Happy Holidays!

The Central Park Gardens Tenants' Association wishes you

HAPPY - AND SAFE - HOLIDAYS!

Freepik

Let's hope 2021 is a better year for all of us!

Come to our Zoom tenant meeting this Wednesday at 8 PM

GENERAL TENANTS MEETING

THIS WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9, 2020 at 8 PM

Michael McKee, a leader of TenantsPAC

will speak on the effects of the federal and state elections on the Albany budget and on us as tenants and as citizens of NY.

  

We'll also go over some building issues. 

Join our Zoom Meeting from the comfort of your own home. 

To join the Zoom meeting on Wed., Dec. 9th at 8 PM, click on this link.

Or you can call in from your telephone: 929-205-6099.

Enter the meeting ID: 890 9568 2850 and the 

Passcode: 671978  

One tap mobile
+19292056099,,89095682850#,,,,,,0#,,671978# US (New York)

If you're calling from outside NYC, find your local number to call in: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kSxhuzLgT .

Dec. 5/6 - 15th Annual West Side Tenant Conference

This weekend:  Join the Annual West Side Tenant Conference on Zoom - and listen to a mayoral candidates debate.  (Sue will be a panelist in the "Landlord Tactics" presentation at 11 on Saturday.)

Tenants Meeting - Wed., Dec. 9 at 8 PM by zoom or phone

GENERAL TENANTS MEETING

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9, 2020 at 8 PM

Michael McKee, a leader of TenantsPAC

will speak on the effects of the federal and state elections on the Albany budget and on us as tenants and as citizens of NY.

  

We'll also go over some building issues. 

Join our Zoom Meeting from the comfort of your own home. 

To join the Zoom meeting on Wed., Dec. 9th at 8 PM, click on this link.

Or you can call in from your telephone: 929-205-6099.

Enter the meeting ID: 890 9568 2850 and the 

Passcode: 671978  

One tap mobile
+19292056099,,89095682850#,,,,,,0#,,671978# US (New York)

If you're calling from outside NYC, find your local number to call in: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kSxhuzLgT .

Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!

Good "End Warehousing" rally - with photos

There are some 60,000 homeless people in New York City shelters, many of those people working families.  There are some 70,000 vacant rent-regulated apartments.   What's wrong with this picture?!  Stellar is warehousing 7 vacant rent-stabilized apartments in this building alone - refusing to offer them for rent even as it offers bonuses to tenants who refer applicants to market-rate apartments. 

The BrooklynPaper reports, 

Ever since the state legislature passed a package of tenant-friendly bills in Albany last year, real estate bigwigs have been keeping more units empty in the hopes that politicians will undo some of those laws, and the consequences could be lethal for the unhoused facing down the pandemic without shelter, according to Manhattan Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal.

“People who are homeless will get sick and they have nowhere to go, this spells death for them and their families,” the Big Apple lawmaker said at the protest last week. “What [landlords] hope — although this won’t happen — is that we will roll back some of these tenant protections and they will once again be able to increase the rent and be able to take apartments out of rent regulation.”

So we had a rally on Wednesday. It was a companion to the larger End Warehousing Coalition rally in Brooklyn that same day.  Here are some great photos. Thanks to Laura Koulish,John Rodriguez, and Frank Leonardo for their photos, and to State Senator Brian Benjamin, whose aide Neil Douglass Reilly can be seen in the bottom-most photo on the left. 

General Tenants Meeting - Dec. 9, 2020 at 8 PM by Zoom

​

CENTRAL PARK GARDENS TENANTS' ASSOCIATION 

ON-LINE MEETING

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9, 2020 at 8 PM

Michael McKee, a leader of TenantsPAC​,​

will speak on the effects of the federal and state elections on the Albany budget and on us as tenants and as citizens of NY.

  

We'll also go over some building issues. 

Join our Zoom Meeting from the comfort of your own home. 

If you're not on our tenant association email list, please contact CPGTenAssoc  @gmail.  com to get a link to the Zoom meeting.

Rally to End "Warehousing" of vacant stabilized apartments

Despite the crisis of homelessness and the pandemic and all the anticipated evictions, many landlords are refusing to rent out vacant rent stabilized apartments.  Partly it's to pressure the State legislature to rescind the tenant protections that prevent owners from making huge profits by deregulating apartments or claiming false improvements, and partly it's to wait for adjoining units to become vacant so the two can be combined for a new unit with a new rent. 

