NWBCCC and NYC HPD Commissioner Supporting Real People with Real Issues

AN UPDATE ON THE MILBANK CAMPAIGN TO OUR Supporters and Allies:

On Monday evening, 40 NWBCCC tenant leaders were joined by HPD
Commissioner Rafael Cestero and Deputy Commissioner Vito Mustaciuolo.
Tenants revealed the daily reality faced by  living in Milbank Buildings in the
Northwest Bronx. The Commissioners visited 3018 Heath Avenue, 2770/2780
Kingsbridge Terrace and 2785 Sedgwick Avenue and were led by tenant leaders Sergio
Cuevas and Maggie Maldonado through tours of each building as well as multiple
apartments. "I lived in my building for 32 years and I am happy you are here today,”
said Maggie “ We see this as the beginning…of a partnership with HPD that meets the
needs of tenants. We believe you can help us.” The Commissioners brought a team of
inspectors and together with tenant leaders and Receiver Joe Cicciu (Executive Director
of Belmont Arthur LDC) toured the buildings. The night ended with a mass meeting in
Our Lady of Angels Church, a NWBCCC affiliate institution. Commissioner Cestero
agreed to begin roof to cellar inspections in all the buildings in the Milbank portfolio
immediately as well as look into bringing 7A cases to Housing Court for all ten buildings
against Milbank/LNR.

NWBCCC continues to organize Milbank buildings for immediate repairs,
responsible financing and ownership of this portfolio.

NWBCCC's Ramona Santana sends a message to Senator Espada in Op-Ed piece in El Diario

Published in El Diario de la Prensa June 12, 2009
No Todo lo Que Brilla Es Oro
Ramona Santana, miembro y lider de La Coalicion de la Comunidad y del Clero del Noreste del Bronx

Durante los últimos nueve meses, los inquilinos del Noroeste Bronx han estado luchando para la legislación de vivienda razonable en el Senado Estatal que protegería a muchas familias latinas de bajos recursos de alquileres altos y desplazamiento. Nosotros necesitamos liderazgo en asuntos como éste que afecta directamente a los latinos en Nueva York y esperábamos que un líder latino de nuestra comunidad nos hubiese ayudado. Lo que sucedió fue todo lo contrario y como dicen en mi país, no todo lo que brilla es oro.

Ahora muchas personas se están cuestionando al Senador Estatal Pedro Espada, hijo. Como yo resido en su distrito, esto es lo que sé:

Espada tiene el poder de mover la ley de la protección de inquilinos más importante del Senado, S2237-A. Esta ley terminaría el descontrol de rentas una vez un apartamento esté vacante. Actualmente cualquier apartamento que tiene un alquiler de $2,000 o más, el dueño del edificio puede subir el alquiler al precio que quiera. En mi comunidad de Fordham en el Bronx, no hay muchas personas que pagan alquiler de $2,000. Pero lo que sí tenemos son muchas personas que viven en edificios peligrosos sin calefacción ni agua caliente, reciben cargos ilegales en sus rentas y son intimidados en la corte de vivienda por sus propietarios. A mi mismo me ha pasado todo esto, y yo se muy claramente que la razón por todo esto es la ley de descontrol de rentas. Es un estímulo para los propietarios. Ellos hacen todo lo posible para subir los alquileres y para llegar a su meta de $2,000.

Yo esperaba que el Senador Espada entendiera esto, pero todo al contrario, yo creo que no tiene idea del sufrimiento que estamos viviendo en el Bronx, ya que el pasa la mayoría de su tiempo en Albany y en su casa en Westchester. Su distrito tiene más de 77,000 apartamentos regulados, la mayoría de ellos de residentes latinos. En vez de apoyarnos, el Senador Espada recibe premios de propietarios, almuerza con ellos, y se junta con millonarios en Albany. Pero cuando yo quiero reunirme con él, se me hace muy difícil. Él todavía no ha abierto una oficina en su distrito, dejando a las personas de su comunidad sin representación local.

Victory for NYC Tenants

From: Assemblyman Shelly Silver <info@shellysilver.org>
Date: Mon, Feb 2, 2009 at 6:28 PM
Subject: Victory for NYC Tenants
To: info@northwestbronx.org

Dear Friend,

Today we took a big step forward in the fight to strengthen New York City's rent laws.

A little over an hour ago the New York State Assembly voted 91-to-52 to approve legislation that will keep more apartments in rent stabilization by limiting landlords' ability to raise rents after a vacancy by repealing so-called "vacancy decontrol." The bill was a part of legislative package to preserve affordable housing by increasing penalties on landlords who harass tenants or violate rent-regulation orders, prevent landlords from exploiting loopholes to raise rents when leases are renewed and stop them from charging more rent for questionable "capital improvements."

Our legislation would also increase the rent and income thresholds for rent stabilization so that more middle income families can keep their homes.

Finally, we voted to change the law to give New York City - not Albany - control over rent regulation. New York City tenants shouldn't have to beg upstate legislators for better rent laws.

Too many families are being priced out of their communities by skyrocketing rents. That's why it's crucial that we do everything possible to protect rent stabilized and rent controlled tenants, and ensure that working families can continue to afford to live in the neighborhoods they call home.

Thank you for everything you did to get us to this point.

The legislation we approved today was the result of the tireless work of tenants and advocates who have made the calls, written the letters and traveled to Albany to share their stories.

Taking the pressure off of families struggling with the cost of housing is job one for me - and we have much more to do to make sure this legislation is enacted into law - but together I am confident we can succeed.

But for today, congratulations on a big victory.

Very truly yours,

Shelly Silver