Rent strikes are forms of collective direct action, and economic self-determination, undertaken by tenants against landlords, both private and public. Rent strikes can cover a single building, multiple buildings, or an entire neighborhood. They may be launched against a single landlord or multiple landlords. Rent strikes involve the collective [Page 1395]withholding of rent and other fees until specific demands are met by the landlord or landlords in question. Issues at the heart of rent strikes include high rent or rent increases, unsafe or unhealthy housing conditions, failures to do repairs or ­provide essential services, and evictions. Rent strikes often involve broader political considerations such as economic inequality, racism and discrimination, and/or urban planning.

Rent strike organizers often make a distinction between territorial approaches to strikes and ...