35 VTU members and guests attended our general meeting on July 10th at Trout Lake (John Hendry Park). Here is a summarized version of the minutes.

Item 1 - Territorial Acknowledgement & Community Agreements

Item 2 - Group Discussion: How do we prioritize what buildings to organize? 

• Review of discussion guide from Los Angeles Tenants Union (LATU)
  
  
• Breakout groups and report back. Key takeaways:
  
  
  • Chapters should work together to identify priority buildings based on their capacity
    
    
  • Focusing on one building at a time might be best for chapters
    
    
  • It can take time and multiple investigations in order to determine if tenants want to "fight" - vast majority will not immediately be ready
    
    
  • Organizing in single family homes - where many renters live, can be a challenge based on our structure-based organizing approach. But there are models of building neighbourhood power if a group of member or chapter identifies a single-family home renting situation as a key fight that should be prioritized

Item 3 - Steering Committee Updates

• Steering Committee Vacancy:
  
  Statement from member and motion:
  
  BE IT RESOLVED THAT VTU general membership acclaim Rebecca L. to the Steering Committee
  
  Motion Passes Unanimously
  
  
• Update from Treasurer on the City of Vancouver Renters Services Grant
  
  • After many months of negotiations, the City of Vancouver refused to remove conditions imposed on VTU as a condition of the grant. 
    
    
  • As per a motion that passed at our May 2021 General Meeting, membership empowered Steering to reject the grant.
    
    
  • Motion from the floor:
    
    BE IT RESOLVED THAT VTU General Membership never pursues or accepts money from the City of Vancouver
    
    Motion does not pass: 10 in favour; 4 opposed; 16 abstentions 

Item 4 - Neighbourhood chapter updates

• West End:
  • Presentation + Discussion on a chapter budget
    
    
  • Motion:
    
    BE IT RESOLVED THAT VTU allocates $3,993 for the West End chapter and approve the budget associated with this number
    
    
  • Motion passes unanimously

Item 5 - Open floor for announcements

• First United Church is starting a BC-wide eviction survey and mapping project
• Mount Pleasant neighbours are having a block party on Saturday July 23rd. 133 East 7th Ave. It’s from 2-9pm.

Meeting Adjourned

Live minutes are recorded at each GM and condensed for the website. For more detailed minutes any member may contact us: [email protected]