This handbook outlines Madison Tenant Power’s strategy, tactics, and organizational philosophy. The guide offers tips for organizing with your neighbors. We developed material for the Power and Strategy Handbook at the 2023 Open House Assembly. Our handbook is open, evolving, and founded in community. 

Our Principles

1. Led by working-class tenants

2. Organize as tenants, fight to end landlord power

3. Build tenant power through collective action

4. Treat each other like neighbors, not strangers

5. Tenant struggles connect to all struggles

Madison Tenant Power is a grassroots, volunteer-run tenant union founded in 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. We’re neighbors organizing together to fight for safe, affordable housing and to dream bigger: a future without landlords. We believe housing is a human right. We build our power through collective action, mutual support, and standing up for each other.

Housing should be a human right, but now it operates as a commodity. Tenants’ access to housing is held hostage by landlords, whose control over housing is backed by the state, enshrined by lawmakers, and enforced by police. Only the power of a united and self-organized collective of tenants can bring lasting improvements in our dignity and quality of life by dismantling the landlord class.

We're proudly non-hierarchical, intersectional, and driven by the creativity, energy, and leadership of working-class tenants. “Tenant” defines anyone who is not in control of their own housing, including renters, children, mortgage-payers, the houseless, residents in care homes, and the incarcerated.  Come build something better with us!

History

  Madison used to have a powerful tenant union called Madison Tenant Union (MTU), which operated from 1969 to 1985. Madison Tenant Union adopted a labor-union model of organizing, organizing tenants into unions that would engage in collective bargaining using a variety of tactics including rent strikes to fight for tenants’ rights. The union was a non-profit; the landlord lobby ultimately successfully dismantled the union by attacking its funding sources.

  Madison used to have tenant protections that protected renters from displacement. But, state-wide preemption laws passed in 2011 have deeply limited tenants’ legal rights in Madison.

Now

  With an increase in high-rise development and suburban sprawl, as well as rapidly increasing population density, renters today experience more competition and more requirements for lease applications. Our climate is changing: fewer snow days, hotter summers, underproducing crops. F-35 fighter jets fly directly over Madison, creating heavy noise pollution, especially impacting low-income renters and homeowners. Communities across Wisconsin are directly impacted by PFAS contamination and no longer have access to clean water.

  The rental market is saturated with emotionally disconnected out-of-state mega-developers. Renters are being priced out of their homes and communities. Civil court (eviction court) is a factory dedicated to churning dozens of families through the system daily. Thousands face homelessness each year. Tenants – and especially women, children, and Black renters – are being evicted, sometimes from unsafe, disgusting conditions.

Future

  In the immediate future, we envision the repeal of the state-level ban on rent control and other pro-tenant legislative measures, so that we can implement rent control measures and strong tenant protections that will lower rental prices and protect against rent profiteering (this is extortion). There will be no more state intervention in local landlord-tenant issues.

• Housing will be free and good quality because it is a human right and a necessity.

• We imagine a world of good social, affordable housing in a walkable neighborhood: no need to use a car for daily activities. Our neighborhoods will be safe for kids and for single moms.

• We will build a resilient community of tenants who know each other and work together, creating closely connected communities who feel empowered to enforce their rights.

• We will coordinate cross-sector organization to support workers and working families: labor organizing, neighborhood organizing, tenant organizing.

• We will build bridges between various zones of struggle, connecting housing justice to black liberation, abolition, women’s liberation, queer liberation, and reproductive justice. 

• We fight for a future where tenants will have control over their own spaces, increasing their power through collective bargaining.

• Every renter building in Madison will be represented by a tenant union. 

With larger networks of self-organized tenant unions, we can protect tenants against non-renewal and displacement for discriminatory or retaliatory reasons.

Tenant Organizing 101

  What is a tenant union?

When individual tenants square off against a landlord, they are at an extreme disadvantage. Tenants have historically lacked the political and economic clout to defend their rights. Tenants’ power lies in the ability of tenants to organize. Our first goal in organizing is to build tenant unions as solid foundations of support which will ultimately be willing to act together (and rent strike when necessary).

Tenant associations may be the most effective way for tenants to improve housing conditions and stop a pattern of illegal landlord activity. The best, longest lasting, and most sustainable tenant association is one focused on a shared issue or grievance. 

How to Form a Tenant Association

Step One: Getting Ready. Research tenant rights, your property, landlord, and property management company. Find someone in the building interested in helping -- someone you trust who is as fed up as you are. Especially include long-term tenants. No one can form a union alone.

Step Two: Talking to Your Neighbors. Knock on doors or set up a table in a common area to talk to your neighbors in your building. Ask your neighbors about the issues they face as renters; spend more time listening to their problems than discussing your own. Collect your neighbors' contact information. 

