This workshop was given on Zoom and Youtube on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. Watch above or by clicking this link. Download the Powerpoint here.
Este taller se dio por Zoom y por Youtube el miércoles, 17 de junio de 2020. Assístelo arriba o por hacer clic en este vínculo. Baje una traducción a español de la presentación Powerpoint aquí.
News and Events
Rest in Power, Frances Goldin
Dear Cooper Square Committee Community,
Today we are remembering our fierce and inspiring co-founder, Frances Goldin.
On Saturday May 16th after a long gradual decline in health, Fran died in her home on East 11th Street, where she had lived for nearly 50 years. She was 95 years old.
Frances Goldin was an inspirational force for fair and affordable housing throughout New York City, but especially on the Lower East Side, for more than half a century. She was also a figure in the literary world, combining her political conviction with literary discernment and expertise. Fran was proudly radical, dedicating her long life to fighting against injustice and struggling to build a more equitable society. When she saw a wrong that needed to be addressed, she confronted it head-on, with boundless energy and with a combination of leftist conviction and the palpable warmth of human kindness and compassion.
Read MoreSOLD OUT! — our 60th Anniversary Gala tomorrow night
If you have purchased a ticket to our 60th Anniversary Gala for tomorrow night (Wed. Sep. 18th, 175 Delancey Street, 6pm-9pm), we look forward to seeing you. If you have not purchased a ticket, we’re sorry but the event is sold out. We are sorry, but the venue cannot accommodate more than 200 people. We cannot accept anyone that did not RSVP via email in advance and pay for their ticket. If you’re unable to attend, we welcome donations on our website at coopersquare.org/donate. We thank all of our sponsors, advertisers and ticket buyers who have helped make this a successful fundraising event. Yours truly, Steve Herrick Executive DirectorCooper Square Committee |
336 W. 17th Street Tenants Launch Rent Strike
Click for PDF of press release with full size photos
We Will Not Stand for Construction as Harassment or Lead Contamination in Our Homes!
Tenants Unveil Massive “RENT STRIKE” Banner, Demand Justice for Months Spent Living Under Intense Construction & End to Unresponsive Management
Rent Strike! 
Brad Hoylman and tenants 
One of the tenants speaks out 
Tenants with banner
New York, NY — Tenants from 336 W. 17th Street held a rally and press conference on the morning of July 23rd, 2019, and unfurled a massive banner in protest of the construction as harassment that they feel they have been subjected to since NYC Management, property and asset management firm operated by the Besen Group, began performing gut renovations in their building last year. Tenants were joined by the Cooper Square Committee and Lead Dust Free NYC Coalition, as well as New York State Senator Brad Hoylman, New York State Assemblymember Richard Gottfried and representatives from the offices of City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer while they described the conditions they have lived through. Members of the tenants’ association recounted collapsed ceilings which injured tenants, clouds of dust and debris circulating throughout the building, security concerns which have resulted in theft of tenants’ personal items, and unresponsive management.
Click here to see the full press release with full-size photos.
Tenants Rally at Jared Kushner-Owned Building Where Flagrant Use of Rent Increase Loopholes & Construction-as-Harassment Have Run Rampant
332 E. 4th Street Tenants: We Will Not Stand for Lead Contamination or Being Bullied for Calling the City for Inspections!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT : Jodie Leidecker, (212) 228-8210 x116, jodiel @coopersquare.org
PDF version of this press release here, with DOHMH lead report attached.
332 E. 4th Street Tenants: We Will Not Stand for Lead Contamination
or Being Bullied for Calling the City for Inspections!
Evan Bell-Owned Building Contaminated with 5X Legal Levels of Lead
During Construction
Tenants Hold Press Conference After NYC Dept. of Health Finds
Lead Dust Mere Hours After Work Begins –– Children Live in Building
Where Construction Grossly Contaminated Common Areas
New York, NY –– Tenants of 332 East 4th Street are holding a press conference today at 10:30
a.m. after they recently received notice that work crews hired by Evan Bell’s Bell and
Company contaminated their building with lead-laden construction dust. The contamination
was the result of unchecked dust from demolition work being performed in the building.
Today at 5:30pm! Join Community, Faith and Labor Leaders in a Moral March for Housing
Last Saturday over 100 activist tenants, advocate state legislators, and housing organizers joined together in a spirited Town Hall meeting.
