Cooper Square Committee's Organizing Department

Transcription

1 Cper Square Cmmittee's Organizing Department Summary f Wrk Accmplished in 2015 CSC Staff, September 2015 (*) are members f the Organizing Department (back, L-R) Ynatan Tadele*, Mamadu Bah*, (frnt) Angee Crtrreal*, Christian Valeri, Brandn Kielbasa*, Harriet Putterman*, Steve Herrick, Jyce Ravitz Just a very quick summary f 2015 here (see the chrnlgical breakdwn belw fr all the details f the year). We had anther incredibly prductive year. We are very prud f the wrk we accmplished and very, very grateful t have cllabrated with all the amazing cmmunity members and rganizatins in the wrk we did: In 2015 we helped file 7 HP Actins in husing Curt (an average f just ver ne every ther mnth -- we did a cuple HP Actins n ur wn, but typically had supprt frm the Urban Justice Center (UJC) &/r MFY Legal Services); In cnjunctin with the citywide Stand fr Tenant Safety (STS) calitin published a Data Summary cllecting infrmatin abut cnstructin-as-harassment n a citywide basis; Again, in cnjunctin with STS, wrked t get 12 bills (the STS Legislative platfrm) intrduced int City Cuncil; Partnered with the UJC t push fr new laws t prtect tenants frm unscrupulus buyut ffers - this wrk UJC and CSC ultimately resulted in three new laws being adpted by the City (Lcal Laws 81, 82, & 83); Thrugh ur wrk with the Mahfar Tenants Alliance frced the Dept f Health t adpt new regulatins fr ntifying tenants when lead is fund in their building; Brkered a sitdwn meeting between tenant leaders and ICON Realty; Sat dwn with tw majr banks t discuss lending practices in regards t verleveraging and tenant harassment; Participated in tw majr mbilizatins t strengthen NYS rent laws (ne in Fley Square and ne in Albany CSC members attended each). Supprted tenants during hrrific gas explsin n 2nd Ave (3/7/15); CSC rganizers sat n fur panels, were invlved in numerus ther presentatins and trainings, and held tw tenants rights walking turs; The wrk we did was mentined in clse t 3 dzen articles and ther media, n varius news utlets, including bradcast TV (PIX 11 - in cnjunctin with the amazing Stabilizing NYC calitin). January Participated in large-scale Illegal Htels rally; lead rganizer Brandn Kielbasa spke at press cnference n the steps f City Hall as a part f this event 1/20/15 Officially became part f the citywide Stabilizing NYC calitin February Attended press cnference t annunce the new Anti-Harassment Task Frce (invited by the NYS Attrney General's ffice) March Went t Albany t lbby fr funding and strnger rent laws 3/9/15 Facilitated a Knw Yur Rights wrkshp (Tenants rights #1 -- Tpics cvered: What are the City and State agencies that have a place in prtecting NYC tenants' rights? An verview f HPD, DOB, & HCR) fr tenants thrughut the Lwer East Side [Partnered with the Urban Justice Center (UJC) and Assciatin fr Neighbrhd & Husing Develpment (ANHD) fr this training] 3/24/15 Facilitated the first ICON calitin meeting (Bringing tgether dzens f tenants frm ICON buildings). This pwerful calitin wuld later decide t adpt the name: Icn Cmmunity United (ICU) CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE Cpersquare.rg (212) E 4 th St, NY, NY All phts taken by the Cper Square Cmmittee unless therwise nted.

