Right to Counsel in Housing Court - and more

On Monday, Sept. 26, 2016, the New York City Council will consider a bill that could make New York City the first city in the nation to guarantee the right to legal counsel to tenants who are up to 200% of the poverty line and facing eviction in housing court - and in doing so, take a giant step to address the crisis of homelessness in our City.    Be part of history and join the Right to Counsel Campaign on 

Monday, September 26th, at 9:30am 

at New York City Hall Steps 

for a press conference 

in support of  intro 214-A

followed by 

City Council hearings 

on this historic piece of legislation

and sign the petition to Mayor de Blasio.

Events in our neighborhood this week

Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016 - Primary day for STATE elections. There is a primary for Assembly Member:  Daniel O'Donnell vs. Steven Appel.  There is no primary for State Senator.  (Our State Senator remains Bill Perkins.)  To know who represents you, click here.

Wed., Sept. 14, 2016 - Participatory Budgeting for City Council money in our district.  Council Member Mark Levine is holding an assembly to discuss what you want his discretionary funds spent on.  6:30 PM at the Bloomingdale Library, 150 W. 100th St. between Columbus and Amsterdam.

Thurs., Sept. 15, 2016 - Met Council on Housing's meeting at Goddard Riverside, 593 Columbus Ave. at 88th Street at 6:30 PM. 

Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016 - 

• Our neighbors at Park West Village are holding their annual Flea Market behind 372 Central Park West (97th St.) from 11 AM to 4 PM. 
• the Hosteling International youth hostel on Amsterdam at 103rd St. is initiating its Peace Garden with its plaque honoring the 3 slain civil rights workers, Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner, at 2 PM.

No Air Conditioning during the Heat Wave? Cool off in our Community Room

BEAT THE HEAT!   Cool off in our air conditioned Community Room 

between 11:30 AM and 3:30 PM on 

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Sunday, July 24, 2016, and

Monday, July 25, 2016

with our neighbor Pat Jordan. 

Happy 4th of July!

Tenant Manny Vega wins commission for Tito Puente memorial in E. Harlem

                                                                                                        Congratulations to tenant Manny Vega who has just won the commission to do the memorial for Tito Puente in East Harlem!

Tenants won another rent freeze from the Rent Guidelines Board!

Through the hard work of the Rent Justice Coalition, members of the Rent Guidelines Board (now all having been appointed by Mayor de Blasio), paid close attention to actual mathematical facts and issued their order for rent stabilized leases renewed any time from Oct. 1, 2016 through Sept. 30, 2017:

•      1-year renewal: NO INCREASE!
•       2-year renewal: 2% increase.     

These apply to garage leases as well.

Free Market tenants have no rent increase protection and should contact the Tenant Association about whether it might be possible to get their apartment back into rent regulation.

Sad News: Elena Cotinescu has died

We mourn the loss of our friend and neighbor

ELENA COTINESCU

Ms. Cotinescu, a translator and artist, died at the age of 91 on June 28, 2016.

We offer our condolences to her niece Corina Hudson and her nephew Michael Cremene.

The funeral will be on Friday, July 1, 2016 , with a

gathering at 10 AM.

at the Edward Jamie Funeral Chapel

162-14 Sanford Avenue, Flushing, NY 11358

and

leaving for the cemetery for a service there at 11 AM.venue