Whatever the reasons, it's unconscionable at this time.  

Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal has proposed a bill to end this practice, and City Council bills are pending.  

So while the End Warehousing Coalition is having a rally in Brooklyn on WED., NOV. 18 - we're having a companion rally (masked and socially-distanced of course) in front of our building that same day at 4 pm.  Join us.

Wear a mask in the hallways and in the elevator - covering your nose and mouth

The Centers for Disease Control says that wearing a mas protects you, not only those around you. 

 

Wear a Mask to Protect Yourself and Others

·       Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth to help protect others in case you’re infected with COVID-19 but don’t have symptoms, and to protect you from breathing in virus particles in the air.

·       Wear a mask in public settings when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when it may be difficult for you to stay six feet apart, and in the elevator even if you’re alone: the previous passenger could have been infected.

Wear a mask correctly for maximum protection:

•     Do cover your nose as well as your mouth.  You don't want unfiltered air with virus particles coming into your nose.  And you don't want your breath coming out without filtering it: you could be infected with COVID and accidentally infect others.  (You’ll get enough oxygen:  Surgeons often wear masks for 8 hours at a stretch while doing delicate work requiring a lot of focus and energy.  They don't lack oxygen. )

•    Don’t put the mask around your neck or up on your forehead.

•       Don’t touch the mask, and, if you do, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer to disinfect​.

Biden and Harris won, and . . .

Federal Election

NY State elections: 

Our representatives, State Senator Brian Benjamin and Assembly Member Daniel O'Donnell, both won re-election. 

Otherwise, the State Senate remains Democratic (although apparently not with a supermajority that would override vetoes), and the State Assembly remains Democratic with a supermajority.  Absentee ballots are still being counted. 

Samar Khurshid: The state of play in the state senate as preparations continue for counting of absentee ballots (Gotham Gazette)

 Amandra Fries: New York State Legislature leans further left as DSA candidates win new seats (Albany Times Union)

Meanwhile, the State Budget is running a big deficit

Karen DeWitt: With elections over, NYS must resolve a multi-billion dollar deficit (NPR) (AUDIO)

Anna Gronewald: NYS financial update predicts $15 billion revenue loss (Politico NY)

Nick Reisman: Cuomo counts on Biden to make deal on coronavirus aid (NY State of Politics)

Conservatory Garden in bloom - check it out!

 Enjoy the Conservatory Garden in Central Park, at 102nd Street near Fifth Avenue. The northern end of the garden is at its peak.   Thanks to Barbara Geller, a volunteer there, for these photos. 

COVID has changed our usual Halloween activities

CENTRAL PARK GARDENS TENANTS’ ASSOCIATION

COVID has changed our usual Halloween ACTIVITIES.

So no candy and fundraising in the lobby.

 

BUT we still need money –to keep all tenants informed with tenant handbooks, this website, flyers and more, and to fight the expected “Major Capital Improvement” increase we’re expecting for the rent stabilized tenants.

 

MAKE HALLOWEEN SPECIAL BY

• Joining or renewing your tenant association membership ($10/apartment each year), and
• Contributing to our Legal Fund ($100 or whatever you can afford).

 

Make a paper or electronic check payable to

Central Park Gardens Ten. Assoc.

and leave it in a sealed envelope for Joan Browne in Apt. 12F  OR have your bank send it to Joan Browne, 50 W. 97^th St., Apt. 12F, NY, NY 10025.

thank you!

Plan how you'll vote.

Check that you are registered to vote.  

DEADLINE TO REGISTER:  Friday, Oct. 9, 2020

REGISTER HERE: https://www.ny.gov/services/register-vote

HOW TO VOTE: 

Absentee Ballot

• If you don't yet have an absentee ballot,  APPLY RIGHT NOW FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT!
• Once you get the ballot, check. 
• It's ok if the ballot says "Official Absentee Military Ballot." (They just forgot to put a "/" between ""military" and "absentee".)  
• It's NOT ok if the inside return envelope has a different name and address from yours. If that happens, contact the Board of Elections!
• Fill out the ballot.  Sign where you have to.  
• If you are planning to return it by mail, put it in the return envelope, and put a regular first-class postage stamp on the envelope - even though the ballot is oversized. 
• You can also take the ballot with you to the polls - both Early Voting and Regular.  If the line is not too long, you can decide to vote IN PERSON, instead of absentee.  Then just tear up the absentee ballot and throw it out.  If the line is very long and you can't wait, put your absentee ballot in the special box for it at the polling place.

