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Housing Court Rally ......................... pg. 2

Assembly Renews Rent Controls ...... pg. 2

Rent-Law Action Guide .................... pg. 3

Guía de Acción de las Leyes de Renta . pg. 4

Houston Street High-Rise ................ pg. 7

Mitchell-Lama Lawsuit .................... pg. 8

INSIDE THIS ISINSIDE THIS ISINSIDE THIS ISINSIDE THIS ISINSIDE THIS ISSUESUESUESUESUE !!!!!

The Bloomberg adminis-tration on Jan. 17 with-drew its controversialproposal to remove home-less families from the shel-ter system for 30 days,placing their children infoster care, if they do notactively look for apart-ments—and an historicagreement between thecity and the Legal Aid So-ciety was born.

The agreement was oneof the terms of a settle-ment of the longstandingMcCain case—first filedby the Legal Aid Societyagainst the Koch adminis-tration 20 years ago—which led to court ordersrequiring that the cityprovide housing, assis-tance, and services tohomeless families.

In settling McCain, thecity and Legal Aid agreedto a system that, for thenext two years, will at-tempt to move policy de-bate and oversight out ofthe courtroom and intothe hands of a panel of

three Special Masters.Those masters, whomboth sides agreed on, willbe responsible for regularevaluation of the cityhomeless services system.They will make periodicreports and recommenda-tions on the city’s home-less policy to StateSupreme Court JudgeHelen Freedman. Theyalso have the authority tohear legal claims, shouldthey need to mediate dis-agreements between thecity and Legal Aid.

“We’ve come up with amethod where Linda[Gibbs, commissioner ofthe Department of Home-less Services] can run theagency, and help thosewho need help, assuringthe public that theirmoney is well spent,” saidMayor Bloomberg an hourafter Judge Freedmansigned the agreement.“And if advocates don’tagree [with what the cityis doing], they have thepanel to go to.”

The goal, all partiesagreed, is to cut down onlitigation time while pro-viding shelter to families.

In modifying its motionto sanction families thatlinger in the shelter sys-tem, the city plans to holdsuch families responsibleby handing them the keysto an apartment thatmeets code requirementsand is the right size forthat family. If the familyrefuses to sign that lease,said Gibbs, “they can’treturn to the EmergencyAssistance Unit again.”

Legal Aid attorney SteveBanks did not argue. “Aslong as they are being re-ferred to an apartmentthat meets standards…that’s housing that’s beenlawfully provided by thecity,” he said. Everyone’sgoal, said Banks, is that“families should be kepttogether and that theyshould have a roof overtheir heads.”

The newly appointedSpecial Masters were not

sure how they will fulfilltheir oversight role. “We’llhave to start figuring thatout tomorrow,” said GailNayowith, executive direc-tor of the Citizens’ Com-mittee for Children ofNew York, a child-welfareadvocacy group. She isjoined on the panel byJohn Feerick, former deanof Fordham UniversitySchool of Law, where henow teaches. He hasserved on several over-sight committees, includ-ing the New York StateCommission on Govern-

ment Integrity, and hasbeen president of theCitizen’s Union Founda-tion and chair of the Fundfor Modern Courts.

Daniel Kronenfeld, thethird member of thepanel, served as executivedirector of Henry StreetSettlement from 1985 to2002. Before that, hehelped found and directthe Settlement’s UrbanFamily Center, the city’sfirst transitional shelterfor homeless families. He

Historic Settlement in Homeless SuitHistoric Settlement in Homeless SuitHistoric Settlement in Homeless SuitHistoric Settlement in Homeless SuitHistoric Settlement in Homeless SuitBy Jill Grossman

An international organization that monitors world-wide housing rights and conditions has named theUnited States one of the 10 countries that most

consistently abused and denied people’s rights tohousing in the last year.

In a report released in December, the Swiss-basedCentre on Housing Rights and Evictions cited the 2.3million US residents who are homeless at some timeeach year, with at least 50 cities having enacted laws thateffectively “criminalize homelessness.”

“As the wealthiest country on earth, it is inexcusablethat the US has 12 percent of its population living inpoverty with millions of homeless persons,” the COHREreport read.

The group also condemned the US for imposing itshardline free-market economics on the rest of theworld. Many nations, it said, are “forced to drasticallycut social spending due to structural adjustment poli-cies which are often authored by or on behalf of the US.In other words, the government of the US is trying toglobalize the very policies that deny housing rights do-mestically.”

The report called the US government “the most stead-fast opponent to the recognition and implementationof housing rights as human rights” in the world. TheUN’s 1976 International Covenant on Economic, Social,and Cultural Rights declares that adequate, affordable

housing with secure ten-ure is a human right, butthe US has not ratified itand does not recognize it.

The federal Departmentof Housing and Urban De-velopment did not returnphone calls requesting aresponse to the report.

Other countries on the10-worst list were Burma(Myanmar), Colombia,Croatia, Guatemala, India,Israel, Nigeria, Pakistan,and Zimbabwe. Brazil,South Africa, and newlyindependent East Timorwere lauded for progresson housing their poor.

Most of the offenderswere cited for forced evic-tions and ethnic or sexualdiscrimination. COHREestimates that more than5 million people world-wide have been forciblyevicted from their homes

over the past two years,with another six millionpeople facing the threat offorced evictions.

Pakistan made the listfor its plans to destroy25,000 homes and evict200,000 people to buildthe Lyari Expressway inKarachi; over 4,000 unitshave been demolished inthe last year. The Nigeriangovernment was de-nounced for massive evic-tions—including onewhere residents of a Lagosbuilding were given 30minutes notice to leavetheir homes—and its fail-ure to address the exclu-sion of women frominheriting housing andproperty. Israel was lam-basted for destroying over5,000 Palestinian homes inthe occupied territories,including the April 2002

bulldozing of the Jeninrefugee camp. India wasblasted for evicting hun-dreds of thousands ofpeople a year—sometimesentire villages at a time—with police often threat-ening to rape women whoresist losing their homes.Croatia was criticized fordiscriminating againstSerbs whose homes weredestroyed in the wars ofthe ’90s.

In contrast, Brazil wonplaudits for a law enhanc-ing the rights of peopleliving in the favela squat-ter slums, with the city ofSao Paulo preventing over100 evictions last year.

“The inclusion of theUnited States in this year’swinners draws attentionto the fact that upholding

US Named One of 10 WorstUS Named One of 10 WorstUS Named One of 10 WorstUS Named One of 10 WorstUS Named One of 10 WorstHousing-RightsHousing-RightsHousing-RightsHousing-RightsHousing-Rights ViolatorsViolatorsViolatorsViolatorsViolators

By Steven Wishnia

Metropolitan Council on HousingMetropolitan Council on HousingMetropolitan Council on HousingMetropolitan Council on HousingMetropolitan Council on Housing339 Lafayette St.339 Lafayette St.339 Lafayette St.339 Lafayette St.339 Lafayette St.New YNew YNew YNew YNew York, NY 10012ork, NY 10012ork, NY 10012ork, NY 10012ork, NY 10012

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Together with a coalition of ten-ants, community organizationsand elected officials, Met Councilis organizing a demonstration at

March 6 Rally to ProtestMarch 6 Rally to ProtestMarch 6 Rally to ProtestMarch 6 Rally to ProtestMarch 6 Rally to Protest100,000+ Evictions Since 1997100,000+ Evictions Since 1997100,000+ Evictions Since 1997100,000+ Evictions Since 1997100,000+ Evictions Since 1997

by Kenny Schaeffer

Manhattan Housing Court, 111Centre Street, near City Hall, onMarch 6 from 12-2 p.m. The rallywill protest the evictions of more

than 100,000 families in New YorkCity since rent controls and ten-ant protections were weakened bythe state Legislature and Gov.George Pataki in 1997.

