Last night, I found myself in a discussion about our local civic association. I don't have much contact with my civic association, because I am a renter, not a homeowner, and therefore do not receive the newsletter. I had asked someone about that at a civic association meeting one time, and she said that all new homeowners receive a welcome basket with information about neighborhood organizations, etc. I don't expect a welcome basket for signing a year-long lease on a shitty apartment with leaky ceilings, but the more I think about it, the more angry I get. Sure, a lot of renters are transient, but a lot of us love our neighborhoods but can't afford to buy a home there. And a lot of people rent their whole lives (I certainly can't see myself affording to buy a home anytime soon). Do they just not exist to their local civic associations? Does every neighborhood work like this?

I know it might not be an intentional, but it kind of feels like class discrimination to me. I have lived in my apartment for two years. I have not made a six-digit investment in the neighborhood, but I live and breathe there. I care about safety, I care about lighting and cleanliness and recycling and all that. There are lots of renters in my neighborhood who probably care about that stuff too, but don't know where to go to voice their concerns. I would think that welcoming and embracing renters into the neighborhood is a positive for everybody. I know there was a time in my life where I tried to live off the grid and under the radar. At the time, I liked to think of myself as completely independent with no one to report to and no one to look out for, but I wonder if someone had reached out to me, would I have felt some connection to the community? Would I have felt some obligation to take care of my neighborhood? Maybe I wasn't ready then. But I am ready now, and I know I am not the only renter in this city full of renters who cares about my surroundings. Homeowners, take note. We're your neighbors, too.