THIS WED., March 27: Council Member Mark Levine at our General Tenants Meeting

What's the NYC Council working on to help save our stores? our homes? 

This Wednesday, March 27, 2019

hear and talk with 

Council Member Mark Levine - who spearheaded the tenants' Right to Counsel law

at our

General Tenants Meeting

8 PM in the Community Room

Bring a friend and a neighbor.

Market-Rate Tenants have new chance to slash your rents

New court decisions mean you might be able to slash your rent and get back into rent stabilization

Some things have changed that could make it easier for you to get your apartment back into rent stabilization - even if it's been market-rate for over 4 years.  

What it means for you:

• Rent that may be 1/3 or less of what you're paying now.
• You can keep rents low for the rest of your life - or as long as you live here.
• You'd have the right to choose a 2-year renewal lease.
• Family members living with you could take over the rent stabilized lease if you leave. 
• You could challenge a loss of services without fearing retribution. 

What are the changes? 

Summary of Tenant Meeting with Ellen Davidson - Jan. 24, 2019

We began with a moment of silence for Ada Marie Wattley and Jacob Brockington.

Photo by Jodi Brockington (c) 2019

Thanks to members of the board and executive committee who have served us long and well but decided not to run this year :  Na'ava Ades, who was  on our legal committee, executive committee, and board for many years; Maria Acevedo, who was our treasurer, a floor captain, and then a board member for decades; Debbie Gonzalez, who is continuing as a fund-raiser and pot luck planner; and Wassie Ayalew, who was a member of our board. 

Congratulations to our new board and executive committee members!  Click here to see the names. 

There is more on building issues below. 

What we can expect from Albany

Photo by Jodi Brockington, (c) 2019

Ellen Davidson spoke. As a Legal Aid Staff Attorney and as a board member of Tenants and Neighbors, she has recently been in several meetings with leading State Senators and Assembly Members concerning tenant bills.  These include applying rent laws statewide and to all tenants, and closing loopholes that give landlords an incentive and a means to oust rent regulated tenants.  Tenants and tenants organizations both upstate and downstate are united in the Upstate Downstate Housing Alliance, with a single Housing Justice for All platform.

Because the Governor has presented his budget and has until March 31st to get it passed,  tenant advocates want to wait until early April to get these bills moving. (The bills have no financial consequences for the state and don't belong in the budget.) The rent laws expire on June 14, 2019, and will be renewed.  Ellen is cautiously optimistic about the bills described below since the Democrats have a big majority (39 to 24) in the Senate and in the Assembly. (No party has had such a big majority in the Senate since 1948.)  

Ellen urged tenants to go up to Albany on one of the Tuesday buses.  With every possible lobbying group on other issues going up every week, we have to make our voices heard!  Contact Andrea Shapiro at andrea@metcouncilonhousing.org to sign up.  

TONIGHT: Vote, and hear about what we can expect from Albany

• How will Albany strengthen tenant protections when the rent laws expire this year?

• Will market tenants get some protection? 

• Will we be stuck with huge Major Capital Improvement increases?

8 PM  - Vote for our tenant association's board and officers - as long as you've paid your $10 dues this year (you can pay at the meeting), and then 

8:15 PM  - Hear Legal Aid Staff Attorney Ellen Davidson of the Tenants and Neighbors' Board on what we can expect from Albany.  State Senator Brian Benjamin will also be there to comment and get your suggestions.  Sign onto our petition in support of Housing Justice for All. 

Policies Matter, People Matter, Elections Matter. Vote on Thursday and hear about Albany!

• How will Albany strengthen tenant protections when the rent laws expire this year?

• Will market tenants get some protection? 

• Will we be stuck with huge Major Capital Improvement increases?

8 PM  - Vote for our tenant association's board and officers - as long as you've paid your $10 dues this year, and then 

8:15 PM  - Hear Legal Aid Staff Attorney Ellen Davidson of the Tenants and Neighbors' Board on what we can expect from Albany.  State Senator Brian Benjamin will also be there to comment and get our suggestions.  Sign onto our petition in support of Housing Justice for All. 

Sad News: Ada Marie Wattley

The Central Park Gardens Tenants' Association mourns the loss of our neighbor

ADA  MARIE  WATTLEY 

who died on January 18, 2019 after a long illness.

We extend our condolences to her husband Alfred and the rest of their family.  

The funeral service will be on 

Wednesday, January 23, 2019 

at noon at the Unity Funeral Home

2352 Eighth Avenue. 

We have a new email address!

Pixabay.com

Our tenant association has a new email address:

CPG Ten Assoc [at sign] gmail  [dot] com

[don't type the spaces or the stuff in brackets]

Every member of the association's executive committee can see it and respond to your questions.  Please add it to your address book!