Most of those units have beenpermanently lost as affordablehousing units, due to sharp va-cancy increases under the 1997law. The City Council must act inMarch to renew the laws, and thestate Legislature must agree on abill by June 15.

“It is no coincidence thathomelessness is at record levels inNew York City when more than20,000 families are evicted everyyear and the affordable housingsupply is being reduced,” declaredPatrick Markee of the Coalitionfor the Homeless. “This epidemicof evictions has got to stop.”

Met Council demands that rentand eviction protections beshored up from top to bottom,including permanent renewal ofrent stabilization, repeal of the1997 weakening amendments (in-cluding the 20% vacancy increasesand $2,000 vacancy decontrol);full funding for civil legal services;repeal of the 1997 provision un-constitutionally removing Hous-ing Court judges’ power to stopscheduled evictions when thetenant does not already have inhand all of the rent claimed due tounemployment or delay in public

assistance benefits; and repeal ofthe 1971 Urstadt Law which re-moved the city’s home rule overrent regulation. The Urstadt Lawmakes New York City residentssubjects of Republicans in Albanyand gives landlords and their cam-paign contributors two bites atthe Big Apple.

Sponsors and speakers includeState Senators Paterson and EricSchneiderman, Assembly-member Danny O’Donnell, Man-hattan Borough President C.Virginia Fields, Rent GuidelinesBoard tenant representativeAdriene Holder, City Council-members Bill Perkins and GaleBrewer, the Coalition for theHomeless, Larry Wood of GoddardRiverside Community Center,Ken Rosenfeld of the NorthernManhattan Improvement Corp,Benjamin Dulchin of the FifthAvenue Committee, the WorkingFamilies Party, Ida Pollack of theQueens League of United Ten-ants, Bertha Lewis of ACORN,Adele Bender of JPAC, the Asso-ciation of Legal Aid Attorneys(UAW 2325), and RosamariaDelatorre of the Chelsea HousingGroup. There will also be music.

To sponsor or endorse the rally,or to pick up flyers, call Met Coun-cil at (212) 979-6238, ext. 6.

On Feb. 3, the Assembly passed abill renewing the state’s rentregulations until 2008. The votewas 89-57. The state Senate andGovernor Pataki must also ap-prove renewing rent regulationsfor them to survive past June 15.

The bill, A. 2716a, includes sev-eral provisions tenants have advo-cated. It ends the decontrol ofvacant apartments renting forover $2,000, which is estimated tohave removed rent and evictionprotections from 99,000 apart-ments in the last 10 years. It alsocuts the surcharge on vacantapartments from 20 percent to 10percent, and extends rent andeviction protections to Mitchell-Lama developments occupied onor after January 1, 1974 and totenants living in former federalSection 8 housing projects.

However, the bill does not re-peal the Urstadt Law, which barslocal governments in the state—New York City and about 50 othercities and towns have some formof rent regulation—from enact-

Assembly PassesAssembly PassesAssembly PassesAssembly PassesAssembly PassesRent-RegulationRent-RegulationRent-RegulationRent-RegulationRent-Regulation BillBillBillBillBill

ing controls stricter than thestate’s.

It is unlikely that the Assemblybill will avert a crisis similar to1997, when rent regulations al-most expired. That year, the As-sembly renewed rent regulationsintact early in the legislative ses-sion, but the Republican-domi-nated Senate refused to considerthe issue until the last minute,when a compromise measuredrastically weakening tenant pro-tections was agreed on by Pataki,Senate Majority Leader JosephBruno, and Assembly SpeakerSheldon Silver.

Pataki, who in 1997 tried toposition himself as pro-tenantwhile working to kill rent regula-tions slowly, made vague noises toNewsday about his support forrenewing the laws with “minorchanges.” Meanwhile, severalSenate Republicans criticized theAssembly for acting on rent con-trols before the state budget ispassed.

—Steven Wishnia

3 February 2003 — TENANT/INQUILINO

A Guide toA Guide toA Guide toA Guide toA Guide toSaving the Rent LawsSaving the Rent LawsSaving the Rent LawsSaving the Rent LawsSaving the Rent Laws

New York’s rent-control and rent-stabilization laws cover over 1million apartments—the homesof 2.5 million middle-, moderate,and low-income New Yorkers.These laws prevent landlords fromraising rents precipitously andevicting tenants without goodcause, as well as requiring ownersto provide a minimum standard ofservices and repairs. Without therent laws, tenants would be sub-ject to unlimited rent increases,and would have no right to a re-newal lease and no right to de-mand services and repairs.

While New York has, relative toother cities, a large supply of pub-lic and subsidized housing, mostlow-income households live inrent-stabilized apartments—andwithout the rent protections pro-vided by the laws, these tenantswould need public subsidies tokeep a roof over their heads.

New York City does not haveanywhere close to the amount ofaffordable housing needed by thepeople who live here. The city haslost close to 170,000 units of regu-lated housing in the last decade.Even more harmful, it has lostmuch of its supply of affordableunits. In the last 10 years, we lostover 500,000 apartments afford-able to low-income people (rent-ing for below $500 per month).One in four of New York City rent-ers pay more than half their in-come for rent every month. Theloss of affordable housing hasbrought about a horrible but pre-dictable result: The past year hasseen a record level of home-lessness, as 36,000 men, women,and children sleep in the city’sshelter system every night.

The housing crisis is not gettingany better. Since 9/11, the cityhas lost close to 100,000 jobs, andwe now have an 8% unemploy-ment rate (even higher in theBronx and Brooklyn).

Rent ControlsPart of the Solution

Rent-control laws are part of thesolution to the housing crisis. Bymoderating rent increases, re-quiring basic services, and pre-venting unwarranted evictions,they help preserve the supply ofaffordable housing. Clearly muchmore needs to done, and we alsomust demand a major commit-ment from the city, state, andfederal governments to the devel-opment of thousands of units ofaffordable housing. New York Citycould easily and immediately fillup 500,000 apartments affordableto poor and moderate incomefamilies.

What Is Expiring?New York City’s rent-control and

rent-stabilization laws come up forrenewal every three years in theCity Council, and were last re-newed in 2000. The Council mustrenew the rent laws by mid-March,and the mayor must sign the re-newal bill by the end of March.

The state Legislature renewedthe laws for six years in 1997, sothe state laws must be renewedagain by June this year. While theCouncil can renew or weaken thelaws, it is prohibited by state lawfrom strengthening them. TheLegislature can renew the laws asis, weaken them, or strengthenthem.

The City CouncilThanks to the convoluted his-

tory of rent controls, New YorkCity tenants are protected byboth city and state laws. The cityenacted its own Rent Stabiliza-tion Law in the late 1960s. Most ofthe powers of that law were takenover by the state in 1974, whenthe Emergency Tenant ProtectionAct was passed after a brief and di-sastrous experience with vacancydecontrol. Power over the rent-

control laws moved between thestate, federal, and city govern-ments after World War II. Today,the City Council must renew theRent Stabilization Law by passinga bill, and then the mayor mustsign the bill. The Council mustalso pass a resolution stating thata housing emergency (defined asa vacancy rate below 5%) still ex-ists in order to continue the rent-control law.

