welcome all living in West Campus, including our co-ops and students from nearby institutions.
we're excited by the momentum we've generated and are committed to nurturing a community of students who want more from their neighborhood.