We Need to Raise the Stakes so that our Senators Don't Sell Out the Tenant Agenda !!!

Three things to do:

1.) Everyone Call Their Senator!

2.) Protest including CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE on Monday, July 12, 2010.

3.) Be on call for a last-minute Albany trip.

YOUR ROLE IS CRUCIAL !!!

The New York State Senate was very close to passing a package of pro-tenant legislation this week. We were promised a vote on our bills, and we mobilized tenants to hold our Senators to the promises they made not only this week and this year, but over the past decades.

On Thursday night, the Senators went home, without having voted on a single piece of crucial tenant legislation. What happened?

The landlord lobbyists have gone all out to thwart our efforts, by leaning hard on a couple of members of the Democratic conference who are beholden to the real estate industry (along with nearly all of the Republicans). Those Democrats threatened to vote against our bills, and the Senate Democratic leadership backed down. Everyone knows that landlords own a few of the Democratic members - but why is the leadership allowing a couple of corrupt members to set the agenda?

Step #1: Demand that our Senate Allies Block the End of Session until Tenant Bills Pass

Nearly every Republican - if not every single Republican - is likely to vote against any budget deal that the Democrats come up with - which means that it would only take one or two brave Democratic Senators to withhold their votes on the budget deal until the Senate has voted on our tenant legislation.

Last year, Pedro Espada held Albany hostage for a month, purely to enrich himself. It's an extreme measure to call on anyone to grind Albany to a halt again - but it's clear that landlords are going to the extreme to kill our bills, and we cannot afford to be kicked to the curb yet again.

Call your State Senator with a simple message:

Senator __X__, I am a tenant in your district, and I have been waiting for decades for the Senate to finally do something for tenants. You claim to be pro-tenant, but the landlords are clearly setting the agenda.

[To Democrats] I am asking that you CALL SENATE CONFERENCE LEADER JOHN SAMPSON AND TELL HIM THAT YOU WILL NOT VOTE FOR THE BUDGET DEAL UNTIL AFTER THE SENATE HAS BROUGHT THE REAL RENT REFORM LEGISLATION TO A FULL VOTE. If you really care about tenants, you need to take a stand - and the time to take it is NOW.

To find out who your Senator is, and to get the phone number for their office, go to http://www.nysenate.gov/senators

Call the New York City district office of your Senator first (212 or 718 area code)

Step #2: Major Protest for Rent-Law Reforms

WITH CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE as well as a traditional picket. Plan on being there!

We are taking our demands for rent-law reforms TO THE STREETS. Our Demand: Our Senators MUST NOT LEAVE ALBANY until they pass our tenant legislation.

Monday, July 12, 2010

arrive by 11:30 AM for an action at NOON

Lower End of City Hall Park

Subway: R to City Hall, 2/3 to Park Place,

4/5/6 to Brooklyn Bridge, A/C to Chambers St

THIS WILL BE A SAFE PLACE for anyone who does NOT want to participate in the civil disobedience. It is crucial that we have a large group of supporters. If you want to show up for the rally only, we will ensure that you will not be at risk of arrest.

If you are interested in joining the group of people who will be planning civil disobedience, you must first be a part of the planning. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . If you want to come to the rally but NOT risk arrest, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Step #3: Be on call to go to Albany if we find out that the Senate will vote on our bills

All of these efforts are aimed at getting the New York State Senate to pass our tenant legislation. If we get word of a vote, we need tenants to be ready to go to Albany on short notice.

If you can be on call, please let the Met Council on Housing know so that they can put you on the list of those who can join us on this crucial trip to Albany. Call them at 212-979-6238 x200 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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