Sad News: Lydia Pitsirilos has died.

Lydia, a long-time tenant in this building with her late husband Abe, died on December 23,2024, of lymphoma. 

Lydia was known to many in the building for her warmth, laughter, and ever-ready help. She decorated our annual tenant association pot luck parties and cooked and served and cleaned and danced.  She was part of the backbone of the tenant association and our building community for decades and a strong and wonderful woman.  We offer condolences to her children Stephanie, Alex, and Liza, and their extended family.

 

There will be a MEMORIAL

2-4 PM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2024

at the Riverside  Memorial Chapel,

180 West 76^th Street, New York 10023

Happy Holidays - and Join our board!

Season's Greetings from your tenant association!

With permission from Picryl.com/GetArchive.net

Here's what we've done this year, who's done it, and who can do it going forward (run for election to our board!).  

FUN!

• We had a terrific Pot Luck Party in the Community Room last May (thanks, Debbie Gonzalez, Lydia Pitsirilos & family, Maxine Soares, and many, many others)!
• We resumed free ShapeUp NY classes in our community room on Tuesdays at 6 PM (thanks, Jodi Brockington!)
• We organized a weekly games-and-chat session on Thursdays at 2 in the Community Room (thanks, Caroline Moorhead and Kathie Murray!) 
• We had our annual Halloween and Valentine's Day tables (thanks to Debbie Gonzalez, Rosa Delgado, and several others!)
• We had a flea market (thanks Krystina Orellano!)
• We've had some gardening events (thanks, Barbara Geller!)

WINS! 

• We found free or affordable legal help to keep some tenants in their homes. 
• We got Stellar to correct its records and stop threatening tenants who had (in fact) renewed their leases.
• We've educated tenants about new and existing rights:
• Rent-stabilized tenants have a LOT of rights.
• Market-rate tenants have a new(ish) right to a lease renewal at no more than a specified increase unless the landlord can show "good cause" why not.  
• Some market-rate tenants may be able to get their apartments back into rent stabilization.  Ask us about it!
• We all have the right to a habitable, warm, vermin-free apartment  [no poisons that could harm pets, please!].
• We helped some tenants get "succession" (get the rent-stabilized lease in their own name after a parent or other family member was no longer with us).
• We found support and resources for tenants dealing with clutter or where to find rent money.   

We have some things we're still working on (getting Stellar to keep the heat adequate for the whole building, for example).  

WHO'S DOING THE WORK:

All of this is possible because of the work of those who keep this tenant association running, and available to help you and your neighbors:

Floor captains  
2 East - Gabrielle Everett               2 West - Rosa Delgado
3 East - Glenn Richter                    3 West - Brenda Marshall

4 East - (Steve Koulish, from 12)   4 West - Patricia Jordan

5 East - Luz Rivera                         5 West - Michelle Jimenez

6 East - Kitty RIvera                       6 West - Lora & Ed Kahn
7 East - Kathie Murray & Rachel Hydell    7 West - Denis Hayward
8 East - Barbara Garson                  8 West - Letty Orellano
9 East - Marlene Williamson           9 West - Loretta Beasmoney
10 East - Alec Merber                     10 West - Melanie Eversley
11 East - Bones Rodriguez              11 West - Barbara Geller
12 East Joan Browne                       12 West - Sushama Prasad
14 East - Jerry Pirog & Florence Jackson 14 West - Millie Matos

15 East - Debbie Gonzalez               15 West - Maxine Soares        

Board members (Executive committee members are starred) Jodi Brockington*, Rosa Delgado, Ayana Dixon, Barbara Geller*, Debbie Gonzalez, Denis Hayward*, Patricia Jordan*, Steve Koulish*, Alex Martin*, Alec Merber*, Letty Orellano, Bones Rodriguez, Maxine Soares, Sue Susman*. 

ELECTION COMING UP:  JOIN US!  The Board's 2-year terms are up at the end of January, so we're holding an election at our Jan. 22nd meeting. Would you like to run? Send me a photo and a paragraph about yourself - in relation to the tenant association and the building - and I'll add you to the ballot.  Here's what we have so far. 