2 April Lead Organizer Brandn Kielbasa presented n the Stand fr Tenant Safety (STS - DOB refrm) calitin campaign at Husing Curt Answers annual frum 3/20/15 Prvided frmal written cmments n the lending f Signature Bank fr their Cmmunity Reinvestment Act regulatry filing (this was in cnjunctin with ANHD's campaign t hld banks accuntable) Help the tenants f 128 2nd Ave. file an HP actin in Husing Curt fr lack f services (CSC wuld later partner with UJC t litigate it fully) 3/24/15 Partnered with UJC t file the first f 4 Husing Curt cases against Samy Mahfar fr issues related t cnstructin as harassment ). The tenant calitin, the Mahfar Tenants Alliance, wuld file these cases as a unified frnt against their landlrd. 113 Stantn St. was the first building t file and the next three buildings wuld file within several weeks. Lead Organizer Brandn Kielbasa wrte a shrt article n the STS campaign fr Husing Curt Answers mnthly newsletter Partnered with University Settlement's Prject Hme t d a training fr their tenant leaders. Our lead rganizer presented here 4/8/15 Alng with the Directrs f Organizing frm CAAAV and GOLES, Lead Organizer Brandn Kielbasa presented n the issue f tenant harassment at the Manhattan Cmmunity Bard 3 meeting 4/13/15 Alng with CAAAV, UJC, & NYLPI the Organizing Dept at CSC c-crdinated a pwerful press cnference fr the filing f 3 mre lawsuits against Samy Mahfar. Tenants f three mre buildings f the Mahfar Tenants Alliance (210 Rivingtn, 102 Nrflk, 22 Spring) came tgether with the tenants f 113 Stantn t cnduct this press cnference and shine a light n their bad-acting landlrd 4/20/15 With cmmunity partner GOLES, CSC c-crdinated a neighbrhd-wide infrmatin sessin fr buildings affected by the gas explsin n 2nd Avenue 4/20/15 Cnducted a cmmunity infrmatin sessin/rganizing meeting fr all rent regulated tenants thrughut EV/LES. This meeting was cnducted t get flks ready t mbilize and fight fr strnger rent laws n 2015 (a battle that wuld be waged fr the next several mnths). Several dzen tenants attended. The Met Cuncil n Husing partnered with CSC's Organizing Dept. t facilitate this meeting 4/21/15 Mahfar Tenant Alliance leader Seth Wandersman in a hazmat suit, illustrating the txicity f cnstructin in his building, speaking at press cnference calling attentin t lawsuits against Mahfar, n 4/20/15. Testified at City Hall in supprt f three new laws that wuld inhibit the harassing behavir f tenant relcatin specialists (a.k.a. tenant relcatrs). Tenant leaders and Lead Organizer Brandn Kielbasa testified in frnt f the City Cuncil's Husing Cmmittee in supprt f this vital legislatin 4/29/15 Tenant Relcatin Specialist hearing at City Hall; pictured L-R: Harvey Epstein (Urban Justice Center's Cmmunity Develpment Prject), CSC rganizers Ynatan Tadele and Brandn Kielbasa, and tenant leader Shawn Dahl, 4/29/15 CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE Cpersquare.rg (212) E 4 th St, NY, NY All phts taken by the Cper Square Cmmittee unless therwise nted.