Legislators emphasized that with existing rent laws expiring in June, we now have an amazing opportunity to pass progressive bills that would protect tenants from unaffordable rents and unwarranted eviction. (see bills here)
We discussed how important it was for tenants to become super-activists for the next 3 months. Let’s start on Thursday, April 11.
Join Community, Faith and Labor Leaders in a Moral March for Housing
Thursday, April 11, 2019 5:30pm – 8:30pm
Abyssinian Baptist Church
132 West 138th Street (btwn 7th Ave and Lenox)
Take the 2/3 to 135th & Lenox, or B/C to 135th & St. Nicholas
Starting with speakers and a choir, followed by a march to the Adam Clayton Powell State Building at 125th St.
SAT 4/6: Rent Laws Town Hall
Simultaneous translation provided in Spanish and Cantonese/Mandarin.
Traducción simultánea en español y cantonés / mandarín.
提供西班牙語和粵語/普通話的同聲傳譯。
提供西班牙语和粤语/普通话的同声传译。
Come out to learn more about the new Rent Stabilization law reforms and universal rent control!
Saturday April 6th, 2pm-4pm
University Settlement’s Speyer Hall, 184 Eldridge Street, (F train to 2nd Av)
If our elected officials see the room filled with tenants, they’ll be motivated to work even harder to pass rent laws that protect us.
NY State Assemblymember Niou – confirmed
NY State Assemblymember Epstein – confirmed
NY State Senator Hoylman – confirmed
NY State Senator Kavanagh – confirmed
Light refreshments served &
simultaneous translation in Spanish and Chinese (Mandarin & Cantonese) provided.
Visit coopersquare.org , email alexl@coopersquare.org, or call (212) 228-8210 for more details.
Download 3 language PDF of flyer here.
Celebrate the 3rd Annual Taste of the East Village on Saturday, October 6th, 2018
Click above to buy your ticket!
New York, NY (August 28, 2018) – Taste of the East Village, the popular outdoor food festival on East 7th Street between Cooper Square and 2nd Avenue, takes places on Saturday, October 6th from Noon to 5 pm. Tickets are on sale here
The Taste of the East Village brings together around 20 of the East Village’s favorite chefs and restaurants to benefit the Cooper Square Committee’s housing programs, and to promote the Gofundme campaign of EVIMA’s President, Jimmy Carbone, a co-founder of the festival. Local chef at Huertas at 107 1st Avenue, Jonah Miller, is chairperson of the festival committee and has selected many of the participating restaurants.
Ticket holders are entitled to four dishes from participating neighborhood restaurants and eateries, including newcomers to the festival like the Eddy, Fry Guys, Ho Foods, Huertas, Maharlika Filipino Moderno,Virginia as well as returning restaurants like Brick Lane Curry, Porsena, Al Horno Mexican Kitchen, Narcbar and Le Petit Parisien. Dessert venues such as Insomnia Cookies, Sweet Generation Bakery, Veneiro’s and Davey’s Ice Cream will also be joining us. This list is still in formation and we expect some others to join us.
The first 350 attendees to the festival will receive a gift bag containing complimentary appetizers or drinks at many of the participating restaurants. The festival will also include live music and a deejay, as well as more than a dozen local community and cultural organizations like Fourth Arts Block, Downtown Art, East Village Community Coalition, Bowery Alliance of Neighbors, Solar One, Tenants Taking Control, Lower East Side Ready, Met Council on Housing and many more. Some of the groups will have interactive exhibits.
Sat 9/8: LES READY PREPAREDNESS RESOURCE FAIR
Cooper Square Statement About the Tech Hub:
The City Council vote approving the disposition of the PC Richards site on East 14th Street for development of a Tech Hub falls short of securing the neighborhood zoning protections we had advocated for in the 3rd and 4th Avenue corridors to the south of the development site. While the Mayor would not agree to a commercial downzoning, Councilmember Carlina Rivera did get the Mayor to agree to some limited protections for the nearly 60 buildings in the 3rd and 4th Avenue corridors, such as 1) the requirement of a “special permit” for new hotels in the area, which makes it unlikely that any will be built; 2) placing 7 buildings in the zone on the Landmarks Preservations Commission’s calendar; and 3) establishing an anti-harassment program in conjunction with HPD.
