Tonight: Come to the RGB's Final Vote for 2018

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

is the FINAL VOTE 

of the 

Rent Guidelines Board for this year

in the Great Hall at Cooper Union

7 East 7th Street (at 3rd Ave.) in Manhattan

Wear BLACK! And don't forget your signs! 

Join the 6 PM rally 

in the auditorium where the hearing is 

(in the left corner  of the room, by the press). Ushers will be present to ensure tenants know which side of the room. 

McKee's Media - June 18, 2018

TENANT ACTIONS

Patch: Tenants from all over the state rally & march to protest Cuomo's housing crisis (VIDEO)

Bronx RGB meeting: 

News 12: Hundreds of Bronx tenants deamnd rent board freeze rents (VIDEO)

New York 1 on Bronx Rent Guidelines Board hearing (VIDEO)

Charles Bagli: Seward Park shareholders reject developer's $54 million bid for air rights to allow two huge condo towers (New York Times)

NYCHA

Greg Smith: U.S. Attorney issues blistering report about NYCHA's coverup of squalid conditions, as City agrees to pay $2 billion & accept federal monitor (Daily News)

New York Times on federal NYCHA report, federal monitor

City & State: City Council Member Ritchie Torres disagrees with decision to accept federal monitor for NYCHA 

Politico NY: By signing consent decree, de Blasio avoids messy trial over City's coverup of deplorable conditions in NYCHA developments

New York Post: Corey Johnson calls for criminal charges against NYCHA officials 

New York Post: Feds & local investigators seize NYCHA records in warehouse raid

David Goodman: Raid on NYCHA warehouse points to separate inquiry (New York Times)

New York Post: De Blasio says lead-poisoned kids might not have got it from their NYCHA homes

Mckee's Media - June 9, 2018

NYCHA: David Goodman: After years of disinvestment by U.S. in public housing, feds to impose oversight on NYCHA (New York Times)

LOFT LAW: Crain's: With only days remaining in 2018 session, loftlords draft legislation (not yet introduced) to gut the Loft Law, delete tenant protections

BOWERY TENANT VICTORY:  The Villager: 85 Bowery tenants given August 31 for return to their homes, end their hunger strike 

 

TENANT RESOURCE: Quartz: Rentlogic provides letter-grade ratings for apartment buildings based on landlord compliance with housing standards 

SAN FRANCISCO'S NEW RENT PROTECTIONS
Randy Shaw: Why has San Francisco done a better job of protecting tenants than New York City? (Shelterforce)

McKee's Media June 1, 2018

[SELECTED ARTICLES] 

New York Times: De Blasio set to agree to settlement with U.S. Attorney.and to spend $1 billion on NYCHA repairs + accept federal monitor

Greg Smith: NYC on hook for up to $2.2 billion over next 10 years forNYCHA repairs under expected federal settlement (Daily News)

Politico NY: Stringer says he will not comply with Cuomo's executiveorder that he appoint a state monitor to oversee NYCHA repairs

Tenant/Inquilino: Cuomo's election-year conversion to pro-tenant advocatecan be explained by two words: Cynthia Nixon

 Rachel Silberstein: Issues to watch as legislative session wraps up(Albany Times Union)

 Nick Reisman: With 13 session days remaining, four issues to watch asAlbany winds down (Spectrum News Capital Region) (VIDEO) 

Jackson Wang: Poor People's Campaign protestors return to Albany(Spectrum News Capital Region) (VIDEO)

City Limits: De Blasio emails, released under court order, show howmayor's office cloned a developer's news release about a new "100 percentaffordable" building in Atlantic Yards 

Daily News: Chinatown tenants still locked out of 85 Bowery stage newhunger strike

Tenant/Inquilino: National movement for stronger rent laws growshttp://metcouncilonhousing.org/news_and_issues/tenant_newspaper/national_movement_for_stronger_rent_laws_grows

Syracuse.com: Three vending machines in student housing save a builder $3 million in property taxeshttps://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2018/05/3_vending_machines_saved_a_builder_3_million_in_property_taxes_a_ny_law_exploite.html

 New York Times: Twenty years after eviction of artists, fight continuesover fate of vacant LES Charas Community Center

  MMike McKee

http://www.tenantspac.org/

Copyright © 2018 TenantsPAC, All rights reserved.

