On February 5th, Denver Metro Tenants Union's Cedar Run unit was raided by ICE and other federal agencies. Eight households had loved ones detained. One family had their door smashed down, followed by a flashbang. A mother was zip-tied and dragged off in front of her children. Tenant members were taken from their cars as they prepared to go to work and appointments. Two members, Jonathan and Ceasar, remain in detention. Denver Metro Tenants Union has committed to supporting legal expenses through bail and bond hearings at a minimum. We made this commitment even though we do not have the funds.

We made a decision to have faith in our community.

Our union members are at the front lines of the struggle to protect Coloradans through state and local legislation. While the Federal Trade Commission is being gutted, it is Cedar Run tenants with Denver Metro Tenants Union leading the fight to protect Colorado Consumers through a bill that would eliminate junk fees. We are facilitating work at the state and municipal level to ensure that slum conditions never again place a target on the backs of renters.

Denver Metro Tenants Union is stepping up, even as we are being targeted.

This critical work, and these attacks on our community, come as Denver Metro Tenants Union works to scale up in our first year with paid staff. Here, too, we need your support. For most of 2023 and all of 2024, our two staff worked without salary. Today, we face at least two months of staff furlough and an extremely thin budget for our field organizers as resources fail to match necessity at a crucial moment.

We commit that any amounts raised will go first and foremost towards legal representation for Jonathan and Ceasar. We anticipate that this will cost at least $4,000. We have already paid a retainer for Luis. Any support we receive above that will support our staff, reducing the duration of our furlough and allowing us to sustain this work.

Your contributions are tax-deductible. When you contribute, you will receive a receipt by email and our EIN (see below)

If you prefer to contribute by check, please alert our Director, Eida Altman, at eida.altman@denvertenants.org and use the mailing address below. Likewise, please contact Eida directly if you would like to discuss our work and our current needs in greater detail.

Thank you!

COLORADO TENANT ALLIANCE FUND (DBA DENVER METRO TENANTS UNION)

7830 W ALAMEDA AV STE103-162 BOX162

LAKEWOOD, CO 80226

EIN: 99-1617563