Harmon Case Challenges Rent Laws - Hear Speaker on Jan. 11, 2012

Our General Tenants Meeting presents:

Andrew Scherer*

former Executive Director of Legal Services NYC

 speaking on the Harmon case 
that challenges all rent laws.

Upper West Side landlord (and former federal prosecutor) James Harmon wants the U.S. Supreme Court to undo ALL of NY's rent laws. He claims these laws deprive owners of their property  - the ability to rake in as much money as the market will bear.  After all, who needs a level bargaining table for the 99%!  As the market-rate tenants in our building know, it's hard to bargain with a landlord for a reasonable rent when you don't have the right to a renewal lease as long as you pay your rent and don't cause a nuisance.

While the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly decided different aspects of the issue (see HousingNYC.com's explanation starting at page 37) and permitted states to regulate rents,  the Court has asked those opposing Harmon  to file briefs to say why the Court should NOT take the case and consider the question once again. 

This affects all of us - so come hear Andy Scherer and ask questions

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 11, 2012

 at 8 PM
In our Community Room

____
*Prof. Scherer, a, writer, teacher and legal consultant, wrote  the treatise, Residential Landlord-Tenant Law in New York  - the resource book for all lawyers representing tenants in court (for the past 16 years).

R3 Bus to Albany Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011

JOIN STEVE KOULISH on the BUS TO ALBANY

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2011

The Real Rent Reform Bus leaves NYC at 9:00 am sharp from Broadway and West 95th Street (outside the McDonald’s).  Be there at 8:45 AM, dress warmly and bring your lunch.

Real Rent Reform Campaign + Occupy Albany

 BUS to ALBANY

Rally for stronger rent laws, for fair taxation that produces enough revenue to fund social programs, and for fair and independent redistricting of legislative seats. The Legislature will be in session!
 
Dress warmly! While tenants will be inside the State Capitol for much of the day, Occupy Albany will give us a tour of the encampment across the street from the Capitol Building.
 
R³ will provide donuts on the trip up – but bring a bag lunch. 

This event will be fun! 
 
We anticipate that the bus will leave Albany at 3:30 pm, and return to Broadway and West 95th Street by about 6:30 pm.
 
To sign up for a seat on the bus, contact Larry Wood of Goddard-Riverside Community Center:
 

Larry Wood
(212) 799-9400, ext. 216

larryw@goddard.org 

Have a good Thanksgiving!

And thanks to all tenants for making this a terrific tenant organization!

Summary of the General Tenants Meeting of Nov. 16, 2011

The meeting opened with a moment of silence for Richard Geller, who passed away on November 1, 2011 of skin cancer.  I relayed his wife Barbara’s statement that the outpouring of support from her neighbors made her appreciate what a remarkable community we have.

Susan Lerner of Common Cause/NY explained redistricting. Using maps, charts and drawings, she showed clearly that drawing different shapes around the same set of voters (Democrats and Republicans) results in very different electoral districts and electoral outcomes.  Right now, our state legislators choose which voters they want in their districts – instead of voters choosing which legislators they want. 

  

Redistricting: Common Cause speaker at General Tenants Meeting

See how it all fits together. 
Learn about
REDISTRICTING 

at our GENERAL TENANTS MEETING  
with Susan Lerner, Exec. Dir. of Common Cause NY

• Wednesday, November 16, 2011 
• at 8 PM 
• in the Community Room. 

"Redistricting" means drawing the lines to determine each electoral district - to elect members of the U.S. Congress as well as for State offices.  It happens every 10 years when the Census Bureau comes up with its report.  How it happens determines whether those who represent us will be the "same old same old" incumbents, or people who will really speak for us.  (Sometimes they are in fact the same, but not always!)  

Come and learn

• how it affects us as tenants, as Upper West Siders, as neighbors, as New Yorkers
• what we can do to affect the process of redistricting.

 
Bring a chair and a neighbor!