McKee's Media - May 5, 2018

Susan Steinberg: Why we're pushing for stronger  rent laws early (Town & Village) Steve Wishnia: If your rent is too damn high, blame  Anthony Weiner (Village Voice) CYNTHIA NIXON RENT PROGRAM Will Parker: Cynthia Nixon, the "nightmare candidate"  for New York real estate (The Real Deal) Curbed: Cynthia Nixon rolls out platform to protect renters  everywhere in the state Daily News: Cynthia Nixon vows to protect tenants, not  corporate landlords Jarrett Murphy: Cynthia Nixon calls for sweeping reform  of rent laws (City Limits) Politico NY on Cynthia Nixon renter protection platform Town & Village: Rent board rejects another rent freeze  in preliminary vote NYTimes: Stringer report says Airbnb drives up  rents in Brooklyn & Manhattan NYTimes: Company whose Airbnb data formed basis for  Stringer analysis condemns the results, says methodology was  invalid

McKee's Media April 10, 2018

NY Times: 83 million court records show an eviction crisis sweeping the U.S. Ken Lovett: New state budget has $15 million pilot program to  subsidize rents to prevent homelessness (Daily News) REZONING: Abigail Savitch-Lew: Is City keeping track of  development in East New York? (City Limits) El Diario: Instan a Legislature estatal cambiar la ley de   alquileres (Ebbets Field tenants want state to protect tenants) Patch: Ebbets Field tenants suffer with bad conditions, landlord  sues tenants instead of fixing hole in balcony, & tenants & legislators  rally for stronger rent laws Politico NY: Cynthia Nixon slams Andrew Cuomo on his refusal  to fight for stronger rent protection laws Washington Post: The end of the IDC explained: Nothing's changed,  the Republicans still control the state senate Will Bredderman: Real estate executives fear stronger  rent laws, repeal of LLC loophole if Democrats control  state senate (Crain's) David Goodman: Shola Olatoye resigning as NYCHA chair  (New York Times) Politico NY: Terrible conditions in NYCHA housing, especially  bad air, have long-term health consequences for residents Steve Cuozzo: NYC becoming a retail ghost town as storefronts  sit empty (New York Post) Observer: City Council might revisit requirement to install  sprinklers in high-rise apartment buildings New York Times: How the federal government created a racially segregated society, and how it continues to undermine the Fair Housing Act of 1968 Mike McKee http://www.tenantspac.org/ Copyright © 2018 TenantsPAC, All rights reserved.

