All out for Dec. 9th rally to end vacancy decontrol!

Mass Rally to Save Rent-Stabilized Housing… Close the Vacancy Decontrol Loophole!

Tuesday, December 9th, 6:30pm-8:30pm

Join WSNA, HCC, and a thousand other tenants and allies in demanding our state politicians end vacancy decontrol and preserve rent-regulation. Vacancy decontrol is the greatest threat to New York’s affordable housing and has had the most disastrous impact on the West Side. This winter, we can end it and save 100,000 rent regulated units on the verge of elimination. Through vacancy decontrol, landlords can take a vacant apartment out of rent regulation when the rent reaches $2,000.

Location (it’s on the West Side!):
Society for Ethical Culture  - 2 West 64th Street at Central Park West
1 train to 66th St; A, B, C, D to Columbus Circle

Let us know if you can attend or if you want help reaching out to your friends and neighbors.  RSVP to Lucas at LShapiro@hcc-nyc.org or 212-716-1664.

Click here for more info about the rally and what’s wrong with vacancy decontrol.

Click here for the English version of the rally flyer.

Haz clic aqui por la version en Español.

WSNA Newsletter On-line!

Over the summer and into the fall a group of WSNA leaders came together to craft the second edition of our spiffy newsletter.  Many of you already got your copy–8 pages packed with neighborhood news and campaign updates–in the mail.

For those of you who missed a copy or would like to share the WSNA newsletter with your friends and neighbors, click here for the on-line version (PDF).

The newsletter is a great tool for educating our community and highlighting what we can do when we work together.  It’s also an easy way to sign-up new members.  Click, view, print, and spread the word!

Voice your concerns over massive “Two Trees” development on 11th Ave

A developer called Two Trees intends to build a 30 story building on the huge parking lot on 11th Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets, just behind the Verizon building.  To do so, they must get City Council approval to modify the zoning and got through a formal public review process.   The first step in the formal process will be a presentation to the community board on Wednesday – NOW it’s our time to demand lower building heights!

What: Community Board 4 – Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen Land Use Committee public meeting

When: Wednesday, November 12th – 6:30pm

Where: John Jay College – 899 10th Ave., 6th Floor, Room 630T (between 58th / 59th)

Why: This is the first step in the formal public review process.  Neighborhood residents will be given the opportunity to voice concerns over the massive scale of the development.  HCC and the West Side Neighborhood Alliance have endorsed a comprehensive rezoning of 11th Avenue to prevent just this type of scenario: developers trying to rezone the avenue, one building at a time, for huge buildings with no guarantee for affordable housing.

Tell the Two Trees developers and Community Board 4: 11th Avenue is part of our community and we need development that will keep it that way.

Can you come on Wednesday?  RSVP to Lucas Shapiro at HCC: 212-716-1664 or LShapiro@hcc-nyc.org.

Click here to view the letter WSNA sent the Department of City Planning about the Two Trees development along with 150 signatures.

NOV 8: La Segunda Anual FIESTA COMUNITARIA!

Los invitamos a nuestra segunda anual Fiesta Comunitaria a comer, bailar, y escuchar música latina… y todo es ¡gratis!

Será el sábado, noviembre 8, 2008 en la escuela PS 111 localizada calle 53 entre 9na y 10ma avenida desde 1:00pm hasta 4:00pm.

El año pasado tuvimos 300 personas que asistieron, y este año esperamos más. Venga el día 8 y goce con sus vecinos y trabajar juntos para defender y mejorar nuestra comunidad.

Vamos a tener rico platos de comida latina donado por varios restaurantes de nuestra comunidad. Si usted quiere demostrar su buen talento con su sazón puede traer sus platos favoritos para compartir con sus vecinos.

Por favor llame a Alex al 212-541-7262 / adilone@hcc-nyc.org para reservar su asiento.

Haz clic aqui por el flyer en español.

______________________________________________________________________________

You’re invited to our second annual Fiesta Comunitaria, to eat delicious food and dance to live latin music with other Spanish-speakers in the neighborhood… and it’s all free!

