New vacancy decontrol documents

Check out the new documents we've put together highlighting vacancy decontrol and how we can end it:

• What is Vacancy Decontrol? lays out the basics of vacancy decontrol, how it works, and our campaign to repeal it.
• Andrew Beveridge's article on vacancy decontrol has some of the most up-to-date facts yet on vacancy decontrol, including information that 100,000 apartments were on the verge of deregulation in 2005!
• We have a new, stylish flyer for the rally to overturn vacancy decontrol on December 9, made by our stellar volunteer graphic designer Erin Zipper. It is bi-lingual in Spanish and English.
• For those whose printers might have have trouble with the heavy blacks of our stylish flyer, we're also including a simple flyer for the same 12/9 rally to repeal vacancy decontrol.

DHCR Action and Upcoming Rally

Housing Here and Now: Fall Actions

Here at Housing Here and Now, we're hitting the fall season running. We're keeping up the fight for a New York that belongs to everyone. Check out our current work:

• DHCR Action this last Tuesday
• Citywide rally to end vacancy decontrol and save rent-stabilized housing on December 9
• Housing Here and Now welcomes Danielle Feris as our new Lead Organizer

DHCR Action: Last Tuesday

This last Tuesday, Oct. 21 tenants from rent-stabilized apartments throughout the city joined forces to protest the Department of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR). At their regional office in Lower Manhattan, and the borough office in the Bronx, tenants demanded DHCR crack down on landlord abuse of Major Capital Improvement rent increases, illegal rent hikes, and landlord harassment. Tenants shared powerful stories of fighting back against landlord abuses, while others went upstairs to present our demands. We joined together in song, music, and action.

Check out our materials about the protest:

• the letter we handed over to the Commissioner of DHCR with our demands,
• the press release for the protest,
• the info on the issue we handed out to people passing by on the street.

We got news in Metro, Epoch Times, City Limits, and on NY1 and WWRL.

We'll keep the campaign for reform at DHCR going strong. If we can't get DHCR to do the right thing on their own, the next step is pressuring the Governor to stand by tenants.

All out for December 9 rally to Overturn Vacancy Decontrol

On November 19, one thousand tenants, advocates, union members, and communities of faith will join together to demand the end to vacancy decontrol! Vacancy decontrol is the loophole that allows landlords to deregulate a vacant rent-stabilized apartment when they could raise the rent to $2,000. New York City looses over 10,000 apartments to vacancy decontrol every year. Eventually, vacancy decontrol could be the end of New York's rent stabilized apartments. This year, we can end it and save rent-stabilized housing!

Tell all your neighbors, friends, family, and community. Our newly elected officials will be there to show us where they stand. We have to show in force we will do what it takes to save affordable housing and a future for all New Yorkers!

Citywide rally to end Vacancy Decontrol
Tuesday, December 9, 6:30 PM

The Society for Ethical Culture

2 West 64th street at Central Park West

Housing Here and Now welcomes a new Lead Organizer

This Monday, Danielle Feris will begin work as the new Lead Organizer of Housing Here and Now. She brings a rich organizing experience with Jews for Racial and Economic Justice and supporting Domestic Workers United. We were impressed with her passion, vision, and commitment to building tenant power and housing justice for all New Yorkers. You can reach her at danielle at housinghereandnow.org, or her cell (646) 202-3962. Call her about the Nov. 19 rally, and how we can work together in creating real people power.

As well, you might be getting a call from Ann Meisinger, our new outreach volunteer. She's committed four hours a week between now and December 9 to making turnout calls for the rally to overturn vacancy decontrol. You can reach her at ann at housinghereandnow.org. We are always looking for more volunteers.

Keep up the struggle for housing justice!

In solidarity,

Michelle O'Brien, Executive Director
Housing Here and Now

DHCR Protest in the Bronx

On October 21, tenants from across the city joined forces to demand administrative reforms from DHCR. Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, a core steering committee member of New York Is Our Home and Housing Here and Now, organized a protest at the Bronx DHCR office.

Check out the photos from the Bronx protest, by Dino Rossi:

Go Away!
Originally uploaded by Housing Here and Now - New York Is Our Home

Don't Cry
Originally uploaded by Housing Here and Now - New York Is Our Home

Group Hug
Originally uploaded by Housing Here and Now - New York Is Our Home

MPagan
Originally uploaded by Housing Here and Now - New York Is Our Home

Fist 3
Originally uploaded by Housing Here and Now - New York Is Our Home

Proud
Originally uploaded by Housing Here and Now - New York Is Our Home