What is GATO?

GATO is a tenant union project started by Austin community members who want to build tenant power in our city.

Our vision is to support tenant struggles across the whole city, and to connect these struggles into a unified movement that can stand up to the landlords and developers. Whereas landlords and developers are only interested in making Austin a profit-generating business, we want Austin to be a thriving and healthy community for all working people.

Why do we need tenant unions?

Landlords make decisions about our homes and communities — you get no say.

Think of all the ways landlords needlessly control our lives. They can randomly restrict the way we decorate our homes. They can start charging new monthly fees. You should have a say in how your living space operates.

Landlords don’t change unless you build enough pressure with neighbors to force them.

One person complaining about a policy does nothing. If the landlord has been neglecting repairs for everyone, one more individual complaint won’t change their behavior. If you make demands collectively, you can win!

Landlords already exert their power easily. Rents keep rising.  How do the 55% of Austinites who are tenants fight back?

Landlords and developers have their trade associations to lobby for favorable laws, and we see the resulting gentrification in Austin. We need to have our own spaces where we can learn about the housing landscape and build power together so we can shape our city to what we want.

We are the community that makes Austin worth living in! We have a right to shape how this community evolves!

Click here to learn more about GATO.