Tenant Engagement and Resources

Tenant Engagement

Tenant Engagement
NLIHC has a deep history of engaging low-income tenants and residents of subsidized housing to inform and advance our policy priorities. NLIHC's Board of Directors includes six positions set aside for people with very low incomes, and additional avenues for engagement have been created through the years.
As NLIHC continues to expand its work with tenant engagement, we encourage tenant leaders to view the content in the tabs above to learn more about the work.
Membership
Tenants and tenant-based organizations are encouraged to become an NLIHC member. Members support the production of publications like Tenant Talk and other NLIHC resources. NLIHC members also have the opportunity to participate in a strong network, to support strategic advocacy for NLIHC’s policy priorities, and to be publicly identified with the affordable housing movement on the national level.
A Note about Lived Experience
According to a recent study, lived experience is “representation and understanding of an individual’s human experiences, choices, and options and how those factors influence one’s perception of knowledge.”

In the context of the work NLIHC does, a person with lived and living experiences facing housing injustices is an individual who has directly dealt with or is still dealing with unfair housing problems, such as homelessness, eviction, unsafe housing, or discrimination. At NLIHC, our policy priorities mainly impact tenants and residents the most - which is why you will often see us use those terms - though our work impacts all people with lived and living experiences.
Tenant Talk

Tenant Talk
Tenant Talk connects tenants with the housing policy issues affecting their lives. This semiannual publication was created to engage low-income people in housing advocacy. Tenant Talk covers issues of importance to low-income residents, like tenant protections, the budget and appropriations process, fair housing, disaster housing recovery, and so much more! 
Read Tenant Talk
Join the Tenant Talk Facebook Group
Tenant Talk Live

Tenant Talk Live
NLIHC’s "Tenant Talk Live" meeting serves as an opportunity for tenants to connect with NLIHC and one another, learn how to be more involved in influencing federal housing policies, and to share best practices on how to lead in their communities. Topics include tenant protections, tenant organizing best practices, HUD programs for low-income tenants, and more!
Email [email protected] to be added to the "Tenant Talk Live" email list for updates.
Register for "Tenant Talk Live" View past calls
The Collective
The Collective
The Collective is a dedicated group of tenant and community leaders with lived experience of housing insecurity who work to advance housing and racial justice in their communities. The Collective collaborates with NLIHC to inform policy priorities so that they best reflect the needs of low-income renters. The inaugural Collective cohort was launched in 2022 and comprised advocates and community leaders from across the country who had been engaged in NLIHC’s work in various capacities for several years. After years of working closely with NLIHC, they expressed a need for a group of dedicated people with lived experience of housing instability and homelessness who are also engaged in advocacy on the local, state, and federal levels. The inaugural cohort created a new chapter in NLIHC’s history and a new lane of tenant organizing and advocacy.

Since the inaugural Collective, each cohort has been made up of individuals with unique perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences that have shaped the overall experience of every Collective member. However, each cohort is connected through a shared goal of advocating for housing justice and tenants’ rights.

Each Collective cohort participates in a Tenant Leader Retreat where members focus on building community with one another and NLIHC staff, addressing racial trauma and healing, and learning from each other’s experiences and work toward housing justice. Throughout their time in the cohort, Collective members will work closely with NLIHC staff and each other to engage in leadership development opportunities, advance their advocacy skills, and continue to build a community within the cohort.
Find some of the work of past cohorts below.
Applications for The Collective open during the summer, and we encourage you to consider joining this inspiring group of community leaders!
Apply for The Collective Today!
The 2026 application cycle for Cohort 5 of The Collective is now open. Applications close on August 17.
Together, we can create lasting change for low-income renters.
Click here to apply!
View the Application Guide
Tenant Session at NLIHC Forum

Tenant Session at NLIHC's Annual Housing Policy Forum
Since 2013, NLIHC’s annual Housing Policy Forum in March has offered a special session for low-income tenants before the start of the Housing Policy Forum, known as the Tenant Session.

During the Tenant Session, tenant leaders lead discussions and speak with key decision makers and experts in the affordable housing field, tenant advocacy and engagement space, and the Administration. Guest speakers are invited to spotlight their work, share what is being done to address the shortage of affordable homes on the federal level, and to provide feedback on how current policies in place are affecting real people.

Email [email protected] to learn more about how to sign up for the next Tenant Session.
Resources
Resources
Direct Assistance
- NLIHC frequently receives calls and emails from individuals seeking housing assistance. Since we do not provide direct services and do not have knowledge of local service providers in specific communities, we are not best equipped to assist people with these requests. Instead, we offer resources and information here.
Tenant Engagement and Other Resources