The Council is prohibited bythe state’s Urstadt Law fromstrengthening the rent laws.But there are some things we areasking the Council to do thatwould strengthen tenants’rights, in addition to renewingthe laws without any weakeningamendments.

Repeal the Urstadt Law. Passedin 1971 as part of the Rockefellervacancy-decontrol package, thislaw prevents the city from passinglaws stronger than the state lawsconcerning rent and eviction pro-tections. New York City tenants de-serve home rule, and the Councilshould decide who gets regulatedand who doesn’t. While the Coun-cil can’t repeal the Urstadt Law, itcan ask the state Legislature to doso. The Council should go onrecord stating that it wishes tohave the power over New YorkCity’s one million regulated hous-ing units.

Under the current system, andthanks to New York State’s weakcampaign financing laws, real-es-tate lobbyists make huge contri-butions to upstate legislators inthe state Senate, who then makesure that the laws are as pro-land-lord as possible. This would not bepossible if the Council controlledthe laws.

Repeal the Maximum Base Rentformula. The rent-setting formulafor rent-controlled tenants wasestablished in the early 1970s,when most apartments were rent-controlled. Today the MBR for-mula makes no sense, and itmakes apartments unaffordablefor the mostly elderly tenants liv-

ing in them. By allowing the land-lord to raise rents by up to 7.5% peryear, and by allowing separate sur-charges for fuel, the formula iscreating a critical hardship for thefew rent-controlled tenants left.Landlords love to have these highrent increases because they pres-sure the tenants to move, andonce vacant, these apartments aresubject to huge rent increases(and most often, decontrol). TheCouncil has the power to repealthe rent-setting measure andorder the Rent Guidelines Boardto set guidelines for rent-con-trolled apartments. (Intro 196)

In AlbanyThe New York State Senate and

Assembly must renew the lawsprotecting tenants by June 15. In1997, the Senate, controlled byRepublican Majority Leader JoeBruno, brokered weakeningamendments when the Legisla-ture renewed the laws. The lead-ership of the Senate is very muchcontrolled by real-estate inter-ests. The damage done in 1997,coupled with weakening amend-ments passed by the Legislaturein 1993 and the City Council in1994, has allowed the decontrol ofclose to 100,000 apartments inthe past 10 years. Other pro-land-lord changes to the laws have al-lowed precipitous rent increasesfor vacant apartments, and easedeviction protections so that thou-sands of tenants have lost theirapartments. The laws need to berenewed without any weakeningamendments and strengthenedin the following ways.

√ Repeal the vacancy decontrolfor apartments renting for$2,000 per month. Under cur-rent law and practice, if a land-lord can get $2,000 a month foran apartment, that apartmentbecomes decontrolled on va-cancy. Landlords are permitteda 20% vacancy allowance plus an

Thursday, March 6, noon-2 p.m.Rally outside of Manhattan Housing Court, 111 Centre St., against evictions and for stronger rent laws.4/5/6 to Brooklyn Bridge or J/M/N/Q/R/W/Z/6 to Canal St.

Saturday, May 3Met Council General Assembly; workshops on the rent lawsTime and location TBA

Tuesday, May 13“Tenant Lobby Day.” Rally and lobby for stronger rent laws inAlbany. Call Met Council for bus info or see coupon page 6.

Sunday, June 1Rally for Stronger Rent Laws in Union SquareN/Q/R/W/4/5/6 to Union Square.

EVERY Wednesday from 6:00–8:30 p.m.Volunteer nights at the office of the Metropolitan Council onHousing, 339 Lafayette St., Room 301, Buzzer #5 (Our spaceis a two-flight walkup.)

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Viviendas para el pueblo, no para lucrarse

Las leyes para control yestabilización del alquiler cubrenmás de 1 millón de aparta-mentos—hogares de 2.5 millonesde neoyorquinos de ingresosmoderados y bajos. Estas leyesevitan que los caseros de repenteeleven las rentas a nivelesexorbitantes y que los inquilinossean desalojados injustifica-damente, a la vez queexigen que losp r o p i e t a r i o sproporcionenun mínimo deservicios yr e p a r a -ciones. Sinlas leyes dealquiler, los

inquilinose s t a r í a n

sujetos aincrementos

ilimitados en elalquiler, y no tendrían derecho auna renovación del contrato dealquiler ni a demandar servicios yreparaciones.

Mientras Nueva York tiene, encomparación con otras ciudades,una gran provisión de viviendapública y subsidiada, la mayoría delas familias de bajos ingresos vivenen apartamentos de rentaestabilizada. Sin las proteccionesde alquiler que brindan las leyes,estos inquilinos necesitaríansubsidios públicos para seguirviviendo bajo un techo.

La ciudad de Nueva York no tieneuna cantidad suficiente deviviendas para la gente que vive ahí.La ciudad ha perdido cerca de170,000 viviendas de alquilerreglamentado en los últimos diezaños. Lo que es peor, ha perdido lamayor parte de su provisión deviviendas asequibles. En los últimosdiez años, hemos perdido más de500,000 apartamentos asequiblespara las personas de bajos ingresos(rentas menores a $500 al mes.)Una de cada cuatro personas quealquilan vivienda pagan más de lamitad de sus ingresos en rentamensualmente. La pérdida devivienda asequible ha dado comoconsecuencia un resultadohorrible pero predecible: El añopasado se dio un nivel récord en elnúmero de desamparados ya quecada noche, 36,000 hombres,mujeres y niños duermen en losrefugios de la ciudad.

La crisis de vivienda no estámejorando. Desde 9/11, la ciudadha perdido cerca de 100,000empleos y tenemos ahora unatasa de desempleo del 8% (aunmayor en el Bronx y Brooklyn.)

Regulación de rentas:parte de la solución

Las leyes de renta regulada

Rescatando las leyes de alquileres:Rescatando las leyes de alquileres:Rescatando las leyes de alquileres:Rescatando las leyes de alquileres:Rescatando las leyes de alquileres:Una guíaUna guíaUna guíaUna guíaUna guía

Traducido por Lightning Translations

forman parte de la solución de lacrisis de vivienda. Al moderar losincrementos de alquiler, exigirservicios básicos y prevenirdesalojos injustificados, las leyesayudan a conservar la provisión deviviendas asequibles. Eviden-temente, se necesita hacer muchomás y debemos demandar unmayor compromiso de losgobiernos de la ciudad, estatal yfederal para la creación de miles deviviendas asequibles. Si la ciudad deNueva York tuviera 500,000 nuevosapartamentos asequibles, ellostodavía no serían suficientes para

las familias de moderados oescasos recursos en laciudad de Nueva York.

¿Qué se vencerá?Las leyes para control y

estabilización de renta de laciudad de Nueva York se

renuevan cada tres años en elConcejo de la Ciudad; la últimarenovación fue en 2000. ElConcejo tiene que renovar lasleyes de alquiler para mediados demarzo y el alcalde tiene que firmarla ley de renovación para fines deese mes.