3 May June Crdinated a building walk-thrugh fr tenants f 41 E. 7th St. (building affected by gas explsin n Secnd Avenue) with HPD t get services restred 5/6/15 Mbilized 40+ tenants fr rally in Fley Square t strengthen rent laws. After the rally, tenants marched acrss the Manhattan Bridge 5/14/15 Participated in a panel discussin run by the Interference Archive. Lead Organizer Brandn Kielbasa and tenant leader and CSC bard member Ted Osbrne were amngst 10 ther panelists in attendance discussing the fight fr strnger rents and methds fr curbing gentrificatin 5/16/15 Lead Organizer Brandn Kielbasa presented at the New Schl's student husing frum in Sunset Park, Brklyn. The presentatin centered n hw a student can becme mre engaged in NYC s husing mvement 5/23/15 Our Lead Organizer and his creative partner Emily Gallagher cnducted anther renditin f their Tenants Rights Walking Tur 5/30/ E 12th beginning their Husing Curt case With the help f staff rganizer Ynatan Tadele, and legal assistance frm MFY Legal Services, residents f 222 E 12th St. - an Icn Realty-wned SRO building and member f Icn Cmmunity United (ICU) - began a tandem HP & Harassment Actin against their landlrd. - 6/4/15 Mbilized 30+ tenants t attend majr husing rally in Albany. The Organizing Department captained ne bus which included tenants mbilized by Cper Square and Met Cuncil n Husing 6/9/15 Majr Stabilizing NYC press cnference n the steps f City Hall. The Organizing Department wrked with ICU (ICON tenants) t have ne f their tenant leaders, Chris Dmbrwski, speak at this press cnference. Chris did a great jb & we had a majr presence at this large press cnference 6/11/ nd Ave. tenants assciatin, the tenants f a ICON building, held a press cnference utside f Manhattan Husing Curt t call attentin t their cntempt f curt filing against their landlrd. CSC's Organizing Dept helped crdinate the press cnference. UJC was ur legal partner n this case. Bth the tenants and the attrneys did amazing wrk here 6/18/15 Attended Rent Guidelines Bard rally at Cper Unin. Mbilized tenants frm the neighbrhd t attend the rally. The RGB eventually enacted their first-ever 0% rent increase! 6/24/15 CSC Members and allies at Albany pushing fr the renewal and strengthening f rent regulatin laws, 6/9/15 Stabilizing NYC press cnference at City Hall. Chris Dmbrwski hlds up a sign drawn by ther ICON tenants. July Crdinated meeting with M&T Bank t discuss ICON Realty 7/15/15 In cnjunctin with ANHD, crdinated meeting with BankUnited t discuss ICON Realty 7/24/15 CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE Cpersquare.rg (212) E 4 th St, NY, NY All phts taken by the Cper Square Cmmittee unless therwise nted.

4 August Did extensive wrk t prepare fr September's intrductin f bills fr the Stand fr Tenant Safety campaign Brian Mark talking n PIX11 abut Icn & predatry equity Brian Mark, a resident f 222 E 12th St., appeared n PIX11 with Kerri White - an rganizer at the Urban Hmesteading Assistance Bard (UHAB) - t discuss predatry equity and his experiences with his landlrd, Icn Realty - 8/18/15 September Mayr de Blasi signs the three new tenant relcatin specialist (a.k.a. tenant relcatrs) bills int law!!! CSC and UJC played a big rle in calling fr these new laws. There is n questin that Cuncilmembers Mark-Viverit, Williams, and Gardnick deserve a huge amunt f credit here t 9/1/15 Lead Organizer Brandn Kielbasa spke at the Tenants f 90 Elizabeth Street press cnference (1 f 2 in 2015). He fcused his speech n the need fr DOB refrm as the tenants here have faced very intense "cnstructin as harassment." 9/10/15 CSC rganizers Ynatan Tadele and Brandn Kielbasa presented fr students f the Schl fr Internatinal Training (SIT) Graduate Institute. The presentatin fcused n CSC's apprach t rganizing tenants arund affrdable husing issues (especially anti-displacement rganizing) 9/10/15 Lead Organizer Brandn Kielbasa presented fr the Emergency Rent Arrears Calitin. The presentatin fcused n the three new tenant relcatin specialist laws and the STS (DOB refrm) campaign 9/16/15 CSC's rganizing dept. facilitated a large cmmunity educatin sessin t prepare tenants fr the upcming intrductin f eleven STS bills. The event pulled tgether 40+ LES'ers and was an in-depth explanatin f the STS campaign 9/17/15 Big, fun sign-making party hsted by CSC's Organizing Dept t create artwrk fr the upcming intrductin f the STS bills (Saturday) 9/17/15 Settlement agreement was reached fr the tenants f 128 2nd Ave. UJC and CSC partnered n this and were able t hammer ut a very slid settlement agreement with ICON Realty. The tenants repeatedly mbilized and spke at press cnference t describe what they had been thrugh and call fr a fair deal 9/27/15 MAJOR press cnference n the steps f City Hall fr the intrductin f the STS Legislative Package. CSC mbilized 40+ cmmunity members and Rbert Pinter (CSC bard member and tenant leader extrardinaire) was a key tenant speaker at the press cnference. CSC landed multiple press mentins. Bradcast STS press cnference at City Hall; Rbert Pinter speaking, 9/30/15 and print jurnalists cvered the event extensively 9/30/15 Octber CSC annual gala which celebrated the Organizing Dept's great wrk. Awards were given t the Mahfar Tenants Alliance & the Icn Cmmunity United tenants calitins fr the amazing wrk at pushing back against tw f the neighbrhd s mst aggressive landlrds 10/1/15 CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE Cpersquare.rg (212) E 4 th St, NY, NY All phts taken by the Cper Square Cmmittee unless therwise nted.

