Summer Book Club: The Tenant Class August 15
Calling all book lovers and tenants of West Broadway!
West Broadway Community Organization is excited to announce a Summer Book Club. We will be reading Ricardo Tranjan’s The Tenant Class which breaks down pervasive myths about renters, mom-and-pop landlords and housing affordability.
This three-part event will be hosted in the park by Broadway Neighbourhood Centre (185 Young St). It will take place on Thursday, July 15, August 15 and August 29 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Bring a blanket or chair, receive a free copy of the book and enjoy light snacks.
Book club schedule
Thursday, July 15:
-Group introductions and thoughts on the tenant class
-Discussion on The Tenant Class introduction
Thursday, August 15:
-Chapter 1: Tenants, a Social Class
-Chapter 2: Myths about the Tenant Class
-Chapter 3: But What about the Landlords
Thursday, August 15:
Chapter 4: A History of Struggle
Chapter 5: Tenant Organizing Today
Chapter 6: Pick a Side
Participants will receive their copy of The Tenant Class at the book club. Email [email protected] for your starter package or just show up! All are welcome. If you miss one, you are still welcome to attend.
The Tenant Class
By Ricardo Tranjan
"In this trailblazing manifesto, political economist Ricardo Tranjan places tenants and landlords on either side of the class divide that splits North American society.
What if there is no housing crisis, but instead a housing market working exactly as intended? What if rent hikes and eviction notices aren’t the work of the invisible hand of the market, but of a parasitic elite systematically funneling wealth away from working-class families? With clarity and precision, Tranjan breaks down pervasive myths about renters, mom-and-pop landlords, and housing affordability. In a society where home ownership is seen as the most important hallmark of a successful life, Tranjan refuses to absolve the landlords and governments that reap massive profits from the status quo.
The tenant class must face powerful systems of disinformation and exploitation to secure decent homes and fair rent. Drawing upon a long, inspiring history of collective action in Canada, Tranjan argues that organized tenants have the power to fight back."
-Published by Between the Lines, a social movement press founded in 1977.
Ricardo Tranjan is a political economist and senior researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Previously, Tranjan managed Toronto’s Poverty Reduction Strategy and taught at universities in Ontario and Quebec. His early academic work focused on economic development and participatory democracy in Brazil, his native country. His current research is on the political economy of social policy in Canada. Ricardo holds a PhD from the University of Waterloo, where he was a Vanier Scholar. A frequent media commentator in English and French, he lives in Ottawa.
