Tenants Organized and Won – Free ACs for Every Tenant at 1170 Upper Wellington

Tenants at 1170 Upper Wellington Street have achieved a remarkable organizing victory. Shoutout to Anna, a long-term ACORN member from the Mountain Chapter, for her leadership in bringing tenants together in her townhome complex and helping drive this win.

Tenants successfully secured free air conditioning units for all 55 apartments, fully paid for and professionally installed by the landlord through collective organizing.

This outcome was prompted by a capital repair project in which new windows and doors were installed in the townhome complex during the summer months of 2025. During that work, existing tenant-owned window air conditioners were removed.  This management oversight left all tenants without adequate cooling during the height of the summer. 

In response, tenants organized together with ACORN, formed a tenant union and brought ther issues to the management, DMS property management. Initially, tenants were told they would need to purchase their own portable air conditioners and wait for reimbursement or accept rent credits. For many residents particularly those on fixed or subsidized incomes this was not a workable or fair solution.

The tenant union pushed back and won a meeting with the management staff. Following continued tenant pressure, the management ultimately agreed to a complex-wide solution ensuring the following;

• One free air conditioning unit for every unit in the complex.
• No upfront costs to tenants
• Professional installation provided by the landlord
• Equal treatment for all residents

Tenants at 1170 Upper Wellington even won a follow-up on-site meeting with management staff and the capital project team to resolve ongoing issues like proper notice of entry and outstanding work-orders in every unit.

Tenants are collectively organizing and pushing for changes that would improve living conditions for all tenants.