Summary of the Nov. 13, 2019 meeting / Newsletter

Announcement:  Free Taiji ("tai chi") classes are starting on December 6th in our Community Room on Friday mornings.  9 AM for advanced beginners, and 10:15 AM for beginners.  This is thanks Sol Magzamen, a volunteer with Bloomingdale Aging in Place.  All tenants welcome - but please email CPGTenAssoc@gmail.com if you're interested.  Sol wants to email all prospective participants.

Climate is in the air (and the soil and the water and . . . .)  

JOIN OUR FREE 

FRIDAY MORNING 

TAIJI (Tai Chi) CLASSES

Rubbo [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]

9-10 AM - Advanced Beginner

10:15-11:15 AM - Beginner

in the Community Room

taught by Sol Magzamen, a volunteer with  Bloomingdale Aging in Place.

If you’re interested, 

please email CPGTenAssoc@gmail.com.

Nov. 13: NYC's new Climate Mobilization Act and Us.

On Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Hear Council Member MARK LEVINE 

on the new law, and ask your questions!

In April, the NYC Council passed the Climate Mobilization Act, capping emissions from buildings over 25,000 square feet.  It sets fines if landlords miss targets. BUT much of  it doesn't apply to buildings with rent regulated tenants. 

Learn how it affects us - and what else we can do to make our homes more energy efficient. 

8 PM - Nov. 13, 2019

in the Community Room.

Bring a neighbor!

(If you don't live in the building, please RSVP to 
CPGTenAssoc@gmail.com.)

Save the date: Wed., Nov. 13th - our next General Tenant Meeting

Summary of the Sept. 18, 2019 Meeting and Newsletter

The General Tenants Meeting began with a moment of silence for neighbors we have lost since the last meeting, including Na'ava Ades, Richard Jordan, Carlos Martinez, and Ana Soto. 

Since there was only a single candidate for the opening on our tenant association's executive committee, we acclaimed Andrew Dubin a new member. 

Building issues:

Food waste collection:  If you leave your food waste in a plastic bag (except for compostable bags that you buy), it can't be easily composted. So please dump the contents of your plastic bag into the brown compost bin, and put the empty plastic bag in the small (non-compost) bin next to it. Then close both bins to prevent bugs.

©Susan Susman October 4, 2019

The elevators continue to be a mess.  Please report all problems on a requisition slip at the front desk so there's a written record.

The garage has been filled to way over its legal 114-car capacity.  The NYC Depart of Consumer Affairs issued a violation, and the tenant association contacted ICON.  As a result, the situation has improved. If you see overcrowding again, file a 311 complaint and send the complaint number to CPGTenAssoc@gmail.com.

Tenant movement issues:

• The Right to Counsel NYC is holding a "People's Tribunal on Evictions" to highlight those most affected - and who benefit most from the right to free legal counsel in housing court.  Stellar apparently is the largest evicter in Manhattan.  Tenants under certain incomes in certain zip codes are eligible for free legal counsel, and the organization wants to expand both the zip codes and the income levels. 

• Housing Justice for All (the coalition that brought us the new rent laws, with the help of the "No IDC NYC" group that changed the State Senate), is launching its 2020 campaign on Wed., Oct. 16 at 6 PM at Washington Irving High School, 60 Irving Place (near Union Square).  We're a member, so you are invited.  If you'd like to participate in HJ4A's weekly phone calls, contact CPGTenAssoc@gmail.com.

The New Rent Law - Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act (HSTPA) of 2019. 

Talk about knowing what there is to know!   Legal Aid Attorney Ellen Davidson gave a wonderfully clear presentation based on these slides that she printed out and distributed.  

Some things are answerable. (Click on "read more" for the well-presented Park West Village Tenant Association summary of the new law and more.) Ellen was recently awarded the NY County Lawyers Association’s Public Service Award for her work on this new tenant bill.

She explained that while the State Legislature passed the statute that the governor signed into law, there are two other sources of law:  the administrative agency (NYS Homes and Community Renewal) that enacts regulations to interpret the statute, and court decisions, all yet to come.  Tenants in Housing Justice for All (HJ4A) are working with DHCR (part of NYS HCR) to draft the regulations.

Tonight - Sept. 18 - Know your rights under the new rent law

DHCR posts new lease rider and new rent law summary

The New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), which oversees the rent laws, has posted  on its website: 

THE NEW LEASE RIDER FOR RENT STABILIZED TENANTS.

So far, Stellar has been renewing stabilized leases using the OLD rent rider.  The new one will be binding since that goes along with the 2019 changes in the rent laws.  This rider also shows how market tenants trying to get back into rent stabilization can calculate what their stabilized rents would be.

WHEN THE RIDER MUST BE INCLUDED IN LEASES (By Oct. 24, 2019)

DHCR SUMMARY OF THE NEW RENT LAW