Even with these protections, there are a number of adjacent low rise buildings not calendared for landmarking, particularly along 3rd Avenue, that can potentially be acquired and assembled into a larger development site, putting them at risk of demolition by a speculator seeking to develop either a larger mixed use residential or commercial building. For example, 62 and 64 3rd Avenue at 11th St., next to the Moxy Hotel, recently sold for over $22 million. No one pays that kind of money with the intention of preserving a couple of 4 story tenements. We may find out in the very near future what leverage these preservation tools provide at this location.
While there are hundreds of coop and condo owners in the 3rd and 4th Avenue corridors who are likely to see their property values rise, there are nearly 1,000 tenants, and fewer than 100 of them are rent stabilized according to government data sources, leaving them with virtually no protection if their landlord is seeking to vacate and demolish their building.
Councilmember Carlina Rivera has reached out to stakeholders and issued a statement explaining her efforts to win stronger protections for the community and the many benefits that the Tech Hub can provide to disadvantaged communities on the Lower East Side, especially women and people of color who are underrepresented in the tech industry. There are many in the community who are pleased that the tech hub is moving forward.
Still, we know that even socially beneficial developments such as the tech hub can have unintended consequences, attracting more upscale development and intensifying displacement pressures that already exist in our community. Even if we had won these zoning changes, many tenants would still be facing displacement pressures and the potential demolition of some low rise buildings and displacement to make way for 80/20 housing or large community facilities such as a dormitory.
The Cooper Square Committee will outreach to tenants in the 3rd and 4th Avenue corridor who may be at risk of harassment and displacement, and tenants in that area are encouraged to call us if they see signs that their building is up for sale, or has changed ownership. We can help you organize. Meanwhile, the struggle continues to get the Mayor to listen to our community, and work with us to preserve its low rise character. It’s what attracted people to this community, and an important part of what makes New York a magnet for creative professionals.
THIS SATURDAY!
2017 Success Stories and Fundraising Appeal
Dear Friends of Cooper Square,
As a supporter of affordable housing and neighborhood preservation, you’ve helped make the Cooper Square Committee (CSC) a vital force in our community. In 2017 we’ve had some tremendous successes:
COMBATTING PREDATORY LANDLORDS: CSC worked with Urban Justice Center and St. Nicks Alliance to lead a citywide campaign, Stand for Tenant Safety, to compel the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB ) to confront disruptive renovation in occupied buildings, known as “Construction as Harassment”. Working with citywide housing groups and local elected officials, the City Council passed 12 bills to strengthen tenant protections, increase fines on bad acting landlords, and create a “Real Time Enforcement Unit” at DOB. (Photo of Mayor deBlassio signing the legislation)
Based on advocacy by the Stop Croman Coalition, Cooper Square Committee and Good Old Lower East Side, the NYS Attorney General investigated several local landlords, resulting in the felony indictment of the notorious Steve Croman and his being sentenced to one year in prison. Our organizing work with the Toledano Tenants Coalition focussed media attention on him and the lenders that enabled him to acquire and mismanage over 30 buildings, resulting in his filing for bankruptcy and foreclosure on most of his housing portfolio.
BUILDING HOUSING FOR HOMELESS LGBTQ YOUTH:: CSC managed the construction of the Bea Arthur Residence for 18 homeless LGBTQ youth. Construction is complete and residents should be moving in sometime in January, 2018.
GREENER AND MORE RESILIENT HOMES: We enrolled 6 low income buildings in various weatherization and resiliency technical assistance programs to make them more energy efficient and prepared for climate change, and have initiated a series of resiliency workshops for low income cooperatives (HDFC’s) to help them minimize flooding during a natural disaster. We have assisted the Cooper Square Mutual Housing Association in applying for a Green Housing Preservation Loan in order to install solar panels on the roofs of 5 buildings on East 4th Street.
CREATING A NEIGHBORHOOD NORC
The CSC area was designated a Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (N-NORC) 2 years ago. We are building up this program, holding ongoing senior programming at 2 JASA senior housing sites. Our workshops covering health, legal and financial topics promote health aging so that seniors can age in place.
YOUR DONATIONS HELP US TO:
STOP PREDATORY LANDLORDS FROM DISPLACING TENANTS: To assure that the Department of Buildings enforces the new laws protecting tenants’ ’rights, we will hold community wide informational workshops about the law and train tenants to monitor enforcement. A donation of $25 will help us create educational material about the package of new tenant protection laws.