Step Three: Staying Connected. Set up a system for tenants to stay in communication such as a WhatsApp group or Google Group. Use the channel to promote meetings, discuss building issues, and get to know each other. Pick a time and place to meet up and discuss building-wide issues. Designate roles: facilitator, notetaker, someone to make an agenda; childcare, etc.

Step Four: Taking Action. Try some escalating pressure: send a collective demand letter, visit the landlord’s office or house, etc. Connecting with other TAs in your neighborhood or city can be helpful in fighting for one common goal!

Other Things You Can Organize With Your Neighbors

1. Potluck or Community Cookout

2. Movie Night

3. Scrapbook Workshop

4. Neighborhood Clean-Up + Celebration

5. Game Night

6. Mutual Aid Skill Swap

7. Walking Tour / History Walk

8. Open Mic or Talent Show

9. Tenant Olympics

10. Photo Day

11. Grocery or Package Delivery

12. Phone Tree / Emergency Support 

Repairs

If you’re having an issue with something in your apartment, the first step is to contact the landlord in writing via email or letter. Doing so creates a paper trail that you may need to reference later, phone calls don’t establish a clear record.

How to file a complaint in Madison city limits:

1. Make a list of things that need to be fixed

2. Contact your landlord in writing. Communicate via letter or email, and always send a follow-up letter or email if you speak in person or over the phone

3. Keep a log of communication with your landlord, note the date, time, who you spoke with, and what you requested.

4. If the landlord does not make repairs, set a new deadline in writing. Tell them you will take further action if the repairs are not made.

5. If the landlord still doesn’t make repairs, call the building inspector (608.266.4551). Building inspection can require your landlord to do non-cosmetic repairs.

Rent Abatement

If your landlord is refusing to make repairs on certain aspects of your apartment, you may be eligible for abatement, which allows you to reduce your rent depending on what is broken. An official from the city will determine if you’re eligible for abatement and let you know how much you can reduce from your rent until the repairs are made.

Repair and Deduct

If eligible for abatement, you can hire to repair the damage yourself and deduct the cost from your rent. Must give landlord notice and opportunity to address the issue.

No Retaliation

If a landlord evicts, raises rent, or chooses to not renew the lease because their tenant made these official complaints, that is considered Retaliation, which is illegal by state law. If they take any of these actions within 6 months of a building complaint, it will be presumed to be retaliation. The tenant will have grounds to sue, and the landlord will have to demonstrate to the court that they had some other reason besides the tenant’s actions.

Security Deposit

To make sure you get back your full deposit, contact someone from the front office to do a walkthrough of your unit with you before you move out. Have them point out everything that they would charge you for – and record the conversation discreetly if you’re comfortable doing so (it is legal in Wisconsin). Send them receipts for any cleaning/repair services you use to address their concerns, and take pictures of your unit to confirm that you addressed their concerns. Check whether they charge for anything on the move-in checklist. If they charge you for anything they said they wouldn’t, that you fixed, or that was included in your move-in checklist, you can take them to small claims court.

Break Your Lease

You can break your lease with no liability in three different ways:

(1) if the lease has illegal clauses that render it void, if the tenant is a survivor of domestic abuse, you/the primary breadwinner of your household is being deployed in the military, or the landlord has violated the “warranty of habitability.”

(2)  if tenant and landlord reach a mutual agreement.

(3) Tenant leaves but is liable for rent for as long as it takes to fill the unit. Landlord must mitigate this by putting in “normal effort” to fill the unit.

Know Your Rights

Wisconsin law entitles you to:

The name and address, in writing, of anyone who will collect rent or manage your home (ATCP 134.04(1))

Timely repairs and heat that is at least 67 degrees (ATCP 134.04(2)(b)2)

A returned security deposit within 21 days after the end of your previous lease (ACTP 134.06(2))

A cure notice to prevent eviction before an eviction notice, for most leases and lease infractions (month-to-month leases may be exempt) (Wis. stat. Sec 704.17)

Wisconsin law protects you from:

No “self-help eviction”, where a landlord may attempt to force you out of your home illegally by doing things like changing locks, disconnecting utilities, or harassing you or other tenants (ATCP 134.09(7))

A landlord cannot enter your home without any advance notice, except for in cases where entry is necessary for safety or a major repair (example: a dishwasher is flooding your apartment while you are not home). ATCP 134.09(2) requires 12 hours notice, but some nonstandard leases may specify a certain amount of time. (Wis. stat. Sec. 704.05(2))

No “retaliatory eviction,” so no landlord shall terminate a tenancy or constructively evict a tenant because the tenant has:  Reported a violation; Joined or attempted to organize a tenant's union or association; or Asserted, or attempted to assert any right specifically accorded to tenants under state or local law.