La Legislatura Estatal renovó lasleyes por seis años en 1997, por lotanto las leyes tienen querenovarse otra vez en junio de esteaño. Mientras el Concejo puederenovar o debilitar las leyes, la leyestatal prohibe que el Concejo lasrefuerce. La Legislatura puederenovar las leyes tal y como están,debilitarlas o reforzarlas.

El Concejo de la CiudadGracias a la historia laberíntica de

las regulaciones de rentas, losinquilinos en la ciudad de NuevaYork están protegidos tanto por lasleyes de la ciudad como por las leyesestatales. La ciudad promulgó supropia ley de estabilización derentas a fines de la década de los 60.El estado se encargó de la mayorparte de las estipulaciones de esaley en 1974, al aprobarse la Ley deProtección de Emergencia a losInquilinos después de una breve ydesastrosa experiencia con ladesregulación de apartamentosvacantes. La autoridad sobre lasleyes de control de rentas setransfirió continuamente entrelos gobiernos metropolitano,estatal y federal después de laSegunda Guerra Mundial. Hoy, elConcejo de la Ciudad tiene querenovar la Ley de Estabilización deRentas aprobando un proyecto deley y después el alcalde tiene quefirmarlo. El Concejo también tieneque aprobar una resolucióndeclarando que una emergencia devivienda (la cual se define comouna tasa de viviendas vacantesdebajo del 5 por ciento) sigueexistiendo para que continúe la leyde control de rentas.

El Concejo tiene prohibido porla ley estatal Urstadt reforzar lasleyes de rentas. Sin embargo, hayalgunas cosas que estamos

pidiendo al Concejo que haga parareforzar los derechos de losinquilinos, además de seguir lospasos necesarios para renovar lasleyes sin modificaciones debili-tantes.

Pedir la revocación de la leyUrstadt. Aprobada en 1971 comoparte del plan Rockefeller para ladesregulación de rentas enapartamentos vacantes, esta leyimpide que la ciudad apruebe leyesmás estrictas que las leyes estatalesque tratan de la protección entorno a las rentas y los desalojos.Los inquilinos en la ciudad deNueva York se merecen autonomía,y el Concejo deberá decidir quéviviendas serán reglamentadas.Mientras el Concejo no puedarevocar la ley Urstadt, puede pedira la Legislatura Estatal que lo haga.El Concejo debe dejar constanciade que desea administrar el millónde viviendas reglamentadas de laciudad de Nueva York.

Bajo el sistema actual y gracias alas débiles leyes sobre elfinanciamiento de campañaselectorales del estado de NuevaYork, los grupos de interés debienes raíces realizan grandescontribuciones para los legis-ladores del norte del estado en elSenado estatal, quienes entoncesse esfuerzan para que las leyesbeneficien a los caseros tantocomo sea posible. Esto no podríahacerse si el Concejo controlara lasleyes.

Revocar la fórmula de la RentaBase Máxima (MBR por sus siglasen inglés). La fórmula queestablece las rentas para losinquilinos que pagan rentacontrolada se estableció aprincipios de la década de los 70s,cuando la mayoría de losapartamentos eran de rentacontrolada. Hoy la fórmula MBR notiene sentido y causa que losapartamentos no estén al alcancedel bolsillo para la mayoría de losinquilinos de mayor edad que vivenen ellos. Al permitir que el caseroeleve las rentas hasta un 7.5 porciento y al permitir cargosseparados por combustible, lafórmula está poniendo en gravesapuros a los pocos inquilinos quetodavía tienen la renta controlada.A los caseros les encanta tenerestos altos incrementos en la rentaporque así presionan a losinquilinos para que se muden: unavez que el apartamento quededesocupado, el casero puedecobrar rentas mucho más altas (yen la mayoría de los casos, poner losapartamentos fuera de lasregulaciones de renta). El Concejotiene el poder de revocar la medidapara fijar la renta y ordenar que laJunta de Regulación de Rentaestablezca directrices para losapartamentos de renta controlada.(Intro 196)

En AlbanyEl Senado y la Asamblea Estatal

tienen que renovar las leyes queprotegen a los inquilinos antes del

15 de junio. En 1997 el Senado,controlado por el líder de lamayoría republicana, Joe Bruno,tramitó modificaciones debili-tantes cuando la legislatura renovólas leyes. El liderazgo del senadoestá bastante controlado por losintereses de bienes raíces. El dañoque se hizo en 1997, aunado a lasmodificaciones debilitantesaprobadas por la legislatura en 1993y por el Concejo de la Ciudad en1994, ha permitido la des-regulación de cerca de 100,000apartamentos en los últimos diezaños. Otros cambios a las leyes quebenefician a los caseros hanpermitido incrementos exorbi-tantes en la renta de apartamentosdesocupados y han reducido lasprotecciones contra el desalojo,causando que miles de inquilinosperdieran sus apartamentos. Espreciso que las leyes se renuevensin modificaciones debilitantes y serefuercen en los siguientespuntos.

√ Revocar la desregulación deapartamentos desocupados que sealquilen a $2,000 al mes. Bajo la leyy práctica actual, si un casero puedecobrar $2,000 al mes por unapartamento, ese apartamento sedesreglamenta al desocuparse. Sepermite a los caseros unasobrecarga de 20 por ciento en losapartamentos más un incrementoigual a un 1/40 del costo de todaslas mejoras. Usando este métodoademás de varios medios ilegales,es muy posible que los caserospuedan declarar que la nueva rentasuperará los $2,000, aun si elapartamento en realidad sealquilará al nuevo inquilino por unacantidad menor. Es este cambio loque ha permitido la desregulaciónde cerca de 100,000 apartamentosen los últimos diez años. Además,el casero puede desreglamentar deinmediato un apartamento si lafamilia que lo habita gana $175,000y paga $2,000 o más al mes. Si nose revocan, estas estipulacionessignificarán la pérdida de la mayoríade los apartamentos con rentaestabilizada y renta controlada enla próxima década.

√ Revocar la sobrecarga del 20por ciento de apartamentosdesocupados.

√ Extender las proteccionespara estabilización de renta a losapartamentos que pertenecían a lasección 8 y a los edificiospreviamente en el programaMitchell-Lama que hayan sidoconstruidos después de 1973.

√ Devolver a los jueces ladiscreción en los casos de desalojo.

√ Extender a los discapacitadosel programa de Exención a losAumentos de Renta paraAncianos.

√ Revocar la ley Urstadt.

5 February 2003 — TENANT/INQUILINO

The City Council

In the City Council, the rent laws get renewed by an

intro, or bill, passed by the Council and signed by the

mayor. In addition, there must be a resolution to renew

rent control. This does not need the mayor’s signature.

The intro and resolution will go to the Council’s Com-

mittee on Housing and Buildings. The committee will

hold a hearing, vote on the bills, and then the full

Council will vote on the bill and resolution.

√ Write, call or e-mail Mayor Bloomberg, Council

Speaker Gifford Miller, and your own Councilmember.

See sample letter on page 6.

√ If you are a rent-controlled tenant, say so in your

communications and ask that the Council pass Intro

196 to repeal the Maximum Base Rent formula.

√ Attend the City Council hearing on the bills. The

Council needs to see that tenants care about the rent

laws. In 1994, the Council, under the leadership of

former Speaker Peter Vallone, weakened the rent laws.