WE'RE STRONGER TOGETHER! You can make us stronger by joining us, or renewing your membership. It's only $10 per apartment per year!  Give a check (or cash in person) to our treasurer, Barbra Geller in Apt. 11T. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

                               Image from OpenClipart

Summary of the Nov. 13, 2024 Tenant Meeting

We began with a moment of silence for our neighbor Mae Eversley, who died last week at home at the age of 96.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Temperature Regulating Valves: You can call the number on the flyer to set an appointment to get yours installed.  The workers will be here through Friday.
• The compactor chutes are being cleaned Thursday and Friday of this week from 9-5, so hold onto your trash.  (Food trash, of course, goes into the compactor bins on the ground floor.)
• Drought:  brush fires are spreading in our parks because of dry conditions and high winds.  Take shorter showers, and don't leave the water running for tooth-brushing and other cleaning activities. 

IN THE NEWS: The US Supreme Court ruled against hearing the appeals in two pending cases brought by landlords challenging the NY State rent laws. 

TENANT ASSOCIATION ELECTIONS will be held at our

JANUARY 2025 meeting. If you live here and are interested in running for 

• president
• vice president (a few of these)
• treasurer
• secretary
• at-large board member

send a 1-paragraph bio and a photo to cpgtenassoc@gmail.com.  You will appear on the ballot. 

INCORPORATED: To protect the members of the board - including the executive committee - our tenant association is now incorporated:  Central Park Gardens Tenants' Association, Inc. 

Sad News: Mae Eversley has died

 

The Central Park Gardens Tenants’ Association mourns the loss of our friend and neighbor

MAE EVERSLEY

 

Mae Eversley, an original tenant in this building, passed away in her sleep at home on Nov. 7, 2024 at the age of 96.  

Mae Eversley was born in New York, but graduated from St. Augustine’s University, a historically Black college in Raleigh, N.C.  She taught French in NYC schools, and then became a social services caseworker for NYC, visiting endangered children to place them in safer living conditions. She met her husband Randolph on the job, and worked her way up to supervisor of caseworkers.   

Ms. Eversley was a master crocheter, a lover of opera, classic music, the ballet, and the arts in general.  She also volunteered at The Riverside Church and St. Thomas Episcopal Church and collected goods for impoverished children.   She loved to read history and other nonfiction, but also appreciated the Bible not only for its teachings but also as literature. 

 

We offer our condolences to her daughter Melanie, who moved up to NYC several years ago to take care of her mother in her last decade, and to Mae’s extended family.

 

Information on the services will be announced shortly.

Wed. Nov. 13 tenant meeting - Keeping our Community, Tenant Elections, & more

Since Stellar Management cancelled at the last minute, and life has changed, so has our tenant association meeting. 

Tracy Jackson Mallin, a neighbor who works in local politics and has a background in social work, will facilitate 

a DISCUSSION to 

BUILD COMMUNITY 

AFTER AN INTENSE ELECTION SEASON

Image source: Creazilla commons,wikimedia.org

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2024 at 8 PM 

in the 

COMMUNITY ROOM

Let's come together for a conversation, with coffee & cake (tea, soda, fruit too!).

ALSO: Tenant association elections are coming in January. 

We have an Executive Committee

• president
• vice president (a few)
• secretary
• treasurer

all of whom serve on the Board with another 12 or so people to make up a total of 18.

All Board members and the Executive Committee are expected to come to the tenant meetings and board meetings which alternate from September through June.  Executive Committee members have additional monthly meetings. 

If interested, prepare a one-paragraph bio and photo of yourself.  More instructions at the meeting. 

Happy Halloween!

Decorate your door if you'd like trick-or-treaters to come today!

Tenant Meeting - Wed., Nov. 13, 2024: ASK STELLAR - not this time.

At our 

TENANT MEETING 

WED., NOV. 13, 2024 at 8 PM 

in the Community Room

STELLAR REPS CANCELLED.  

ASK STELLAR MANAGEMENT

Smajlje Srdanovic, building owner/property mgr.

and Niti Jakupaj, building manager

how they are dealing with 

mice, rats and other vermin,

with the temperature in some of our apartments, 

and other building issues. 

Refreshments, of course!

ALL TENANTS WELCOME!

Elections 2024

October 26

• First day of early voting
• Last day to register to vote in person at the early voting site

November 3

• Last day of early voting

November 5

• Election Day
• Early vote by mail and absentee ballots must be postmarked by this date

Registering to Vote

The last day New Yorkers can register to vote before the 2024 General Election is October 26.