In Person

• EARLY voting at West Side High School, 140 West 102nd Street  during these hours: 

·      Saturday, October 24:    10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

·      Sunday, October 25:       10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

·      Monday, October 26:       7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

·      Tuesday, October 27:      12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

·      Wednesday, October 28: 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

·      Thursday, October 29:     10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

·      Friday, October 30:           7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

·      Saturday, October 31:      10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

·      Sunday, November 1:       10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

• REGULAR VOTING on NOVEMBER 3rd at PS 163,  on West 97th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues, between 6 AM and 9 PM.

Do you have a car in our garage? Want the garage open 24/7 as it used to be?

Since ICON is dragging its heels about reopening the garage 24/7, as it was before the pandemic - and since the sole reason is financial, we'll be filing a reduction in services complaint with the state's housing agency.

If you're a rent stabilized tenant with a car in the garage, please contact Sue to sign the complaint. 

The law only protects rent stabilized tenants from such reductions, so only rent stabilized tenants will be signing onto the complaint.  But non-stabilized tenants are welcome to submit letters of support. 

Rally to Cancel Rent - 11 AM on Thursday, Oct. 1 at Foley Square

The principle is simple:  

Where and how to vote

Make sure you are REGISTERED TO VOTE.  If you're not, you can register to vote on line by filling out

• Complete English Form On-line ( 304KB)
• Complete Spanish Form On-LIne ( 310KB)

Then print it, sign and date it, and send it BY OCT. 9, 2020

to the 

NY County Board of Elections

200 Varick Street, 10th Floor, NY, NY 10014

or register to vote on line at https://www.ny.gov/services/register-vote. This site requires a NYS driver's license or a non-driver ID from the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles.

Once you are registered, you can vote by ABSENTEE BALLOT, or IN PERSON.  However you vote, wear a mask!

IN PERSON VOTING:

Early Voting

Where: at West Side High School, 140 West 102nd St (between Columbus & Amsterdam)

When: 

Saturday, Oct. 24 , 10 AM to 4 PM

Sunday, Oct. 25, 10 AM to 4 PM

Monday, Oct. 26, 7 AM to 3 PM

Tuesday, Oct. 27, Noon to 8 PM

Wednesday, Oct. 28, Noon to 8 PM

Thursday, Oct. 29, 10 AM to 6 PM

Friday, Oct. 30, 7 AM to 3 PM

Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 AM to 4 PM (Halloween)

Sunday, Nov. 1, 10 AM to 4 PM

What: You can vote in person, OR you can drop off your absentee ballot.

Regular Voting

When: Tuesday, November 3rd

Where: PS 163 on 97th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam 

What: You can vote in person OR you can drop off your absentee ballot. 

ABSENTEE BALLOT

Apply:

Apply online for a general absentee ballot for the November 3rd election. Click here to apply now. New Yorkers can also mail, email or fax their absentee ballot applications. Click here to learn more. All applications must be submitted by October 27th. If you are mailing your application it must be postmarked by this date. New Yorkers may apply in-person until November 2nd. 

Important: if you applied for an absentee ballot for the primary election, you must apply again for the general election.

The NYC Board of Elections will begin mailing out absentee ballots later this month. 

The Board of Elections now provides an Absentee Ballot Tracking System.  Click here to check the status of your application and track your ballot. The system is updated every 24 hours, and applications take up to 72 hours to be entered. 

Return the absentee ballot in any of the following ways:

1. Put it in the mail to the NY Board of Elections, 200 Varick Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10014.

2. Drop it off at an early voting poll site from October 24th through November 1st.

3. Drop it off at a regular poll site on November 3rd BY 9 PM

4. Drop it off at the NY Board of Elections, 200 Varick Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10014. 

New lease form for rent stabilized tenants for Oct. 2020-Sept. 2021

In June 2020, the Rent Guidelines Board voted that for rent stabilized tenants whose lease renewals begin any time from Oct. 1, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2021, a 1-year lease renewal would have NO increase, and a 2-year lease renewal would have NO increase the first year, and a 1% increase the second year.   This does NOT apply to you if your lease renewal does not begin during that period. 

