On October 11th, while canvassing with tenants at Evergreen Ridge Apartments in Asheville, Jen Hampton - Asheville Area Tenant Union's Lead Organizer - had her car set on fire and destroyed. She was there to organize with tenants who have raised concerns about mold and other serious issues in the building.

At earlier canvasses, a maintenance worker verbally threatened Jen and other canvassers. That same maintenance worker appeared to take photos of Jen's vehicle. He was also seen near the car on October 11th, the day it was set on fire.

AATU is raising funds to support safety and recovery for our organizers who risk harm while defending tenants’ rights. The first recipient will be our organizer whose car was destroyed in a recent attack related to tenant advocacy. Please consider donating to help make Jen whole during this trying time.

If you believe that tenants should be able to advocate for what they need without facing retaliation and intimidation, please consider a recurring donation to support the Asheville Area Tenants Union's work. As this situation develops, we may also need resources to ensure tenants’ safety - i.e. for emergency temporary relocation, changing locks, etc. Recurring donations mean that AATU can stay in this fight for as long as we need to make sure everyone is safe.

Tenants need guarantees, now more than ever, that their organizing will not be met with retaliation. Please sign this petition to demand that the Evergreen Ridge landlord commit, in writing, to a policy of non-retaliation toward tenant organizing.