This won’t happen again if tenants lobby their

Councilmembers and let them know that this is a vitally

important issue.

increase equal to 1/40th thecost of any improvements. Us-ing this method and various il-legal means, landlords caneasily claim that the new rentwould be over $2,000, even ifthe apartment will actuallyrent to the new tenant for less.This change has allowed the de-control of close to 100,000apartments in the last 10 years.In addition, the landlord canimmediately decontrol anapartment if the household inplace is earning $175,000 andpaying $2,000 or more permonth. If not repealed, these

Guidecontinued from page 3

provisions will lead to the lossof most of the rent-stabilizedand rent-controlled stock inthe next decade.

√ Repeal the 20% vacancy allow-ance.

√ Expand rent-stabilization pro-tections to former Section 8apartments and formerMitchell-Lama buildings thatwere built after 1973.

√ Give discretion back to judgesin eviction cases.

√ Extend the Senior CitizenRent Increase Exemption pro-gram to the disabled.

√ Repeal the Urstadt Law.

SAVE THE DATENYC Tenants To Invade Albany!

Tuesday, May 13, all day

On this day, rent-regulated tenants and their allieswill rally and lobby in Albany at the state legislature for stronger rent

laws. The rent laws expire June 15 of this year.

We MUST make a strong showing in order to be taken seriously.The stakes are high! Plan to be there and spread the word!

For more information, contact Dave at (212) 979-6238 ext. 6or see coupon next page.

Saving the Rent Laws:What You Can Do

√ Write, phone, or e-mail all your elected officials. Usethe sample letter on page 6, or write in your ownwords.

√ Sponsor a meeting in your building or association onthe rent laws. Call Met Council for a speaker and mate-rials. Get your fellow tenants to write letters, makecalls, or send e-mails.

√ Visit your elected officials. Make an appointmentwith your state representatives and go with your neigh-bors. Call Met Council if you would like help with this.During the visit, tell your elected officials of your con-cern for the future of the rent laws. Describe brieflyhow you benefit. Ask what he or she is doing to ensurethat the rent laws are strengthened and renewed.

√ Volunteer and make a donation. Every Wednesdaynight at Met Council, volunteers will be gathering tomake phone calls and work on mailings.

√ Complete the coupon on the back to join us. If you’drather volunteer with another tenant group closer tohome, call us and we will try to match you up with agroup that is working on the rent laws.

In AlbanyBoth houses of the state Legislature, the Assembly

and the state Senate, must pass the same version of

bills which renew the rent laws for tenants in New York

City and the surrounding counties. Other laws that

protect tenants in coops and condos must also be re-

newed.The Assembly passed A.2716a, a bill to renew the rent

laws, on Monday, February 3. The Senate must pass a

matching bill. Then Governor Pataki must sign it into

law.In 1997, the laws were severely weakened, thanks to a

successful lobbying effort on the part of the real-estate

industry. The Senate, led by Joe Bruno, and Governor

Pataki talked openly about ridding the state of the rent

laws. This must not happen in 2003. We are also push-

ing for the removal of the $2,000 vacancy decontrol

provision and the repeal of the Urstadt Law.√ Write, call, visit or e-mail your Assemblymember and

your state Senator. Tell them how much the rent laws

mean to your life.√ Write, call or e-mail Governor Pataki, Assembly

Speaker Sheldon Silver, and Senate Majority

Leader Joe Bruno.

6 February 2003 — TENANT/INQUILINO

Save the Rent Laws Sample LettersThree Easy Things You Can Do

1. Send a letter to the Governor, your Assemblymember and state Senator, and your City Councilmember. (To find out whoyour elected officials are, contact League of Women Voters at (212) 725-3541 or see www.lwvnyc.org) Also, send a copyto Met Council.

2. Write this letter on your own paper. Add your own comments—describe your own situation, or changes in your neighbor-hood—to bolster the argument in favor of the rent laws. Add your address, and be sure to sign the letter.

3. Get your neighbors to write letters.

......................................... clip and mail .............................................

Yes, I want to help Met Council fight back the real-estatelobby and defend the rent laws in 2003.

Name: _________________________________________________________________Address: ______________________________________________________________E-mail: ________________________________________________________________Phone(s): _______________________ (day) ____________________________ (eve)

Contact me about:Organizing a meeting in my building or community groupParticipating in a lobbying meeting with my elected officialsAttending rallies and demonstrationsVolunteering in Met Council’s officeTabling or handing out flyers in my neighborhood

Enclosed is a contribution of __$15 __$25 __$40 __$100 __$250 ___$

Contributions are not tax-deductible because they support legislativeactivity to maintain the rent laws.

Return to:Metropolitan Council on Housing, 339 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10012Phone: (212) 979-6238; Fax: (212) 979-6997; www.metcouncil.net

Your Councilmember

City Council, City Hall

New York, NY 10007

Dear Councilmember:

I am a rent-regulated tenant and I am very

concerned about the renewal of the rent laws

in March of 2003. I want you to do every-

thing you can to renew the laws without any

weakening amendments. I am also asking

that you pass a resolution so that we can

have home rule on our rent laws. (If you are a

rent-controlled tenant, write about the unfair

and burdensome MBR rent increases, and ask

that the Council pass Intro 196.)

Very little affordable housing is being built

in New York City. Rent-regulated housing is

the largest source of affordable apartments

for low-, middle- and moderate-income New

Yorkers. We need to strengthen our rent laws

and cannot afford to lose any more rent-

regulated apartments.

Please write to me and let me know your

plans for the renewal of the rent laws.

Sincerely,

Sign your name, address

(optional phone number)

Your Senator/AssemblymemberLegislative Office BuildingAlbany NY, 12247 (Senate), 12248 (Assembly)

Dear Senator/Assemblymember:

I am a tenant and am very concerned aboutthe expiration of the rent laws in June of 2003.

I want you to do everything you can to renewthe laws without any weakening amendments. Inaddition, I want you to work for the repeal ofthe very damaging amendments that werepassed by the state legislature in 1997 and1993. Most important, we need to abolish the$2,000 vacancy decontrol, which has taken morethan 99,000 apartments out of regulation inless than 10 years.

Very little affordable housing is being built inNew York City. Rent-regulated housing is thelargest source of affordable apartments for low-,middle- and moderate-income New Yorkers. Weneed to strengthen our rent laws and cannotafford to lose any more rent-regulated apart-ments.

I would appreciate a reply to this letter withan explanation of how you plan to help tenantsand renew the rent laws.

Sincerely,

Sign your name, address(optional phone number)

George E. PatakiGovernor of New YorkExecutive Chamber, State CapitolAlbany, NY 12224

Dear Governor Pataki:

I am a tenant in New York City and am veryconcerned about the expiration of the rent lawsin June 2003.I want you to do everything you can to renewthe laws without any weakening amendments. Just

as important, I want you to strengthen our rentlaws by abolishing the $2,000 vacancy decontrol.As our governor, it is your responsibility to saveour rental protections from further destruction.Very little affordable housing is being built inNew York City. Rent-regulated housing is the larg-est source of affordable apartments for low-,middle- and moderate-income New Yorkers. Weneed to strengthen our rent laws and cannotafford to lose any more rent-regulated apart-ments.Please write to me and let me know your plansfor the renewal of the rent laws.

Sincerely,

Sign your name, address(optional phone number)

......................................... clip and mail .............................................

