FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
UPDATE 12/2020: Another victory for HTU! Thanks to the support of tenant unionists in Houston and around the country, we were able to build a pressure campaign to force the landlord to return to Tammy the full amount of the deposit that was stolen from her. This campaign presented unique challenges (as they all do), but we were able to succeed thanks to everyone's hard work and Tammy's determination to get justice for herself. Of the campaign, Tammy said, "It has been a very long time since I felt supported and backed like I did today and I was truly humbled and blessed." In HTU, we believe deeply in the transformative power of shared struggle.
ONALASKA, Texas - At 1:30 PM this afternoon, a group of tenants traveled to the shores of Lake Livingston to challenge another landlord for deposit theft during this pandemic. Tenant Unionists from Houston and the local area joined forces with Tammy to pay a visit to the deposit thief, right to her doorstep.
Tammy paid a security deposit to a landlord for a home in good faith that she never ended up signing a lease for or moved into, and now the landlord is refusing to give it back. Deposit theft is a growing problem for tenants, as landlords dishonestly withhold this money for exorbitant charges, renovations for wear-and-tear damage the tenant is not responsible for, and in this case, a deposit supposedly for a lease that was never signed. Tammy is owed back the entirety of her deposit, and is demanding the amount the landlord is liable for, three times the portion of the deposit wrongfully withheld, and a public apology. The landlord must meet Tammy’s demands immediately or face further action by October 28th.
This landlord claimed to Tammy to be a “good hearted and upstanding member of the Christian community” and “otherwise a woman of integrity”, and one who was “willing to help and work with those who are forthcoming and honest”. Tammy has certainly been forthcoming and honest, and the time is now for this landlord to put their money where her mouth is, and pay her back what she is owed.
Deposit thieves such as this landlord believe they can steal deposits and hide out in their lakefront properties 90 miles north of Houston, but you can’t hide from the power of a union! Please stay tuned for more updates about this campaign and how you can support Tammy as she challenges this deposit thief!
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