Happy Holidays!

We won our anti-Frankensteining bill (S.2980C/A.6216B), thanks to everyone pitching in on the campaign.   So now we can sit back and enjoy the holidays!

The Central Park Gardens Tenants' Association

wishes EVERYONE

and we still want to hear from you!

The Central Park Gardens Tenants' Association is planning activities for the new year and we would like your input. Tenants* who complete this short survey by 12/31/2023 will also have a chance to win a prize!  

____

*Board members are excluded from prizes, but please fill out the survey!

Gov. signed S.2980 Frankensteining bill into law!

THANKS TO ALL THE TENANTS AND ADVOCATES WHO CALLED AND EMAILED GOVERNOR HOCHUL.   WE WON OUR BILL!

On Friday, Dec. 22nd, the late afternoon, Governor Hochul signed S.2980C/A.6216B into law.  That law means that landlords have less incentive to hold vacant rent-stabilized apartments off the market.  

• All combined ("Frankensteined")  apartments any part of which used to be rent stabilized will be rent stabilized. 
• The new rent will be a combination of the last legal rent in each apartment. 
• Landlords must keep records of the original apartments in case tenants need to challenge the new rents.
• Landlords who harassed tenants out to get those apartments vacant in the first place can't raise the rent. 
• [Click on Read More below for more details about this bill.]

Many landlords have been warehousing rent-stabilized units since one of the few remaining loopholes letting them raise rents VERY high was "Frankensteining" them - combining some rent-stabilized space with other space, rent-stabilized or not.  

But, thanks to all the wonderful tenants in this building who called Governor Hochul, along with the tenants in other buildings who did the same,  and a LOT of campaigning and hard work by 

• the Coalition to End Apartment Warehousing (we're a member, as part of Stellar Tenants for Affordable Housing) and 
• Housing Justice for All (we're also a member of that umbrella group), 

the Governor signed the bill into law. 

Thanks to State Senate Housing Committee Chair Brian Kavanagh and Assembly Housing Committee Chair Linda Rosenthal who co-sponsored and championed the bill - and thanks to the Governor for signing it.

We won! Gov. Hochul signed the anti-Frankensteining law!

THANKS TO ALL THE TENANTS WHO CALLED AND EMAILED GOVERNOR HOCHUL. 

On Friday, Dec. 22nd, the late afternoon, Governor Hochul signed S.2980C/A.6216B into law.  That law means that landlords like Stellar have less incentive to hold vacant rent-stabilized apartments off the market.  

Many landlords have been warehousing rent-stabilized units since one of the few remaining loopholes letting them raise rents VERY high was "Frankensteining" them - combining some rent-stabilized space with other space, rent-stabilized or not.  

But, thanks to all the wonderful tenants in this building who called Governor Hochul, along with the tenants in other buildings who did the same,  and a LOT of campaigning and hard work by 

• the Coalition to End Apartment Warehousing (we're a member, as part of Stellar Tenants for Affordable Housing) and 
• Housing Justice for All (we're also a member of that umbrella group), 

the Governor signed the bill into law. 

Thanks to State Senate Housing Committee Chair Brian Kavanagh and Assembly Housing Committee Chair Linda Rosenthal who co-sponsored and championed the bill - and thanks to the Governor for signing it.

The governor vetoed S.2943 (a bill on calculating overcharges dating from before 2019) and no word yet on how she came down on the LLC (limited liability company) transparency law, S.995.

So we have a victory for the new year!   

Gov has only a few days to sign the tenant bills!

The clock is ticking! 

 THIS FRIDAY, DEC. 22, 2023, is the deadline

for  Governor Hochul to sign S.2980/A.6216 - the Frankensteining bill !! 

PLEASE CALL HER TODAY:

518-474-8390, press 1 to leave a message like 

"Hi, my name is _______ and I live in the 10025 zip code.  I urge Governor Hochul to sign S.2980, S.2943, and S.995 into law now."

(The governor's name rhymes with "Yokel" - but she's sophisticated when dealing with real estate.)

AFTER you call her, you can also email her.   But calls are more effective!

Gov. Hochul just has till Dec. 22 to sign tenant bills into law!

We had a great afternoon in the lobby yesterday with 34 tenants calling Governor Hochul - on top of those who had already called on their own.  And tenants in other buildings and organizations are calling too!

We're starting to see some results:  On Dec. 8th, the governor signed one of the 4 bills we called about:  Now landlords will have to answer vacancy surveys sent by their municipalities. That will let those municipalities opt in to rent stabilization.

But 3 bills remain, so please call during business hours:

518-474-8390.  Wait for the recording to ask you how to direct your call.  If you want to leave a message, press 1.  If you want to wait to speak to an agent, press 2.

You can say

Hi, my name is _____, and I live in the 10025 zip code.  I urge Governor Hochul to sign S2980, S2943, and S995 now.  Thank you!

This will help all of us!

We want to hear from you!

The Central Park Gardens Tenants' Association is planning activities for the new year and we would like your input. Tenants* who complete this short survey by 12/31/2023 will also have a chance to win a prize!  

Happy Holidays!!! 

____

*Board members are excluded from prizes, but please fill out the survey!

Call Gov. Hochul this Friday - and join us in the lobby noon to 5

The state legislature passed 4 tenant bills that Governor Hochul has not yet signed.  Since big real estate is opposing the bills, we have to exert our tenant power!  The Governor said she responds to data - so let's get her LOTS of data with LOTS of phone calls.  

 

We'll help you make the call, or you can

• call on your own: 518-474-8390, then #3, then #1, and tell her "Hi, I’m a New York City resident from 10025, and I urge Governor Hochul to make this a happy holiday for all tenants by signing S2980, S2943, S1684 and S995 now! These bills will keep rent-stabilized apartments available and affordable statewide at honest rents, with known landlords."

or

• call through the computer.  
  
  
  

Join our tenant association at the table in the lobby (volunteers welcome), and bring your tenant questions!