KEEP FAMILIES SAFE AND WARM: We will continue working with low income cooperatives, (HDFC’s), replacing old boilers and drafty windows. The environment as a whole benefits from this reduction of the carbon footprint. A donation of $75 will provide door sweeps and weather stripping for all the windows in two apartments.
PROVIDE SHELTER FOR HOMELESS LGBTQ YOUTH : Up to 40% of all homeless youth identify as LGBTQ, and they face a higher risk of violence and exploitation while homeless. CSC has started pre-development work on another residence for homeless LGBTQ youth in Astoria, Queens. A donation of $100 will help cover a portion of staff time working on this project.
HELP SENIORS AGE IN PLACE: We are working to develop a stronger support system for seniors so that they can live independently in our community. A donation of $50 will help us connect a local senior to a home health aide and Meals on Wheels so they can remain in their home.
Please invest in building a healthier, safer and more inclusive Lower East Side/East Village Community. OUR BOARD WILL MATCH THE FIRST $2,500 IN DONATIONS. We accept checks, cash, money orders or you can donate at www.coopersquare.org/donate. Thank you from the entire Steering Committee and staff for supporting our work.
Yours truly,
Steve Herrick , Executive Director
Sandy 5 Year Anniversary
Icon Realty Tenants Applaud Attorney General’s Settlement
Press Conference & Rally to Celebrate Reform of the DOB
Saturday 9/23: TTC Tenant Empowerment Conference
Taste of East Village
WHERE: East 7th Street between Cooper Square & 2nd Avenue
WHEN: Saturday, September 16, 2017 from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
A Culinary Festival to benefit The Cooper Square Committee
The Taste of East Village is an outdoor culinary festival on East 7th Street, between Cooper Square and 2nd Avenue, benefiting the Cooper Square Committee’s affordable housing preservation and development work (including the soon to open Bea Arthur Residence for homeless LGBT youth), our environmental greening work, social services, and senior programming. We feature dishes from more than 15 of the East Village’s best restaurants and eateries (see the list below). Come celebrate our amazing East Village and Lower East Side community! Read More
CD2 Candidates’ tell how they will work to fight displacement and deregulation
We had a strong turnout for the District 2 candidates forum on 8/24, and we thank many of you for being part of it. Here’s a video of the entire event, and when, at 37:30, they were asked how they’ll fight displacement and deregulation, they gave the answers below the video window on this page.
A statement from CSC and FAB about the Mayor’s Remarks on Jared Kushner
Download PDF of this letter here.
January 11, 2017
Mayor de Blasio seems hopeful that his friendly relationship with Jared Kushner may be of some benefit to New York City, but our community has not benefited at all from Kushner’s ownership of close to forty buildings in the East Village.
Kushner has brought nothing but unaffordable, luxury housing to this community and to NYC at large. While we are in the grips of an intense housing crisis, and homeless rates are at an all-time high & virtually every regulated tenant in the city is facing harassment, Kushner has converted scores of affordable rent regulated apartments into luxury housing that rent for $3,000-$5,000 per month. In doing so, Kushner has faced allegations of harassment and lack of essential services repeatedly. Numerous articles have chronicled Kushner’s bad-acting over his four years of ownership here in East Village.
We say to the Mayor that Jared Kushner’s actions are not those of somebody who “cares deeply about New York City.” We say that Kushner’s actions have contributed greatly to the loss of affordable housing. Furthermore, if the Mayor stands by his words and thinks Jared Kushner is “reasonable and moderate,” we suggest the Mayor come meet with Kushner tenants in the East Village to hear what they’ve been through under his ownership.
Sincerely,
Steve Herrick Risa Shoup
Executive Director Executive Director
Cooper Square Committee Fourth Arts Block
61 East 4th Street 61 East 4th Street
*REGISTRATION CLOSED* STS Manhattan Town Hall 1/10, 6:30pm, 1 Centre St, 19th FL South
Due to the popularity of this event, we reluctantly must limit participation. We cannot accept new RSVP’s and if you attend without an RSVP, please be aware that you cannot be assured a seat. We are planning a similar event in the Spring. If you’d like to be placed on a waiting list or to be notified about future forums please email Harriet Putterman at harrietp@coopersquare.org . Thank you for your interest and please stay in touch with the Stand for Tenant Safety Campaign by visiting www.standfortenantsafety.com.