McKee's Media April 30, 2018

TENANT BLACKLISTINGPaula Franzese: Tenant blacklisting & the denial of opportunity (Fordham Law Journal) NYCHASamar Khurshid: Impact on city budget of Cuomo's executive  order to impose external monitor on NYCHA is unclear (Gotham Gazette) Erin Durkin: NYCHA retaliates against tenants who  complain about conditions (Daily News) ALTMAN CASE GOES FOR LANDLORDS RENT GUIDELINES BOARD NY 1 News: City rent board adopts   preliminary rent adjustments, ignoring  tenant calls for a rent freeze (VIDEO) Erin Durkin on RGB preliminary vote (Daily News) Tenant/Inquilino: RGB study shows landlords'  Net Operating Incomes have increased to  42 cents on the dollar, belying their cries of  poverty Commercial Observer on RGB preliminary vote Bedford + Bowery on RGB preliminary vote (BRIEF VIDEOS) Curbed on RGB preliminary vote (BRIEF VIDEO) TRUMP PROPOSES RAISING HUD TENANT RENTS NYTimes: Trump proposes to raise rents for poor tenants who receive  rental assistance Erin Durkin: Cuomo rips Trump's plan to increase public   housing rents (Daily News) CITY COUNCIL Tenant/Inquilino: City Council Speaker Corey Johnson  will help tenants apply pressure to Albany for stronger  rent protections Tenant/Inquilino: Three important pro-tenant bills are  stuck in Republican-controlled state senate ALBANY AND ETHICS Lisa Foderaro: Democratic blue wave did not materialize  in areas of state that are heavily Republican (NY Times) Lisa Foderaro on GOP state senators who are retiring (NY Times) Tom Precious: Prosecutors seek to introduce developers'  huge campaign contributions to Andrew Cuomo as evidence  in upcoming Buffalo Billions corruption trial (Buffalo News) NY Times: Shelly Silver faces retrial on corruption charges  beginning Monday Times Herald-Record: Assembly votes again to close  LLC loophole, authorize early voting Ken Lovett: State senate Republicans cave in fight with  Comptroller DiNapoli over improper lulu payments to vice  chairs of committees (Daily News) REZONINGPatch: Borough President Gale Brewer opposes de Blasio's  Inwood rezoning plan Abigail Savitch-Lew: Jumaane Williams & East Flatbush  residents call for contextual rezoning (City Limits) New York Post: House flipping by speculators is destroying NYC neighborhoods HOMELESSNESS New York Post: De Blasio claims $386 million will be last increase to homeless budget Ask Sam: Our landlord wants to switch our heat to  a more expensive system. Can we get a rent reduction?  (Brick Underground) Mike McKee http://www.tenantspac.org/ Copyright © 2018 TenantsPAC, All rights reserved.

McKee's Media April 21 2018

CUOMO & HOUSINGCity Limits: Andrew Cuomo's attempts to portray himself  as champion for NYCHA tenants undercut by his role as  HUD Secretary in dismantling public housing across  the country Javier Valdes & Jonathan Westin: Andrew Cuomo's cruel,  chilling threats to community organizers (Daily News OpEd) Gotham Gazette: Cuomo's big real estate & business donors  do not want a Democratic state senate ETHICS Erin Durkin: Cuomo signs bill requiring online political  ads to disclose who pays for them (Daily News) New York Post: Kushner Companies hit with federal  subpoena over false paperwork New York Post: A homeless shelter is coming  to Billionaires' Row Ronda Kaysen: Can I stop my neighbor from running  an Airbnb? (New York Times Real Estate section) City Limits: Bid to change NYC scaffolding law stirs old debate https://citylimits.org/2018/04/19/bid-to-change-citys-scaffolding- law-stirs-old-debate/?mc_cid=503b201c80&mc_eid=aa50093a8c Thomas B. Edsall: The Democrats' gentrification  problem (New York Times) Mike McKee http://www.tenantspac.org/ Copyright © 2018 TenantsPAC, All rights reserved.

McKee's Media April 14 2018

RENT STABILIZED APARTMENTS New York Times: How to find a rent-stabilized apartment Ask Sam: Think your apartment should be rent-stabilized?  Here's how to find out (Brick Underground) New York Times: California advocates take rent control   campaign to the streets Michael McKee: What does the Democratic "unity"  deal mean for tenants? (Town & Village) NY Times: Judge orders lead paint inspections in public  housing within 90 days Brad Lander & David Jones: Fifty years after passage of  Fair Housing Act, New York City remains deeply segregated  (Daily News OpEd) MITCHELL-LAMAS Patch: Schumer & Espaillat secure federal funds they say   will keep East Harlem Mitchell-Lama Lakeview development  affordable for 20 years Abigail Savitch-Lew: Linden Plaza tenants sue landlord,   feds & city to overturn unaffordable Bloomberg deal to  "preserve" Mitchell-Lama complex (City Limits) The Real Deal: NYC sues Airbnb over failure to comply   with subpoena Mike McKee http://www.tenantspac.org/ Copyright © 2018 TenantsPAC, All rights reserved.