5 Lead Organizer Brandn Kielbasa presented fr the Tenement Museum educatrs. The presentatin fcused n cntemprary husing issues in the EV/LES and hw the educatrs can raise cnsciusness abut these issues 10/29/15 Nvember The LEAP panel presentatin Staff rganizer Ynatan Tadele, alng with husing attrneys frm UJC, NYLPI, and the Nrthern Manhattan Imprvement Crpratin (NMIC), gave a presentatin t ther legal aid prfessinals n the STS Calitin. The grup highlighted cases invlving cnstructin and health risks caused by dangerus cnstructin practices, and discussed the STS campaign's gals and legislative aims - 11/13/15 Lead Organizer Brandn Kielbasa presented at the Manhattan Cmmunity Bard 3 Husing and Land Use Sub-Cmmittee meeting with the citywide Right t Cuncil calitin. The presentatin fcused n the need fr fair representatin in Husing Curt 11/18/15 Lead Organizer Brandn Kielbasa was n a panel fr students f the Baruch Cllege regarding healthy husing. The panel included scientists and NYC agency administratrs wh fcused n tpics related t healthy husing. Brandn mainly fcused his cmments n CSC's apprach t rganizing tenants arund husing issues (especially thse related t unsafe husing cnditins) 11/19/15 CSC's Organizing Dept facilitated a majr meeting between ICU tenant leaders, elected fficials, and ICON Realty principals. Lts f wrk went int this event frm all invlved. Lead Organizer Brandn Kielbasa emceed the meeting. ICU tenant leaders prepared and presented strng statements and a list f demands t ICON Reality 11/30/15 December Facilitated a Knw Yur Rights wrkshp (Tenants Rights #2 -- Tpics cvered: Husing Curt, utilizing the Attrney General s Anti-Harassment Taskfrce, and the imprtance f rganizing) fr tenants thrughut the Lwer East Side. Partnered with Husing Curt Answers fr this training 12/2/15 CSC Organizing Dept. hsted a training fr clleagues frm thrughut the CIty. This training (fr ther rganizers in the Stabilizing NYC calitin) fcused n hw t cmbat tenant harassment and hw t use Husing Curt in rganizing strategies. We facilitated the training with fellw Manhattan grups CAAAV, GOLES, & Mirabal Sisters 12/8/15 We participated in the press cnference at 90 Elizabeth St and then marched t City Hall with dzens f tenants t shw that we need DOB refrm nw! Fr the march we partnered with bth the Citywide STS calitin and the Stabilizing NYC calitin. We als had the Rude Mechanical Orchestra jin us fr the march! CSC's rganizing Dept testified at the hearing in supprt fr the bills. This was a big day!! 12/10/15 CSC's Organizing Dept. presented at CSC s end f year membership meeting n all the wrk they've dne this year 12/16/15 (tp) NYC Cuncilmember Margaret Chin speaking in frnt f 90 Elizabeth St at press cnference (bttm) March t City Hall fr rally fr STS bills 12/10/15 CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE Cpersquare.rg (212) E 4 th St, NY, NY All phts taken by the Cper Square Cmmittee unless therwise nted.