That’s Saturday, November 8th, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at PS 111 (53rd St. between 9th and 10th Aves). The event will be held entirely in Spanish, but everyone is invited. Last year there were 300 West Siders in attendance and we expect another large crowd this time around. Come on November 8th to have a blast with your neighbors.

We’ll have lots of food generously denoted from various local restaurants. But if you want to show off your talents in the kitchen, you are welcome to bring a dish to share.

Please contact Alex at 212-541-7262 / adilone@hcc-nyc.org to reserve your spot.

Click here for the English-version of the flyer.

Oct 1st: Citywide Tenant Demonstration!

We’re preparing for Wednesday’s rent reform rally this Sunday afternoon, here at the office, by making posters and calling hundreds of our neighbors to remind them about the rally.  So we’re turning our work into a party—with food, and drinks (sodas and juice—not the hard stuff) and tenants from all over the city, working together to get ready for the rally.

Would you like to come for our little shindig?  Help make some signs and call some tenants?

The party is this Sunday, September 28th, from 5:00 to 8:00 at HCC, 777 Tenth Avenue (between 52nd and 53rd).

If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Lucas at LShapiro@hcc-nyc.org or 212-716-1664.

Click here to download and distribute the Oct. 1st rally flyer.

Haz clic aqui por la versión en español.

Tenants’ Conference on Saturday!

A final reminder: the 4th Annual West Side Tenants’ Conference is this Saturday, September 27th, at Fordham Law School.

Mayor Bloomberg’s housing commissioner, Shaun Donovan, will deliver the keynote address in the morning—and we recommend showing up on time to take advantage of our complimentary breakfast!

The conference is from 10:00 to 4:00 Saturday at Fordham Law School, 140 W. 62nd Street (between Columbus and Amsterdam).

After the keynote address, we will hold workshops on more than a dozen issues that affect New York City tenants.

And please RSVP to Ivette at inunez@hcc-nyc.org or 212-541-5996 x24 if you can attend.

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE:

10AM – 10:30AM REGISTRATION/BREAKFAST

10:30 AM WELCOME

Ivette Nuñez – Housing Conservation Coordinators

John Raskin – Housing Conservation Coordinators

Scott Stringer – Manhattan Borough President

Christine C. Quinn- City Council Speaker

KEYNOTE SPEECH: Shaun Donovan- HPD COMMISSIONER

11AM – 12:30AM MORNING WORKSHOPS

Section 8 Basics

MFY Legal Service- Christopher Schwartz Esq.

MFY Legal Services- CJ Masimore-Esq.

MFY Legal Services- Aapta Garg-Esq.

Housing Benefits: Options for seniors

Linda Rosenthal – Assembly Member

Kevin Queen– New York Foundation for Senior Citizens

Ruth Ellen Simmonds –One Stop for Senior Services

Diane Lutwak –Brooklyn Legal Aid Office for the aging

How to get help paying arrears

Jennie Laurie – City Wide Task Force on Housing Court

Finding Affordable Housing: Advice for Tenants

Bennett Baumer – Housing Conservation Coordinators

Getting repairs done (in Spanish)

City Wide Task Force- Jessica Hurd

Update on Laws for Tenants

Legal Aid Society of New York Legal Aid – Ellen Davidson, Esq.

12:30PM – 1:30 PM LUNCH

1:30PM – 3PM AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS

Real Rent Reform Campaign

Assembly Member Richard Gottfried

Lucas Shapiro – Housing Conservation Coordinators

Ericka Stallings- New York City Immigration Coalition

How Housing Court Works

City Wide Task Force- Vincent Villano

City Wide Task Force – Mahkeddah Thompson

How to Get Repairs Done

Joe Catron- City Wide Task Force on Housing Court

Stopping Illegal Hotels

West side Sro Law Project- Yarrow William Cole

Housing Conservation Coordinators- John Raskin

West Side Neighborhood Alliance – Vivian Riffelmacher

Navigating DHCR: A Primer for Rent-Regulated Tenants

(With Spanish translation)

Colin Casey – Office of New York State Senator Thomas K. Duane

Jared Chausow – Office of New York State Senator Thomas k. Duane

Veronica Diaz – Division Housing Community Renewal (DHCR)