Talk to Your Neighbors

Build relationships with potential allies to understand their housing concerns and develop a plan for taking action. Strong connections make people more likely to help each other. 

• Rule of thumb: you should be 80% Listening and 20% Talking

• A great way to get someone to open up is to open up yourself. What’s important to you?

• Ask follow up questions. Repeat back what you hear, and if you don't get it, ask! 

1. Start with Connection. Briefly introduce yourself and Madison Tenant Power. Share that we're a group of tenants building collective strength to take on slumlords and fight for housing justice.

2. Listen Deeply. Ask open-ended questions to learn about their housing situation. What’s their relationship with their landlord like? What’s working—and what’s not? 

3. Name the Injustice. Help them connect their personal struggles to a larger pattern. It’s not just them—it’s the system. Be clear that it’s not their fault, and they’re not alone. Working together is how we win.

4. Share the Bigger Picture. Talk about MTP’s mission to work together to shift the balance of power away from landlords and toward the people. Explain how organizing can lead to real change.

5. Make a Plan to Win. Discuss potential actions that the person could take to address their concerns, either individually or collectively with other tenants. 

6. Get a Commitment. Invite them to take a step: come to a meeting or sign a petition. Be honest about the risks—but also the power and solidarity that come with showing up together.

Your First Meeting

Pick a time and place:

• Choose a location that's easy and comfortable for tenants: lobby, courtyard, nearby park, community room, or even a Zoom call if needed.

Invite personally:

• Knock on doors, text neighbors, post flyers.

• Personal conversations work better than just posting signs — people show up when asked directly!

Prepare basic materials:

• Sign-in sheet (get names, phone numbers, emails)

• Agenda (simple, like 3-4 discussion points)

• Notepad or flipchart

• Snacks (optional but builds trust!)

First Meeting Sample Agenda

1. Welcome and introductions (10 min)

2. Why we’re here (5 min)

3. What’s wrong in the building? (20 min)

4. Finding common ground (10 min)

5. What can we do next? (10 min)

6. Set a date for next meeting (5 min)

After: Send a message thanking them, recap what was discussed, remind them of the next action.

Keep momentum! Set the next meeting right away.

Start a group chat if possible (text thread, WhatsApp, Signal).

Share leadership! Ask others to help — “Who wants to make flyers for the next meeting?" or "Who can help talk to neighbors on the second floor?"

Tenant Problem-Solving

• Identify the Problem and Why It Matters. What’s the problem? Is it something people care about? Is it important enough that people will take action?

• Define the Solution. How do you want the problem resolved? What is your clear, winnable demand?

• Know the Power Structure. Who can solve your problem? Who has final decision-making power? Can you get to them directly?

• Map Your People. Who’s on your side? Who are your allies? Who is causing the problem? Who are your obstacles or enemies? Who is directly affected? Are there others outside your building or neighborhood who should care?

• Make a Plan. What’s your strategy? What actions will involve those most affected? How will you bring the problem to management’s attention? How will you apply pressure—and escalate if they say no?

• Set a Timetable. When will each part of the plan happen?

• Choose Your Tactics. What exactly will you do? Tactics should be creative and fun, be achievable, involve many people, include different roles, and show unity.

Tactics should start out “small,” something that is familiar and comfortable to workers, and then build in a level of commitment, difficulty, and impact.

Examples: Petitions; delivering them as a groupl Meeting with management as a group; Group grievances; Button or sticker day; Informational picket; Rallies.

Escalation Tactics

1. Persuasive emails

2. “Walk-down” or walkthrough - conduct community walkthroughs and report hazardous building conditions

3. Demand letters

4. Phone, email, and postcard zaps to landlord’s office

5. Flyering/postering

6. “Slow-down” - delays in payment, communication, or services to economically impact landlord or destabilize management

7. Picketing

8. Mass walk-in to landlord’s office (to present demands)

9. Media campaign exposing abuses

10. Press conference

11. Banner drop

12. Online review engine blitz (Google Reviews, Rate My Landlord, WYL, Apartment Ratings, Open Igloo, Rate The Landlord, Rent Zed) 

13. Report to government agencies 

14. Report to alders, council-people

15. Blockades

16. Agitational pro-tenant graffiti

17. Tenant documentation of all landlord interactions

18. Building-wide teach-ins for how to more effectively contend with the landlord

19. Pressure landlord’s civic/social connections

20. Court support or accompaniment - giving you the emotional support / credibility necessary to fight

21. Raise legal funds (esp. for court fees or repairs)

22. Rent withholding / rent strike

23. Lease-breaking

24. Mass action lawsuit