RALLY TOMORROW + ARTICLES OF INTEREST TO TENANT ADVOCATES

[abridged] Nikita Stewart: New statewide alliance seeks to  expand rent regulation statewide, plus protections  for homeless & people receiving public assistance (New York Times) Tim Collins, Sam Himmelstein & Richard Semegram:  Response to Crain's anti-rent control editorial Politico NY: Stringer audit finds unsafe conditions at 70   percent of NYCHA playgrounds Katie Goldstein: Ask yourself: Who do anti-rent control policies serve? (Shelterforce)   Mike McKee http://www.tenantspac.org/ Copyright © 2018 TenantsPAC, All rights reserved.

IDC rejoining State Senate Dems - What does it mean for tenants?

From Michael McKee: WHAT DOES THE LATEST "UNITY" DEAL MEAN FOR TENANTS? In a stunning development, Governor Andrew Cuomo has persuaded Jeff Klein and his fellow turncoat members of the Independent Democratic Conference not only to rejoin the mainstream Democratic conference but also to dissolve the IDC. This is a huge political defeat for Jeff Klein, who up to now has insisted that while he was open to a reunification deal, the IDC would continue as a separate conference and he would be co-leader with Andrea Stewart-Cousins. Now he has agreed to disband the IDC, and accept a lower position as Andrea's deputy. Why? Because Andrew Cuomo, Jeff Klein, and the other turncoat Senators are scared of losing their jobs this year. This is a perfect illustration of how grassroots political pressure can produce results. While Klein and Cuomo are desperate to lessen the pressure on them, we need to keep the pressure on -- and increase it.

McKee's Media April 14 2018

TIME TO CRACK DOWN ON RENT FRAUD Abigail Savitch-Lew: Advocates call on city & state to  crack down of rent fraud (City Limits) RENT GUIDELINES Curbed: Landlords cite misleading, one-sided  Price Index study to advocate for rent hikes  for rent-stabilized apartments FAIR HOUSING LAW Walter Mondale: The civil rights law we ignored  (New York Times) Abigail Savitch-Lew: City Council report lays out agenda   to address NYC's racial segregation (City Limits) CHINATOWN TENANTS FIGHT BACK WNYC: Tenants forced to leave 85 Bowery because of  unsafe conditions find their personal property tossed into   dumpster Daily News: Twin Lazar brothers get rich sheltering  homeless in disgusting apartments ZONING Abigail Savitch-Lew: Lively opposition to Inwood  rezoning at Boro President Gale Brewer's hearing (City Limits) NYCHA New York Times: Legal Aid Society files class-action lawsuit  seeking rebates for NYCHA tenants who went without heat  and hot water this winter New York Times: De Blasio picks Stanley Brezenoff to lead   NYCHA on interim basis New York Times: Can New York City save its public housing? Greg Smith: De Blasio promises re-inspections of  NYCHA units exempted from lead paint inspections  (Daily News)  Bloomberg News: Asking rents falling in Manhattan,  Brooklyn & Queens

McKee's Media - March 2018

HUD STOPS ENFORCING FED HOUSING LAWS New York Times: HUD stops enforcing federal  fair housing laws RENT REGULATION Shelterforce: Dear business school professors:  You're wrong! Rent control works https://shelterforce.org/2018/03/28/rent-control-works/ ZONING Gotham Gazette: De Blasio planning appointee  Michelle de la Uz who seeks more affordability NYCHA Greg Smith: Cuomo signs executive order to  appoint monitor to oversee $550 million in  NYCHA upgrades (Daily News) Sally Goldenberg: Long ignored, public housing becomes political football in governor's race (Politico NY) Sally Goldenberg: De Blasio says that Cuomo now owns  NYCHA, subway problems (Politico NY) New York Post: State health inspectors find serious  health risks in 80 percent of 255 NYCHA apartments Ask Sam: Can my grandchildren take over my rent-stabilized  apartment? (Brick Underground)