NOW is the Time: Housing Here and Now takes action!

Greetings,
Housing Here and Now is rolling into an aggressive fall campaign to overturn vacancy decontrol! On Tuesday 11/4, the voters of New York voted for a State Senate voted in a Democratic majority. This is the critical time to hold them accountable to securing affordable housing for ALL New Yorkers. Housing Here and Now is doing this exciting work and we hope ALL of you will participate.
Looking Forward--
Danielle Feris
Housing Here and Now, Lead Organizer

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1) Coming Up! -- 12/9: Rally to repeal vacancy decontrol
2) 12/9 Rally to repeal vacancy decontrol -- Attend, mobilize & volunteer
3) Resources -- Fact sheet on vacancy decontrol, an article with brand new stats & updated website
4) Report-backs -- 10/21 DHCR Action & 10/28 Membership Meeting

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1) Coming Up! -- 12/9: Rally to repeal vacancy decontrol

12/9: Rally to repeal vacancy decontrol
When the rent in a vacant apartment can be raised to $2000 a month, landlords can raise the rent to anything they want. This is known as "vacancy decontrol." The State legislature can end this, saving 100,000 regulated apartments in the coming few years. At this rally, we will come together and show our power to hold politicians accountable and END VACANCY DECONTROL! Download the flyer
Tuesday, December 9th, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Location: New York Society for Ethical Culture,
2 W 64th St at Central Park West, Manhattan; By Subway: 1 to 66th St; A,B,C,D to Columbus Circle

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2) 12/9 Rally to repeal vacancy decontrol -- Attend, Mobilize & Volunteer

Attend the rally to repeal vacancy decontrol on December 9
Tell us you are coming! Need help with transportation? Need childcare? Let us know!

Mobilize your friends and neighbors to attend the rally
Let's pack the room with community members from across NYC who want affordable housing NOW!-- Download this flyer and distribute it far and wide! (Short on toner? Download this simpler flyer). For printed flyers and other support in your outreach, contact us.

Volunteer at the rally
HHN NEEDS YOU! -- There a ton of important roles to fill to help make the 12/9 rally run smoothly, so that our voices will be heard loud and clear by the elected officials. Are you available on Tuesday 12/9? Can you arrive early at 4pm and help set up? Can you volunteer during the event? Can you stay late till 9:30pm and help clean up? Tell us!

Contact Danielle at danielle at housinghereandnow.org or 646-646-202-3962 to RSVP, tell us your needs, get flyers or sign up to volunteer!

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3) Resources!

Fact Sheet -- The basics of Vacancy Decontrol, how it works, and our campaign to repeal it.
http://www.housinghereandnow.org/pdfs/What_is_Vacancy_Decontrol.pdf

Article -- More on Vacancy Decontrol with up-to-date facts and statistics.
http://www.housinghereandnow.org/pdfs/Vacancy_Decontrol_Gotham_Gazette.pdf

Flyers-- for rally to repeal vacancy decontrol on December 9. Be in touch if you need printed copies. Both flyers are bilingual in English and Spanish.
Here is a stylish flyer that needs a lot of toner to print: http://www.housinghereandnow.org/pdfs/12-9_rally_stylish.pdf
Here is a less-stylish simple flyer that is easy to print: http://www.housinghereandnow.org/pdfs/12-9_rally_simple.doc

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4) Report-backs -- 10/21 DHCR Action & 10/28 Membership Meeting

10/21 DHCR Action
On October 21, tenants from across New York City gathered to demand the Department of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) step up and do it's job! We had simultaneous protests in the Bronx and Manhattan, and demanded DHCR crack down on illegal rent increases, landlord harassment, and fake Major Capital Improvement (MCI) increases. We also asked DHCR to hold public forums for more tenants to bring their concerns, and establish a community advisory panel. We played music, gave speeches, made some noise, and made our voices heard! Special thanks to the tenants of Make the Road NY, who filled a bus and brought the noise; Legal Aid Society, who helped formulate the demands; and tenants from Community Voices Heard and New York City AIDS Housing Network for being a key part of the organizing. We'll be stepping up our campaign to push DHCR into the winter. Join us!

10/28 Membership Meeting
There were over twenty participants from twelve organizations. We debriefed the 10/21 DHCR action; had a great discussion about the meaning and implications of Vacancy Decontrol; publicly committed our organizations to concrete turn out goals for 12/9; and signed up to volunteer on 12/9. The meeting was overall positive and productive. Big thanks to New York Immigration Coalition for hosting and to our fabulous facilitators, James and Anne!