Eligible New Yorkers can register to vote online, in person, or by mail.

Check your registration and register to vote

Early Voting 

New Yorkers can vote early in-person from October 26 to November 3. 

If you’re voting early by mail, you have options for returning your ballot. Click here to learn more about requesting and returning your early vote by mail ballot. 

Find your early voting site

Request your early vote by mail ballot

If you registered to vote on or close to the October 26 deadline and plan to vote in person, your registration may not be updated in the voter rolls by the time you get to your polling station. No matter what, you can always request an affidavit ballot at the poll site and vote — even if a poll worker can't find your voter registration. Once your registration is confirmed, your vote will be counted!

Voting on Election Day 

Election Day is November 5 and polls are open statewide from 6:00am to 9:00pm. 

Find your polling place

If you have questions about voting, the best place to find accurate information is the State Board of Elections or your local board of elections.

Get out and vote, New York! 

Halloween Table this Saturday (10/26) - noon to 6 PM, and VOTE!

TRICK or TREAT for

the Tenants’ Association:

Photo by Martin Doege, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pumpkins.jpg

ð  SATURDAY, OCT. 26  !!!

Noon - 6 PM in the lobby

 Been meaning to contribute? Come to the lobby table, leave a check, take some candy and pick up tenant information.

 Funds, Unity & Sweets! 

 & come vote with Sue at 2 pm.

Baseless notices from Stellar?

Tell the tenant association leadership right away if  you have gotten a notice from Stellar Management or its lawyers in the past few weeks. These notice say that either 

• you haven't renewed your lease when you actually have (they now say it was a computer glitch), or
• the tenants owe money for their electric bills.

IF YOU GET A CIVIL COURT NOTICE, YOU HAVE TO ANSWER IN COURT.  It's not enough to get Stellar to say, "no, it's ok, we see you have actually paid your bill."  Tenants have no right to counsel in Civil Court.  (It's different from Housing Court.)  

Shred Day: Thursday, Oct. 10 behind Park West Village (west of Columbus)

Have any sensitive documents that you don’t need anymore? Please join Senator Hoylman-Sigal, Councilmember Brewer, and Councilmember Abreu, for a free shred day with the Department of Sanitation. The event will take place on Thursday, October 10th, 9 am - 12 pm, at Park West Village (97th St. between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue). There may be limitations depending on turnout, so first-come, first-served. For questions, please contact Senator Hoylman-Sigal's office at 212-633-4390 or hoylman@nysenate.gov.

Summary of the 9/18/2024 Tenant Meeting

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Register to vote on or before October 26, 2024 to vote in this year's November election.  You can also check whether you are registered to vote here.   

You can also go to the Voter Registration event on Saturday, October 5 from 11 AM to 3 PM at our neighboring Tower West (65 West 96th Street).  You can 

• register to vote
• update your voter record
• check your voter status
• request a vote-by-mail ballot
• find election information
• get your questions answered
• receive a free backpack (thanks to Council Member Shaun Abreu).

• We had our first (in a very long while) Flea Market on Saturday in the Community Room.  It was so successful we may do another one.  Thanks to Krystina Orellano for the sterling organization and flyers. 

• Fall activities are back:  Games afternoons, Thursday at 2 PM and ShapeUp NYC on Tuesdays at 6 PM, both in the Community Room. 

• Renew your membership in our tenant association - or join us for the first time - at the remarkable price of $10 per year per apartment. You can also contribute to our legal fund ($100 - or as much as you can afford).  Put a check under the door of our treasurer, Barbara Geller, in Apartment 11T.  

IN THE BUILDING:

TRVs (temperature regulating valves) - these are being put in all our radiators in compliance with Local Law 97. 

Tenant meeting TONIGHT (Wed., 9/18) at 8 PM

This is YOUR opportunity to tell our state senator and our next Assembly member what we need. 

We'll also talk about building issues, including the new radiator valves. 

JOIN US!

A touching farewell to Modesto ("Ito") Santiago, long-time handyman

Modesto "Ito" Santiago is retiring on 8/30/2024 after 35 years working in this building - first as a porter and then as a handyman.  Many of us know him because of his kindness and willingness to help. 