So if you are rent stabilized and your renewal lease will start any time between Oct. 1, 2020 and September 30,20201,  your lease renewal form will look a little different than it has before.  (Click on the link for what the new one looks like.)

Under line 2, it should say:  

**Rent Guidelines Board Order #52 applies to leases commencing between 10/1/20 and 9/30/21.  It allows the two(2) year lease guideline increase to ONLY be collected in the second year of the lease. There is no increase in the first year. 

https://hcr.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/06/rtp-8.pdf

Black lives matter! Join some neighbors in a vigil each evening.

While this isn't a tenant association activity, many tenants meet each evening for a 9-minute silent vigil in front of our building.  Our signs say "Black Lives Matter.  Vote" and similar messages. Of course we wear masks and stay 6 feet apart.

With the recent shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, it's clear that the message hasn't reached those with guns.  A Black man can still be shot in the back 7 times, in front of his three children, and two people peacefully demonstrating in support of Jacob Blake were shot by a white teenager.  So Jacob Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber can be added to the antii-Black violence.

Please join us.  We're meeting at 7:30 PM these days - and will make it earlier along with the earlier sunset.  And join other community members every Friday evening at 5 PM at 96th and Broadway to "say their names" - recite the names of Black people killed by the police.

                         Thanks to Laura Koulish and Frank Leonardo for photographs.

Have you been counted in the Census?

Do you want money for schools? for hospitals? for libraries? for roads? for the MTA?

GET COUNTED!

• Even if you're here temporarily, 
• Even if you're staying out of town during the pandemic,
• Whether you are a U.S. citizen or not,
• Even if privacy is very important to you, 

We need to be counted if we want enough representatives in the U.S. Congress.

It's easy.  Click on MyCensus2020 and fill it out. Even if you don't have the ID number they sent you, you can do it with your address.  Or you can do it by phone: 

• English (for 50 states and Washington, D.C.): 844-330-2020
• Spanish (for 50 states and Washington, D.C.): 844-468-2020
• And with an operator:  Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Chinese (Mandarin): 844-391-2020
• Chinese (Cantonese): 844-398-2020
• Vietnamese: 844-461-2020
• Korean: 844-392-2020
• Russian: 844-417-2020
• Arabic: 844-416-2020
• Tagalog: 844-478-2020
• Polish: 844-479-2020
• French: 844-494-2020
• Haitian Creole: 844-477-2020
• Portuguese: 844-474-2020
• Japanese: 844-460-2020

Stellar initially refused to admit the U.S. Census worker who came with the names of 48 tenants who hadn't yet filled out their forms. But with the help of Congressman Nadler, Community Board 7, and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, the U.S. Census office in NYC sent Stellar a letter, and  Stellar has agreed to let in the Census workers. But you don't have to wait. Do it now!

Black lives matter - some tenants rally in front of building

At exactly 8 PM on June 3, 2020, several tenants rallied in front of the building - standing silently for the 9 minutes that the police held down George Floyd until he died.  Some of those tenants will be doing it again on June 4, 5 and . . . , and urge others to join them.   Of course tenants stayed 6 feet apart and wore masks.  The only sign said "Black Lives Matter.  Vote!"  Other tenants are welcome to bring their own signs.

To SLOW the spread of COVID-19

People with NO symptoms can still spread coronavirus COVID-19.  Infected people send lots of virus particles into the air by talking, singing, coughing, or sneezing.  So even if you don't think you're infected - just in case, please wear a mask to protect the vulnerable people in our community. 

The virus infects you by getting into your nose, mouth, or eyes.   So protect yourself and others by wearing a mask - and don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth until you've washed your hands. 

Fortunately, soap and water kill the virus.  

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that you 

• Wear a mask in public areas - anywhere outside your apartment. 
• Keep at least 6 feet from those you don't live with - so only one household in the elevator at a time.
• Wash your hands with soap and water often (or use Purell or some other cleaner with at least 70% alcohol, like many glasses lens cleaners).

We urge you to