Tenant Lobby Day in AlbanyTenant Lobby Day in AlbanyTenant Lobby Day in AlbanyTenant Lobby Day in AlbanyTenant Lobby Day in AlbanyGet On the Bus May 13Get On the Bus May 13Get On the Bus May 13Get On the Bus May 13Get On the Bus May 13

Yes, I want to join Met Council and thousands of my fellow tenants in Albanyon May 13. Bus fares are $20 each. Enclosed is a check for $___ for ___ seats.

I cannot go, but wish to make a donation so others can go in my place $___.

I would like to go but cannot afford the full cost of a seat. Here’s $___ to reserve my seat.

Name: _________________________________________________________________Address: ______________________________________________________________E-mail: ________________________________________________________________Phone(s): _______________________ (day) ____________________________ (eve)

Please make checks payable to Met Council, Inc. and return this coupon to: 339Lafayette Street, NYC 10012.

Sign Me Up to Save the Rent Laws

7 February 2003 — TENANT/INQUILINO

currently serves on the board ofthe Settlement Housing Fund,Citizens’ Committee for Childrenand other groups.

The panelists have been workingwith Legal Aid and Bloombergadministration officials sinceThanksgiving on the negotia-tions—which ended with thesettlement.

While the settlement only ap-plies to homeless families, advo-cates for homeless single adultshope it is a good sign for theirclients. In October, the Bloom-berg administration asked the

Homelesscontinued from page 1

On December 10, the city Boardof Standards and Appeals (BSA),reapproved zoning variancessought to construct a 23-storyresidential tower at East Houstonand Ludlow streets, despite sub-stantial evidence showing thedeveloper, Edison Parking, did notmeet the BSA’s requirements forapproval. This was the second timethe BSA approved Edison Park-ing’s application.

The Lower Manhattan Anti-Dis-placement Coalition, or LMADC, acoalition of 10 community organi-zations that includes Met Council,didn’t expect anything less fromthe board. A mayoral agency thatwaives zoning regulations andbuilding codes for developers, theBSA has rarely denied a developer’sapplication for variances in order toincrease profit margins. Developersclaiming “hardship” don’t have tocomply with regulations governingheight, density, or use of theirproperty, or even provide openspace or parking for new tenants.

LMADC, represented by thenewly formed Legal Services ofNew York, Manhattan, will file anArticle 78 proceeding to appealthe BSA’s decision. The coalitioncontends that the impact of high-

rise luxury housing in low-incomecommunities can be severe, re-sulting in rampant displacement,rent-gouging, and overburdenedpublic resources.

Earlier in 2002, LMADC won aprecedent-setting court decisionthat vacated the BSA’s prior ap-proval of the project and remandedthe matter back to the board toreconsider its environmental im-pacts. The court order requiredthe BSA to take a “hard look” atthe effect the project would haveon the surrounding community,including the existence of 12 aban-doned underground gasolinetanks on its 215 East Houston St.site and the impact the towerwould have on the Lower East SideHistoric District.

Shortly thereafter, Edison Park-ing submitted two studies thatconcluded the project would haveno impact, and the BSA movedquickly to reapprove it. The BSAdid not even appear to review in-formation submitted in opposi-tion to the project by Rep. NydiaVelazquez, City CouncilmemberAlan Gerson, Community Board3, the Municipal Arts Society, andthe Historic Districts Council.

LMADC members submitted

City Panel Approves Houston Street High-Rise;Lower East Side Activists to Challenge Decision

By Susan Howard

construction notes and plans forthe site, attached to the deed,that showed Edison Parkingcould build successfully, withoutvariances, an eight-story loftbuilding on the entire site, butthe BSA did not acknowledgethe new information. A localdeveloper also submitted analy-sis that showed constructionestimates by the developer hadbeen inflated to show “hardship”where none existed.

From the East River to theHudson, the Board of Standardsand Appeals has been approvingluxury high-rises at an increasingrate, threatening to displace wholecommunities and destroying thecharacter of the city’s neighbor-hoods. With rents at the proposedtower starting at $1,900 for studioapartments, and topping out at$5,000 a month for premium views,the move to cash in on the city’shousing crisis is on the rise.

housing rights is not just a ques-tion of wealth, but a question ofpolitical will,” COHRE directorScott Leckie said in a statement.“Many of the other nine winners,most of which are developingcountries, are guilty of widespreadforced evictions, destroyinghomes and leaving thousands oftheir own citizens homeless. Insuch cases these are the result ofwrong political decisions, and nota lack of money. All housing rightsviolations are avoidable—even inthe poorest of countries, let alonethe richest.”

No se quedequedequedequedequedehelado:helado:helado:helado:helado:

¡ORGANIZESE!

La ley requiere que su caseroLa ley requiere que su caseroLa ley requiere que su caseroLa ley requiere que su caseroLa ley requiere que su caseroproproproproproporcionporcionporcionporcionporciona calefacción y aguaa calefacción y aguaa calefacción y aguaa calefacción y aguaa calefacción y aguacaliente a las cal iente a las cal iente a las cal iente a las cal iente a las temperaturastemperaturastemperaturastemperaturastemperaturassiguientes, desde el 1ro desiguientes, desde el 1ro desiguientes, desde el 1ro desiguientes, desde el 1ro desiguientes, desde el 1ro deoctubre hasta el 31 de mayo:octubre hasta el 31 de mayo:octubre hasta el 31 de mayo:octubre hasta el 31 de mayo:octubre hasta el 31 de mayo:

Desde las 6 a.m. hasta las 10 p.m.: Si latemperatura afuera es de menos de 55grados, la temperatura dentro debe seral menos de 68 grados en todo elapartamento.

Desde las 10 p.m. hasta las 6 a.m.: Si latemperatura afuera es de menos de 40grados, la temperatura dentro debe seral menos de 55 grados en todo elapartamento.

Se tiene que proporcionar agua calientea un mínimo de 120 grados en el grifolas 24 horas del día, todo el año.

Si su casero no mantiene estasSi su casero no mantiene estasSi su casero no mantiene estasSi su casero no mantiene estasSi su casero no mantiene estastemperaturas mínimas, ustedtemperaturas mínimas, ustedtemperaturas mínimas, ustedtemperaturas mínimas, ustedtemperaturas mínimas, usteddebe:debe:debe:debe:debe:

Comenzar una “Acción HP” (HPAction) en la Corte de Vivienda. Pidauna inspección por orden de la cortey una Orden de Corrección (Orderto Correct)

Llamar al Buro Central de Quejas(Central Control Bureau) de laciudad de Nueva York al (212) 824-4328 inmediatamente, paradocumentar la violación del casero.Llame repetidamente. Se supone queun inspector vendrá eventualmente,aunque a veces no lo haga.

Exhortar a los otros inquilinos en eledificio a llamar al CentralComplaint. Todos deben llamarrepetidamente, al menos una vez aldía, todos los días en que tengaproblemas con la calefacción.

Comprar un buen termómetro paraafuera y adentro, para documentarlas fechas exactas, las horas, y lastemperaturas, tanto afuera comoadentro, mientras tenga problemascon la calefacción. Esta documenta-ción es su evidencia

Llamar a la División de Vivienda yRenovación Comunal del Estado deNueva York (DHCR, por sus siglas eningles) al (718) 739-6400, y pedirque le envíen el formulario de Quejade Calefacción y Agua Caliente.Llene el formulario y consigue la

participación de todos los inquilinosen su edificio que pueden firmarlo.Reclame una orden para restaurar lacalefacción y el agua caliente, y quese reduzcan y congelen (¡disculpe lode “congelen”!) todas las rentas.

