Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Tenant Meeting Tonight - Wed., March 13, 2024

Come hear about

The NYC Department of Sanitation on 

  • Why should we do it? 
  • What does the Department of Sanitation do with our compost matter? 
  • How should we do it? 

Bloomingdale Aging in Place - a volunteer community group

  • what activities?
  • who can volunteer?
  • what can you can help with?
→  Tenant bills contact Governor Hochul as the NYS budget gets finalized. MESSAGE:  I urge you to support "good cause," social housing, and vouchers, and veto any "vacancy reset."

Make sure she supports

  • "Good cause eviction" (guaranteed lease renewals for market-rate tenants at no more than 3% increase - or a percentage of inflation - unless good cause is shown)
  • Social housing agency to build more Mitchell-Lama type developments
  • State housing vouchers for poor people
and opposes the very bad "vacancy reset" bill.  That bill, S.6352/A.6772  would let landlords set the stabilized rents of vacant apartments that had been occupied for 10 years of more at the "fair market rent" - which could more than double the rent.  That would 
  • make rent stabilized apartments much less affordable 
  • put a target on the back of long-term rent-stabilized tenants, as landlords would have a reason to get rid of them.
This bill could be a Trojan horse: even if this bill itself doesn't pass, it could lead to a "compromise" bill so landlords could get higher increases when the renovate an apartment. (Right now the increases are capped at $83.)


Saturday, March 9, 2024

A day at the museum with Manny Vega

Ten tenants joined our neighbor, Artist-in-Residence Manny Vega for a tour of his Byzantine BembĂ© exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York.  With a sense of humor, an even greater sense of community, and lot of wisdom and joy, Manny shared his art with us. 

Click here for a few photos from the day.   (If you took photos or videos, please send them along and I'll add them to the album.)

We knew we were in the right place when we saw a model of Manny's head (by his mentor John Ahearn) at the entrance to the exhibit.  Then we followed Manny from one work to another as he talked about how his art came to be chosen by the museum, and about the community (both ours and East Harlem) that it reflects.  

The Museum of the City of New York reached out to him and loved his apartment. So they invited him to be artist-in-residence (the museum's first!) and to design the exhibit, with an emphasis on East Harlem.  Manny painted the space the color of his apartment walls, and organized some of his art to reflect the Latin and Afro jazz he loves - and that played in the exhibit as he spoke.  Some of the works showed how he learned different techniques: He showed us an acid etched piece he did, influenced by Goya, of the death of a member of the Young Lords. We saw quick portraits he painted of people who passed by his park bench, and beautiful, large detailed line drawings that reminded some of detailed wood or lino prints and recorded members of a Barrio band, including the lead dancer, Julia, and a male band member dancing on a drum, barefoot. 


Posters for East Harlem dances he had made as a community contribution showed the energy and music of the events.  And one wall was covered in pieces reflecting his Brazilian/African spiritual focus, with African and other deities,  each piece inspiring him to create the next.  

When he won a contest to do the artwork for the subway station at 103rd and Lexington Avenue, his work was put onto tile by Peter Columbo. That person rebuffed Manny's request to learn how to do that, so he went and bought tiles and taught himself techniques from the 4th century.  He became known for his tile work, now evidenced by the Tito Puente memorial that will be on the northeast corner of Central Park and 110th Street - a model of which is at the Museum.  



Some neighbors stayed for his 1 pm art workshop:  he wants everyone to see his art and want to create their own.  And he's promised to do a workshop in the building!

Many thanks to Manny himself for sharing his life and art with us with wonderful stories, and to Pat Jordan for organizing the event for our members. 

And join us at this Wednesday's meeting, "Good to Know!" in the Community Room at 8.  We'll share coffee, tea, cake, fruit and other goodies, chat, and talk with someone from Bloomingdale Aging in Place (for all ages), the NYC Department of Sanitation, and the local NY Public Library (Bloomingdale branch). 

Friday, March 8, 2024

Lots of goings-on!

 Join our wonderful activities!

  • Saturday, March 9, 2024 - Tour Artist-in-Residence Manny Vega's exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York with our neighbor Manny Vega!  Meet in the lobby at 11 a.m. and go over to the Museum for a noon tour.   This is for tenant association members only (but you can pay your annual $10 membership fee when you come). 

  • Tuesday, March 12, 2024 - ShapeUp NYC is beginning a weekly class at 6 p.m. in the Community Room.  All neighbors welcome!

  • Wednesday, March 13, 2024 - Good to Know!   Come chat with your neighbors over coffee, tea, cake and fruit, and hear and ask questions of representatives of the local public library, Bloomingdale Aging in Place (for all ages!), and the NYC Department of Sanitation.  Learn why we collect food scraps and what happens to them - and why it's so hard to open and close those bins.  8 p.m. in the Community Room.   Masks suggested.   





Monday, February 19, 2024

Tour Manny Vega's exhibit with Manny on March 9 at Noon!

Our own Manny Vega is the very first Artist-in-Residence at the Museum of the City of New York.  He has offered to give
a private tour to members* 
of our tenant association on 

Saturday, March 9, 2024 at noon.


Contact Patricia Jordan to sign up!

If you're not yet a member of our tenant association, pay your $10 (annual) dues to Denis Hayward in 7K or Steve Koulish in 12C. 

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

(Pre-) Valentine's Day Fundraiser - This Saturday, Noon to 6 PM in the lobby

THIS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10th

Noon - 6 PM

 

LOBBY:   COME TO OUR PRE-

 



INFORMATION TABLE  &  FUNDRAISER

and SIGN A POSTCARD TO THE GOVERNOR!

 

Pick up some information

Sign a card to the governor to help all NY tenants

Get some sweets for your Sweetie  and

Show your love for the tenant association!




Friday, January 26, 2024

Summary of the Jan. 17, 2024 Tenant Meeting


We began with a moment of silence for Marichu Ras, who passed away on January 12th.

Announcements
  • If Stellar is coming after you - for example about paying the rent - please contact the tenant association right away.  Time matters, and there's nothing to be embarrassed about.  Everyone needs help sometimes. 
  • Valentine's Day Fundraiser on Sat., February 10th in the lobby, 12 to 6 PM.  You can pay your annual dues ($10) and the legal fund contribution if you can afford it, and pick up some sweets for your sweetie.
  • Winners of the "We Want to Hear From You!" contest:  Ayana Dixon announced the winners:  Linda Greenman, Ellen Zacarolli and Abraham Irwin (a commercial tenant).
  • Logo contest:  Can you draw? paint? use a computer to design?  Design our Central Park Gardens Tenants' Association logo - for use on flyers and enlarged on a banner!  Deadline: Feb. 28, 2024. 
  • Community Board 7 positions open. Apply now!  Deadline: Feb. 23rd at 5 PM.  

CLICK ON "READ MORE" FOR THE BULK OF THE SUMMARY. 

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Tenant Meeting this Wed., Jan. 17th: Socialize, learn, and share



Come at 
7:30 PM for the coffee, tea, cake, and fruit, and stay for the 
8 PM meeting!
At Wednesday's tenant meeting we'll talk about 
  • candidates to replace our current Assembly Member Danny O'Donnell
  • changes in the law for 2024 that affect YOU
  • what laws we still need to get passed, and
  • building issues.
Bring your questions and your suggestions. 

In the Community Room just behind the doorman's desk in the lobby.