The Eviction Solidarity Network (ESN) is a group of local nonprofits supported by volunteers and anchored by BASTA (Building and Strengthening Tenant Action/Buscando Acción y Solidaridad Que Transforme el Arrendamiento). 

The idea for ESN was born in 2019, when tenants at Fairway Village, now known as Riverside Townhomes, started receiving eviction notices while the complex was undergoing renovations. Riverside wanted to push out “problematic” tenants who had endured years living in subpar conditions.

Outraged, the tenants association, supported by BASTA, launched the “Remodel, Not Removal Campaign” to stay in their homes. As part of this campaign, they worked to turn out tenants and allies to the eviction hearings, showing the judge that many people in the community were deeply concerned about what was happening and would not just stand idly by while their neighbors were being unjustly displaced. After two tenants won their cases with packed courtrooms, the owners dropped the remaining cases.

Hoping to build upon, and replicate, the success of this campaign, BASTA convened Austin Tenants Council and DSA- Austin to form the “Eviction Solidarity Network.” Later on, Austin Justice Coalition (AJC), Texas Housers, Austin Women in Housing, and Planning Our Communities (POC) joined as partner organizations. The original idea was that these organizations would work together to turn people out to eviction hearings in Travis County, track eviction cases across all five JPs and provide tenants with information about resources available to assist them throughout the eviction process.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, ESN jumped into action and met regularly to discuss the changing eviction moratorium landscape and rental assistance resources. When courts re-opened briefly during the pandemic, volunteers tracked court cases virtually. Additionally, during the pandemic over 100 ESN volunteers flyered over 30,000 homes to provide tenants rights resources.    

The ESN website also hosted Know Your Rights materials and a resource guide providing information about legal resources and rental assistance programs, created by BASTA.

While these eviction protections have since been lifted, ESN continues its work. Today, the Eviction Solidarity Network hosts call clinics to reach out to tenants with active eviction cases across Travis County to share information about the eviction process, possible eviction defenses, and available community resources, including free and low-cost legal aid. Volunteers also disseminate tenants rights information at properties and show up to support tenants at court proceedings. This ESN website is also updated with Know Your Rights materials from BASTA and other partners to help tenants at risk of eviction find valuable information in one place.