So a lot of tenants turned out (not all at the same time) to wish him a wonderful retirement. We've grown older together!

Thanks to Rosa Delgado, the party's main organizer and food provider, Elsa Gonzalez who provided luscious cupcakes on a "Happy Retirement" stand

and Wilfredo Chau for the soda. 

And thanks to Ito for 35 years of friendly, always-there-when-you-need-him service.

You can see all the photos here. 

Tenant Meeting on Sept. 18!

News for Rent-Stabilized and Market-Rate Tenants

Goings-on in the building

There are lots of ways to keep fit and make friends in the building!

·      Tuesdays at 6 PM in the Community Room, join ShapeUp NYC with our own Jodi Brockington, an experienced fitness trainer.   It’s sponsored by the NYC Parks Department. 

·      Wednesdays at 10 AM in the Community Room, do some Tai Ji with seasoned 
trainer Sol Magzamen, who lives down the street.

·      Thursdays at 2 PM in the Community Room, join the Games Group for Trivia, bingo, and other activities.

·      Gardening around the building.  Contact Barbara Geller, barbarageller39@gmail.com.

Join our email list by emailing sue.susman@gmail.com. Your email won’t show to anyone else. You can ask questions and stay in the know!

News for rent-stabilized tenants

The Rent Guidelines Board ordered increases of

·      2.75% for a 1-year lease renewal and

·      5.25% for a 2-year lease renewal

for any lease renewals going into effect from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025.  This puts Stellar ahead of the game, since landlords have been getting an increasing return on their investment since 1990.

News for market-rate (unregulated) tenants

Under the Good Cause Eviction law passed in June, Stellar must offer you a renewal lease unless you violated the old lease and

·      as long as your apartment is not part of your employment, and

·      if your current rent Is below $6,005 for 1 BR, $6,742 for a 2 BR, $8,413 for a 3 BR, or $9,065 for a 4 BR apartment.

The rent increase can’t exceed the lower of the Consumer Price Index + 5% (this year it comes to 8.82%) or 10%.  

This bill is a watered-down version of what tenants have been working for, so the law could improve with more tenant action in the coming year or two.

We had a great Pot Luck in May, and our next meeting will be Sept. 18, 2024.

JOIN US!

Beat the Heat in our Community Room!

Beat the Heat!

Source unknown. We'll happily give credit if you give name.

COOL OFF in our air conditioned 

COMMUNITY ROOM

(Staff lunch there from 12 to 1 every day).

Join our activities there too:

• Tuesdays at 6 PM: ShapeUp NYC with Jodi Brockington
• Wednesdays at 10 AM: Tai ji with Sol Magzamen
• Thursdays at 2 PM: Games (trivia, bingo, board games and more!)

The Pot Luck Party was a Blast!

Thanks to the Pot Luck Planners, 

   Debbie Gonzalez,

     Lydia Pitsirilos, and

        Maxine Soares

and to everyone who contributed food or work or money. 

We had ....

Bobby Moorhead's music,

great food from dozens of tenants,  

                                lots of dancing 

and fun and laughter - and even a kids' table. 

Check out some more great photos thanks to Chariss Boisseau, Debbie Gonzalez, Zena Gonzalez, and Laura Koulish.  If you took some snapshots, send them along for the album!

Tish, Janis, Chariss in foreground, 
lots of tenants outside behind them
(photo by Namita Prasad)

And thanks to our State Senator, Brad Hoylman-Sigal who joined us!

 

Join us TONIGHT for the Pot Luck Party - Sat., June 1st!

You're invited 

TONIGHT -  Saturday

6-9 PM in the Community Room

Creative Commons license, Wannapik

Food, Music & Fun! 

 with DJ Bobby Moorhead, 

     lots of neighbors,  

                     food, 

                    dancing, 

       our state senator, Brad Hoylman-Sigal

             

            and more!

Come for free if on SCRIE or DRIE or 

• bring food for 8 people OR
• volunteer to help out (check the link).

All tenants are welcome. 

Join us! 

Pot Luck Party - Saturday, June 1st!

FREE if you bring a dish for 8 people or volunteer to welcome, put out food, or clean up!

Fill out the flyer saying what you'll bring!