ACORN International affiliates share an approach to taking back what is ours. We share key principles:
Always organize the unorganized, strive for self-sufficiency, coordinated autonomy between local groups,issues as vehicles for building power, taking action to secure wins, and the organization belongs to its members.
ACORN Affiliates are Organizing on Five Continents.
Support our members’ work for community power and systemic change by donating online today!
Beat The Heat
Global Day of Action on July 15th
As extreme heat becomes one of the deadliest consequences of climate change, ACORN and its affiliates around the world are organizing to protect workers, tenants, and communities. On July 15, organizations across world will take part in the Beat the Heat Global Day of Action, demanding safe housing, worker protections, access to cooling and public services, and climate solutions led by the people most affected. From tenant campaigns in Canada and France to worker organizing in India, Cameroon, and the United States, communities are proving that collective action can win real protections against rising temperatures.
Learn more about the campaign and the actions taking place around the world on our Beat the Heat page.
The 2026 Organizers’ Forum is heading to Spain — with stops in Barcelona, Bilbao, and Bayonne, France!
Next September, organizers from around the world will gather in Barcelona, Bilbao, and Bayonne to learn from some of Europe’s most inspiring movements.
Together, we’ll explore grassroots democracy, cultural identity, and collective action — including a visit to the renowned Mondragon Cooperatives.
Across India and around the world, communities are resisting the Adani Group’s record of land grabs, environmental destruction, and political favoritism. From the stalled U.S. fraud case to massive displacement threats in places like Dharavi, Adani’s influence continues to grow despite mounting scrutiny. Our page tracks the global fight for accountability, transparency, and the rights of communities standing up to one of the world’s most powerful conglomerates.
Recent Wins
June, 23 2026
Tenants Beat the Heat in Lyon
Members of Locataires Ensemble in Lyon have won a major victory for climate justice and tenant power. During France’s recent heatwave, tenants transformed an overheating high-rise into a giant public protest, hanging banners and homemade sunshades from apartments that lacked basic heat protections, while members simultaneously occupied the offices of the building’s property management agency. The actions forced the landlord to negotiate and resulted in a €1 million commitment to install exterior blinds, sunshades, and ceiling fans, demonstrating that when tenants organize together, they can win real protections against extreme heat.
June 18, 2026
Living Rent and Firefighters Win Fight to Save Marionville Fire Station
Members of Living Rent and the Fire Brigades Union have secured a major victory after successfully stopping the planned closure of Marionville Fire Station in Edinburgh. The campaign brought together tenants, firefighters, elected officials, and community members who argued that closing the station would put growing neighborhoods at greater risk as wildfire threats and other climate-related emergencies increase. While campaigners celebrate saving the station from immediate closure, they are continuing to push for long-term investment to refurbish or rebuild the facility and ensure communities have the emergency services they need to stay safe.
MAY 1, 2025
Tenants Win Historic Renters’ Rights Reform in England
After more than a decade of organizing, tenants across England have secured the biggest expansion of renters’ rights in a generation with the passage of the Renters’ Rights Act. The victory follows years of collective action by tenant unions and housing campaigners who fought evictions, challenged rogue landlords, and pressured local and national governments to strengthen protections for renters. As the new law comes into force, millions of tenants will gain greater security in their homes, demonstrating once again that when tenants organize together, they can win lasting change.
APRIL 27, 2026
Philadelphia Land Stewards Union Launches with Strong Community Support
More than 100 community members packed the Hartranft Community Center for the official launch of the Philadelphia Land Stewards Union, a new ACORN USA affiliate organizing for community control of land and neighborhood development. Following the ACORN model of member-led organizing, the group signed up 30 new members at the launch and is building a campaign for city recognition, greater transparency from the Land Bank, and policies that prioritize longtime residents over outside developers. After decades of caring for vacant lots without a voice in what happens to them, Philadelphia’s land stewards are coming together to ensure their communities have a seat at the table.
APRIL 10, 2026
Tenants in New Westminster Win Canada’s First Maximum Heat Bylaw
After years of organizing, ACORN members in New Westminster have secured a groundbreaking victory for tenants and climate justice. The city has become the first in Canada to adopt a maximum indoor heat bylaw, making it a landlord’s responsibility to ensure at least one room in every rental unit remains below 26°C overnight during extreme heat. The win builds on earlier victories protecting tenants’ right to install air conditioners and represents a major step forward in recognizing safe indoor temperatures as a basic housing right. As heat waves become more frequent, ACORN members are using this victory to push for similar protections in cities across Canada.
January 16, 2026
Gig Workers Win Rollback of Dangerous 10-Minute Delivery Model in India
A major victory has been won by members of the Gig Workers Association (GiGWA) as delivery platforms in India have rolled back the controversial 10-minute delivery model. Workers argued that the extreme delivery targets created dangerous pressure on riders, encouraged unsafe behavior on the roads, and enabled exploitative pay practices that prioritized speed over worker safety. Building on this win, gig workers are now organizing for a permanent mechanism for dialogue between workers, platforms, and government authorities, while continuing to demand fair pay, transparent incentives, safe working conditions, and an end to app-driven pressures that force excessively long workdays. The victory shows the growing power of organized gig workers to reshape the industry and put safety before profit.
ACORN’s model is simple: local, member-based, democratic organizations that operate like a union for their members. By forming our own community unions, we build our own power.
How do you build a union for your community? ACORN organizers use our proven approach:
1. People to people
Learn about neighborhood issues through door knocking
Sign up members who pay dues
Invite them to a launch meeting
2. Launch meeting
Discuss common issues
Focus on a winnable campaign
Plan direct action (those affected solve problems themselves)
Elect motivated leaders
3. Campaign
Support leaders in taking charge
Carry out the campaign
Review results together
4. Take action until victory
5. Choose next issue while expanding
For ACORN, winning issues builds lasting power
ACORN is multi-issue
Single-issue groups fade after winning/losing
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