“Rather than renter, we use the expansive term tenant. The concept harkens back to landlords’ feudal title, which makes their power clear. It also refuses the dehumanizing division that ejects unhoused people from our analyses as soon as they are pushed from their homes. A tenant is more than a renter. A tenant is anyone who doesn’t control their housing, who inhabits but doesn’t own. Like the word tent, the origin of the word tenant is from the Latin tenere, which means ‘to hold’ or ‘to have.’ Tenants hold space but are vulnerable to having it taken away.”

–Abolish Rent: How Tenants Can End the Housing Crisis (Rosenthal, Vilchis, 2024) 

Prickly Pear Housing Alliance formed in early 2025 to address the concerns of all tenants in Helena.

Who: Renters, Homeowners, Unhoused, not landlords or property managers. 
What: A tenants union is a way to build collective power to protect those who are vulnerable to losing their living space. 
Why: Emancipate tenants from the exploitation of commodified housing.

We have a resource list with links to local, state and nationwide tenant information including the MLSA’s Montana Eviction Intervention Program and MontPIRG’s Tenant Landlord Guide.

Some of our short-term goals include; 

• Help with moves. (cleaning and moving furniture, possible building inspections before move-in)
• Ask-a-lawyer event. (planned for July)
• Equipment Library for frequently needed items. (Rug Doctor, mini-blinds in common sizes, dry-wall repair items) 

Long-Term goals;

• Security deposit reimbursement.
• Application fee reimbursement for those who do not qualify for the newly enacted HB 311 which requires the refund of rental application fees in some circumstances.
• Right to counsel for eviction proceedings.

Join us at our next meeting Monday July 7th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Lewis and Clark Library.

We’re meeting to share stories in solidarity and trade ideas for strengthening housing rights for everyone. Please feel free to email us at pricklypearha@gmail.com