Necesitarán una fuerte asociación deinquilinos para obligar al casero aproporcionar la calefacción y el aguacaliente. Escriban y llamen al caseropara demandar las reparaciones yaceite. Prepárense para una huelgade renta (sobre todo con asesoríalegal)—de relámpago si es necesa-rio.

Las leyes sobre la calefacciónLas leyes sobre la calefacciónLas leyes sobre la calefacciónLas leyes sobre la calefacciónLas leyes sobre la calefacciónestablecen también:establecen también:establecen también:establecen también:establecen también:

Que el Departamento de Reparacio-nes de Emergencia de la ciudad leproporcione la calefacción si elcasero no lo hace. (No se siente en unbloque de hielo—otra vez, ¡discul-pe!—mientras espere que lo haga.)

Una multa de $250 al casero por cadadía que se produzca la violación.(Pero la verdad es que la Corte deVivienda raras veces impone lasmultas, y mucho menos las cobra).

Una multa de $1,000 al casero sialgún aparato de control automáticose instala en la caldera paramantener la temperatura por debajodel mínimo legal.

Si el tanque de combustible de lacaldera está vacío, los inquilinostienen el derecho de comprar supropio combustible después de haberpasado 24 horas sin calefacción ytambién sin obtener ningunarespuesta del casero. Esto no se aplicasi la caldera está rota y necesita tantoreparación como combustible.

¡Cuidado!¡Cuidado!¡Cuidado!¡Cuidado!¡Cuidado! ¡proteja su dinero! Si losinquilinos deciden comprar elcombustible, hay que seguir losprocedimientos legales cuidado-samente. Consiga la ayuda y elconsejo de un organizador deinquilinos. La existencia de leyes decalefacción y agua caliente vigentesno garantiza que el gobierno lasimplemente. No se quede heladopor esperar que la ciudad o elestado actúe. ¡Organízese!

Violatorscontinued from page 1

“We must fight just to remain inour communities,” said LMADCmember Kevin Hsi, from NationalMobilization Against Sweatshops.“Who do we claim ‘hardship’ to?”

court for permission to sanctionhomeless adults by removingthem from the shelter system fora month if they fail to seek perma-nent housing. The state court ofappeals is expected to hear thatcase, called Callahan, in mid-Feb-ruary.

“We’re very pleased with today’ssettlement,” said Patrick Markeeof the Coalition for the Homeless,the plaintiffs in the Callahan case.“I am hopeful that with a newbeginning there will be room todiscuss issues with regard tohomeless adults.”

Reprinted with permission fromCity Limits Weekly.

No WNo WNo WNo WNo War on Iraqar on Iraqar on Iraqar on Iraqar on IraqMet Council endorses the international

“World Says No to War” march and rally

On February 15th at 12 noon, near the UN, peace, labor and communitygroups will rally against the Bush administration’s call to war against Iraq.Join Danny Glover, Pete Seeger, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Angela Davis,and thousands of New Yorkers in calling for peace.

Met Council will be part of a “housing and greenspace” contingent within the march. We will also beleafleting to make our fellow New Yorkers aware ofthe pending threat to our rent laws. If you can helpus leaflet or would like to march with us, we will bemeeting at the southwest corner of 45th St. and 3rdAve., between 11:30 a.m. and 12 noon. For moreinformation on the housing/green space contingent,call (212) 979-6238 ext. 6 oractive@metcouncil.net.

The exact location of the march was not confirmed as we went to press: thecity is giving the organizers a hard time about granting a permit. The issueis expected to be resolved soon. For more information and the latest up-dates, contact: United for Peace & Justice at (646) 473-8935 orfeb15@unitedforpeace.org; or see www.unitedforpeace.org.

8 February 2003 — TENANT/INQUILINO

JJJJJoooooin Met Councilin Met Councilin Met Councilin Met Councilin Met CouncilMembership: Individual, $25 per year; Low-income, $15 per year; family(voluntary: 2 sharing an apartment), $30 per year. Supporting, $40 peryear. Sustaining, min. of $100 per year (indicate amount of pledge). Foraffiliation of community or tenant organizations, large buildings, tradeunions, etc. call 212-979-6238.

N a m eN a m eN a m eN a m eN a m e

AddressAddressAddressAddressAddress Apt. No.Apt. No.Apt. No.Apt. No.Apt. No.

C i t yC i t yC i t yC i t yC i t y S ta teS ta teS ta teS ta teS ta te Z i pZ i pZ i pZ i pZ i p

Home Phone NumberHome Phone NumberHome Phone NumberHome Phone NumberHome Phone Number E m a i lE m a i lE m a i lE m a i lE m a i l

Send your check or money order with this form to:Metropolitan Council on Housing, 339 Lafayette St., NY, NY 10012

My apartment is controlled stabilized unregulated other_____________

I am interested in volunteering my time to Met Council. Please call me to scheduletimes and duties. I can counsel tenants, do office work, lobby public officials,

attend rallies/protests.

LOWER MANHATTANLOWER MANHATTANLOWER MANHATTANLOWER MANHATTANLOWER MANHATTANLOFT TENANTSLOFT TENANTSLOFT TENANTSLOFT TENANTSLOFT TENANTSSt. Margaret’s House, Pearl & Fulton Sts.,212-539-3538WednesdaysWednesdaysWednesdaysWednesdaysWednesdays ..................................................................................... 6 pm-7 pm 6 pm-7 pm 6 pm-7 pm 6 pm-7 pm 6 pm-7 pm

VILLAGE INDEPENDENTVILLAGE INDEPENDENTVILLAGE INDEPENDENTVILLAGE INDEPENDENTVILLAGE INDEPENDENTDEMOCRATSDEMOCRATSDEMOCRATSDEMOCRATSDEMOCRATS26 Perry St. (basement), 212-741-2994WednesdaysWednesdaysWednesdaysWednesdaysWednesdays ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 pm6 pm6 pm6 pm6 pm

WEST SIDE TENANTS UNIONWEST SIDE TENANTS UNIONWEST SIDE TENANTS UNIONWEST SIDE TENANTS UNIONWEST SIDE TENANTS UNION200 W. 72nd St. Room 63; 212-595-1274Tuesday & ThursdayTuesday & ThursdayTuesday & ThursdayTuesday & ThursdayTuesday & Thursday .................................................. 2-5 pm2-5 pm2-5 pm2-5 pm2-5 pmTuesday & WednesdayTuesday & WednesdayTuesday & WednesdayTuesday & WednesdayTuesday & Wednesday 6-7:45 pm6-7:45 pm6-7:45 pm6-7:45 pm6-7:45 pm

LOWER EAST SIDE BRANCH atLOWER EAST SIDE BRANCH atLOWER EAST SIDE BRANCH atLOWER EAST SIDE BRANCH atLOWER EAST SIDE BRANCH atCooper Square Committee61 E. 4th St. (btwn. 2nd Ave. & Bowery)TuesdaysTuesdaysTuesdaysTuesdaysTuesdays ............................................................................................................................................ 6:30 pm6:30 pm6:30 pm6:30 pm6:30 pm

CHELSEA COALITIONCHELSEA COALITIONCHELSEA COALITIONCHELSEA COALITIONCHELSEA COALITIONON HOUSINGON HOUSINGON HOUSINGON HOUSINGON HOUSINGCovers 14th St. to 30th St., 5th Ave. to theHudson River.322 W. 17th St. (basement), CH3-0544ThursdaysThursdaysThursdaysThursdaysThursdays ........................... 7:30 pm7:30 pm7:30 pm7:30 pm7:30 pm

GOLES (Good Old Lower GOLES (Good Old Lower GOLES (Good Old Lower GOLES (Good Old Lower GOLES (Good Old Lower EastEastEastEastEastSide)Side)Side)Side)Side)525 E. 6th St. (btwn. Aves. A & B) LowerEast Side tenants only, 212-533-2541.

