Announcements
We began by talking about Frank Leonardo, whose memorial will be in Community Room on Sunday, October 15th from 2 to 5 p.m. Please let his wife Barbara Garson know if you're planning to attend.
We also announced:
- Our annual Halloween fundraiser will be on Saturday, October 28 in the lobby. Volunteers are needed for the 5-6 pm slot, and your gifts of individually wrapped candy is welcome. Leave it with the doorman for Rosa Delgado in 2T.
- The US Supreme Court will likely decide in the next couple of weeks whether to take the case of landlords claiming that rent regulation "takes" their property without compensation. In the past, all 9 justices (including Clarence Thomas and the late Antonin Scalia - the Court's most conservative justices), ruled that states can regulate property use including by rent regulation.
- NYC is funding some more "Shape Up NYC!" classes, like those that Jodi Brockington taught before the pandemic. We may get 2 classes: one strenuous one evening, and another less strenuous, possible during the day. (She will not be teaching them.)
- The Park West History Group is planning an evening on how tenants have shaped our buildings and neighborhood. If you have old documents from this building - particularly about our getting a tax break early on - please let Sue know: sue.susman [at ] gmail.com.
- HEAT season begins Oct. 1 and runs through May 31.
Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal
Pending legislation
Brad spoke about 4 bills that have passed the state legislature but await Governor Hochul's action: signing, modifying, or vetoing. Our tenant association has submitted a memo on three of them.
- S2980/A6216 (AM Linda Rosenthal/Sen. Brian Kavanagh) would keep rents low where landlords combine a rent stabilized unit with any other space. That would deter them from holding rent stabilized apartments empty just in order to Frankenstein them and charge high prices. That bill would also make it easier for family members to "succeed" (take over the lease in their own name), and would clarify the definition of landlord fraud.
- A4047 (AM Dinowitz/Sen. Kavanagh), clarifies how to calculate rents after the landlord has overcharged a tenant.
- A6843 (AM Clark/Sen. Hinchley) would require landlords to answer housing vacancy surveys - a first step before a municipality decides whether to opt into rent stabilization.
- A3484 (AM Gallagher/Sen. Hoylman-Sigal) says that landlords (including oligarchs, money launderers, tax cheats, wage thieves, and slumlords) can't hide behind a Limited Liability Corporation ("SLLC"). That way, tenants will know who actually owns their building, and who is responsible for repairs. Join the rally in support of these bills on WEDNESDAY, 9/27 downtown at 10 AM at 111 West 57th Street between 6 and 7th Avenues (in front of one of the supertall buildings owned by LLCs).
We need those bills passed. Landlords are busy lobbying against them because they will help tenants.
Tenants need you to sign S2980, A4047, A6843 and A 3484 to keep more rent stabilized apartments available
- at honest rents
- by landlords known to their tenants, and
- enable more municipalities to decide whether they want the same.
Please sign them as soon as they cross your desk! Thank you.
And come to a rally in front of Gov. Hochul's office on
Thursday, Oct. 12 at Noon - 633 Third Ave. (40/41st Streets) -
Go with Sue to urge the governor to sign these bills!
Because we want to end Frankensteining and it's near Halloween, feel free to wear a Frankenstein costume - and we'll hand out candy!
Electricity, Grieving Families Act, E-bikes
Brad explained that while our electric bills are going up, he and other state legislators are trying to keep us from being charged to pay for fossil fuel infrastructure, like for natural gas. (Note: No one is coming after our gas stoves, nor are we paying for gas.) Our energy companies should be investing in renewable energy. But while this bill passed the State Senate this past session, it did not pass the Assembly. They'll keep trying.
He spoke about his bill to permit Grieving Families Act to permit damages where someone is harmed - such as the shootings in Buffalo.
He didn't mention - but did include in a handout - bills he has had passed on the full funding of public schools, fighting climate change, expanding abortion access, and raising the minimum wage by $2 over the next 3 years (and indexing it to inflation thereafter), among other things.
He also talked about e-bikes safety, including requiring employers (restaurants, delivery companies like Amazon) to license and insure their employees who use e-bikes. The state regulates gas-powered vehicles (including motorbikes) differently than it does electric vehicles. Meanwhile, the NYC Council is working on additional bills.
We asked about whether the state can provide more financial support for tenants facing Major Capital Improvement rent increases (and to co-ops and condos) for energy efficiency. Local Law 97 requires stiff upgrades for most buildings - and the question is who pays.
Council Member Gale Brewer
[Photo © by Jodi Brockington 2023, used by permission]
Gale noted that the city now has a task force to consider putting permanently affordable housing on Ward's Island near the government buildings and hospitals there. She also talked about land banks - to be owned by the community, in perpetuity (permanently).
Gale handed sheets of special events she is sponsoring, including hosting the City's HPD representatives to respond to housing-related issues on Oct. 20 from 10 AM to 5 PM at her office, 563 Columbus Ave., and help enrolling in SCRIE (Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption) and DRIE (Disability Rent Increase Exemption). For Seniors (62 and older named on the lease) or people certified by the government to be disabled, these programs freeze your rent at its current level if your total household income is under $50,000 and you are paying at least 1/3 of your income in rent. Her office also sponsors monthly housing clinics on the first Wednesday of the month at 6 PM with the Goddard Riverside Law Project and Takeroot Justice. Call 212-873-0282 to RSVP.
BUILDING ISSUES
Garage: Several tenants are listed under the same account (that of tenant Andrew Dubin) through no fault of his. We've asked ICON and Stellar to change that so each parking garage tenant has his or her own account, and can get discounts at other ICON garages.
Rats: Although they've been seen on the west side ramp, they are otherwise less visible in the building.
It would help if you would make sure to CLOSE the compost collection bins in the ground floor rooms.
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Check our tenant association calendar (on the right side of this website) for upcoming meetings - and the NY Tenant Calendar for other tenant activities.
And contact the tenant association with your questions and suggestions.
cpgtenassoc @ gmail .com or sue [dot] susman (at) gmail. com.
Sue Susman, president
Jodi Brockington, vp
Barbara Geller, treasurer
Denis Hayward, secretary
Pat Jordan, vp
Steve Koulish, vp
Ray von Dohren, vp
