This bill, the Tenants' Right to Organize Act, protects the right of low-income tenants receiving federal rental assistance to form and operate independent tenant organizations. The legislation applies to two major federal housing programs: the Housing Choice Voucher program and the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. Tenants gain explicit rights to distribute information, hold meetings, contact other residents, and speak to media and elected officials about housing issues, while landlords and housing agencies are prohibited from interfering with organizing activities or retaliating against participating tenants. The bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development to establish enforcement procedures within one year and submit quarterly reports to Congress, and it authorizes unspecified funding for these enforcement efforts plus a minimum of $1 million through an interagency agreement for tenant outreach and training programs. Additionally, the legislation mandates that resident councils receive at least $40 per unit annually, adjusted for inflation, to support tenant participation activities.
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