HOUSING COMMITTEE OF RENAHOUSING COMMITTEE OF RENAHOUSING COMMITTEE OF RENAHOUSING COMMITTEE OF RENAHOUSING COMMITTEE OF RENACovers 135th St. to 165th St. from RiversideDr. to St. Nicholas Ave.,544 W. 157th St. (basement entrance).ThursdaysThursdaysThursdaysThursdaysThursdays ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 pm8 pm8 pm8 pm8 pm

METROPOLITMETROPOLITMETROPOLITMETROPOLITMETROPOLITANANANANANCOUNCILCOUNCILCOUNCILCOUNCILCOUNCIL

ON HOUSINGON HOUSINGON HOUSINGON HOUSINGON HOUSINGMet Counci l is a c i tywide tenant union.Met Counci l is a c i tywide tenant union.Met Counci l is a c i tywide tenant union.Met Counci l is a c i tywide tenant union.Met Counci l is a c i tywide tenant union.

Our phones are open to the publ icOur phones are open to the publ icOur phones are open to the publ icOur phones are open to the publ icOur phones are open to the publ icMondays, Wednesdays & Fr idays f rom 1:30 to 5Mondays, Wednesdays & Fr idays f rom 1:30 to 5Mondays, Wednesdays & Fr idays f rom 1:30 to 5Mondays, Wednesdays & Fr idays f rom 1:30 to 5Mondays, Wednesdays & Fr idays f rom 1:30 to 5

p . m .p . m .p . m .p . m .p . m .

We can br ie f ly answer your quest ions, he lp youWe can br ie f ly answer your quest ions, he lp youWe can br ie f ly answer your quest ions, he lp youWe can br ie f ly answer your quest ions, he lp youWe can br ie f ly answer your quest ions, he lp youwi th organiz ing or re fer you to other help.wi th organiz ing or re fer you to other help.wi th organiz ing or re fer you to other help.wi th organiz ing or re fer you to other help.wi th organiz ing or re fer you to other help.

212-979-0611212-979-0611212-979-0611212-979-0611212-979-0611

WHERE TO GO FOR HELPWHERE TO GO FOR HELPWHERE TO GO FOR HELPWHERE TO GO FOR HELPWHERE TO GO FOR HELP

1T

On January 13, the West VillageHouses Tenants’ Association fileda class-action lawsuit against theowners of West Village Houses inState Supreme Court, seeking adeclaration that if the landlordleaves the Mitchell-Lama pro-gram, the tenants will be pro-tected by rent stabilization.

The Tenants’ Association is alsoseeking a preliminary injunctionbarring the landlord from leavingMitchell-Lama until the issue ofrent-stabilization coverage is re-solved. The case has been assignedto Acting Supreme Court JusticeShirley Werner Kornreich.

Insignia, the owners of WestVillage Houses, have announcedtheir intention to pay off theirMitchell-Lama mortgage and re-move the apartments from theprogram. Representatives of In-signia have claimed that West Vil-lage Houses is not protected byrent stabilization, and that theyplan to increase rents to marketrates, approximately triple whattenants now pay.

The Emergency Tenant Protec-tion Act of 1974 provides thatotherwise unregulated apart-ments completed before 1974 aresubject to rent stabilization. TheTenants’ Association has substan-

West Village Mitchell-LamaTenants Sue Landlord

tial evidence that the West VillageHouses buildings were completedprior to January 1, 1974, althoughthey were not occupied until later.Tenant attorney Jack Rose saysthis case has substantial merit.

Tenants’ Association leadersexpect that Insignia’s proposedbuyout plan will be delayed untilthis lawsuit is resolved, or untilInsignia agrees to a settlementthat is acceptable to the tenantsof West Village Houses. AllMitchell-Lama regulations, in-cluding lease renewals, remain ineffect as long as the buyout ispending.

Reprinted with permission fromDown By The Riverside, the news-letter of the West Village HousesTenants’ Association. Any WestVillage Houses tenants who aredenied a Mitchell-Lama lease re-newal in the coming monthsshould contact the Tenants’ Asso-ciation at (212) 886-4598.

—Will Creed

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The law requires your landlordprovide heat and hot water at thefollowing levels from October 1through May 31:

From 6 am to 10 pm: If the outsidetemperature falls below 55 degrees,the inside temperature must be atleast 68 degrees everywhere in yourapartment.

From 10 pm to 6 am: If the outsidetemperature falls below 40 degrees,the inside temperature must be atleast 55 degrees everywhere in yourapartment.

Hot water at a minimum 120degrees at the tap must be provided24 hours a day, year round.

If your landlord does not maintainthose minimum temperatures, youshould:

Start an “HP action” in HousingCourt. Ask for a court-orderedinspection and an Order toCorrect.

Call the New York City CentralComplaints Bureau at (212)824-4328 immediately to recordthe landlord’s violation. Callrepeatedly. An inspector shouldeventually come, althoughsometimes they don’t.

Get other tenants in yourbuilding to call Central Com-plaint. Everybody should callrepeatedly, at least once everyday the condition is not cor-rected.

Buy a good indoor/outdoorthermometer and keep a chart ofthe exact dates, times, andtemperature readings, inside andout, so long as the condition isnot corrected. The chart is yourevidence.

Call the New York State Divisionof Housing and CommunityRenewal at (718) 739-6400 andask them to send you their Heat

and Hot Water complaint form.Get as many other apartments aspossible in your building to signon, demanding an order restoringheat and hot water, and a reduc-tion and freeze (pardon theexpression!) in all the rents.

You’ll need a strong tenant associa-tion to force the landlord to provideheat and hot water. Write and call thelandlord and demand repairs or fuel.

Prepare to go on rent strike — but getlegal advice first.

The heat laws also provide for:

The city’s Emergency RepairDepartment to supply your heat ifthe landlord does not. (Try waitingfor this one!)

A $250 a day fine to the landlordfor every day of violation. (But theHousing Court rarely imposes thesefines, let alone collects them.)

A $1,000 fine to the landlord if anautomatic control device is put onthe boiler to keep the temperaturebelow the lawful minimum.

If your boiler’s fuel tank is empty,tenants have the right to buy theirown fuel after 24 hours of no heatand no response from the landlord.But this provision does not apply ifthe boiler is broken and needs bothrepairs and fuel.

Caution! Protect your money! If youdecide to buy fuel, you must followspecial lawful procedures verycarefully. You should get help andadvice from a tenant organizer.

Because the heat and hot water lawsare in the law books does not meanthey are enforced by government.Don’t freeze to death waiting for thecity or state to act. Organize!

Don’tFreeze–Organize!