Jenny Laurie – Met Council on Housing

NYCHA- Budget and Maintenance Concerns

Gale Brewer – City Council Member

How to Make Your Tenants’ Association More Effective

Housing Conservation Coordinators- Bob Kalin

3PM – 4PM WRAP UP

Next Steps For the Housing Movement

John Raskin – Housing Conservation Coordinators

Rail Yards Public Forum on Monday, Sept. 15th

Housing Conservation Coordinators and the West Side Neighborhood Alliance encourage you to attend:

Monday, Sept. 15th

PUBLIC FORUM ON THE WEST SIDE RAIL YARDS

Sponsored by Community Board 4 and the Related Companies

6:30 pm at Sacred Heart Church

457 West 51st St (btwn 9th/10th Aves)

FIND OUT WHAT THE DEVELOPER IS PLANNING FOR THE WEST SIDE RAIL YARDS, AND BE SURE TO ASK ABOUT:

-Permanent affordable housing

-The size and density of the proposed buildings

-How the open space is structured—can the community use it?

The hearing begins at 6:30. Please join us at 6:00 for snacks and drinks, provided by Housing Conservation Coordinators and the Clinton Housing Development Company.

For more info & to RSVP, contact John Raskin at: (212) 716-1665 or at jraskin@hcc-nyc.org.

Click here for the event flyer.

4th Annual West Side Tenants

Join WSNA, HCC, your local elected officials and tenant activists from across Chelsea, the Upper West Side and Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton for the 4th Annual Tenants’ Conference!

SATURDAY, SEPT. 27th 10AM-4PM

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL AT LINCOLN CENTER

140 WEST 62ND ST. (BTW. COLUMBUS & AMSTERDAM)

TRAIN: A,B,C, D 1* BUS M11, M57, M5, M7 and M104

Workshops topics include:

-How to find affordable housing

-NYCHA housing

-The Real Rent Reform Campaign

-Update on new pro-tenant laws

-How housing court works

-Workshops in Spanish

-Community-friendly development

-Navigating DHCR

-Effective tenant associations

-How to get help in arrears

-How to get repairs done

-Stopping illegal hotels

-Housing benefits for seniors

CONFERENCE IS FREE – with FREE BREAKFAST & LUNCH FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS

MORE INFO/RSVP TO 212-541-5996 X24

Click here for a conference flyer.

WSNA launches training series in Spanish

WSNA’s Spanish-language outreach committee is hosting a series of trainings for area residents conducted in Spanish. Come learn about the rights and power we have to make our community stronger!  Stay tuned for a series of organizing trainings in English.

The trainings are free. You can attend one or more of them.

TRAINING SCHEDULE:

“Our city, our power ” – How the New York City government works and its structure.

THURSDAY, September 4, 2008 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm

“The secrets of winning campaigns” – Learn strategies to win what we want and have elected officials work with us and for us.

THURSDAY, September 18, 2008 from 6:30 to 8:00pm

“Tenants rights” – Learn about the laws and the rights we have as tenants.

THURSDAY, October 16, 2008 from 6:30 to 8:00pm

“Community Board 4” – Learn how Community Board 4 works for us and for our community.

THURSDAY, October 30, 2008 from 6:30 to 8:00pm

“The future of WSNA” – How to build a strong organization that can win real victories for the neighborhood.

THURSDAY, November 13, 2008 from 6:30 to 8:00pm

ALL TRAININGS TAKE PLACE AT HARTLEY HOUSE

413 West 46th St. (btwn 9th/10th Ave)

—FREE SNACKS & BEVERAGES—

Please RSVP to Alex at 212-541-5996 / adilone@hcc-nyc.org to reserve your seat.

Haz clic aqui por el horario de los entrenamientos en español.

Phony Demolition Rally

This Tuesday, WSNA members joined our elected official and tenants from across the city  to demand an end to phony demolitions. The Department of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) recently ruled that landlords can kick tenants out their homes in order to “demolish” the building, even when “demolishing” just includes fixing up the inside of the building!  WSNA will be giving a testimony condemning this practice…Stay tuned for updates!