Click flyer to RSVP.
Download PDF of flyer here.
TUESDAY 1/10: Is your Landlord Using Construction to Harass You? SPEAK OUT!
RSVP by clicking the flyer
We have confirmed our STS Manhattan Town Hall on TUESDAY JANUARY 10TH at 1 Centre Street (19th Fl. South) at 6:30PM. This town hall will be focused on construction-as-harassment issues and how tenants can combat these issues and protect themselves. (This event is part of the Stand for Tenant Safety Coalition, of which CSC is a member. Find out more about STS here.) Let everyone in your organization(s), tenants, friends, and other folks know. We want a big turnout! If you can attend, please fill out this RSVP link so we can get a sense of how many folks can make it.
For more info or any questions, read more on the RSVP page, or contact Harriet Putterman. You can download a PDF of the flyer here.
Taste of East Village Pictures
We’ve gotten a lot of press about the Bea Arthur Residence Project
Our work managing the renovation of the Bea Arthur Residence, which will provide transitional housing for 18 homeless LGBT youth, is generating a lot of press for us and our project partner, the Ali Forney Center. A DNAInfo article that gave an update on the project, and its expected completion in February, 2017, has been shared by a number of media outlets, including Broadway World article and World of Wonder.
This Sunday! JOIN COOPER SQUARE COMMITTEE and WORKERS UNITE FILM FESTIVAL for a FREE film showing of 99 HOMES
Sunday, May 22
6:30pm
(Light refreshments at 6:30, Film at 7 pm)
59-61 E. 4th Street
4th floor
Set amidst the backdrop of the 2008 housing market catastrophe, Dennis Nash, a hard-working and honest man, can’t save his family home despite his best efforts. Thrown to the streets by real estate shark Mike Carver, Dennis, out of work and luck, is given a unique opportunity – to join Carver’s crew and put others through the ordeal done to him in order to earn back what’s his. Fueled by powerful acting and a taut, patiently constructed narrative, 99 Homes is a modern economic parable whose righteous fury is matched by its intelligence and compassion.
Free! Please register here so we know how many to expect.
Any questions, email carmenp@coopersquare.org
Sponsored by CSC and the Workers Unite! Film Festival
COOPER SQUARE COMMITTEE APPLAUDS INDICTMENT OF PREDATORY LANDLORD STEVE CROMAN
For Immediate Release: May 10, 2016
Contact:
Steve Herrick – steveh@coopersquare.org, 212-228-8210, ext 1
Brandon Kielbasa, bkielbasa@coopersquare.org, 212-228-8210, ext 4
COOPER SQUARE COMMITTEE APPLAUDS INDICTMENT
OF PREDATORY LANDLORD STEVE CROMAN
The Cooper Square Committee applauds NYS Attorney General Eric Schniederman for bringing a 20 count criminal indictment and civil charges against notorious landlord, Steve Croman, who has a long track record of harassing and intimidating his rent regulated tenants. “Our Organizing Director, Brandon Kielbasa, brought many of these allegations to the attention of Attorney General Schneiderman’s office over 2 years ago. We are deeply gratified that he and his staff did a thorough investigation of the many tenant claims of harassment and intimidation that we documented, and moved forward with an indictment”, said Steve Herrick, Executive Director. Read More
FAITH LEADERS AND TENANTS CITYWIDE CALL FOR AN END TO ABUSE BY INFAMOUS “WORST LANDLORD”, CROMAN
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: MAMADOU BAH, COOPER SQUARE COMMITTEE
MAMADOUB@COOPERSQUARE.ORG, 212-228-8210 EXT 8
FAITH LEADERS AND TENANTS CITYWIDE CALL FOR AN END TO ABUSE BY INFAMOUS “WORST LANDLORD”, CROMAN
Faith Leaders: Tenants Will Not Be Pushed Out
Respect Tenants’ Rights
New York City, April 7, 2016
Tenants living in buildings citywide owned by abusive landlord Steve Croman – named twice by the Village Voice as one of the 10 Worst Landlords in NYC – and who have suffered threats, harassment and illegal rent increases at his hand have enlisted powerful new allies in their fight for justice. These tenants who refuse to stand by while their families are displaced have won the support of 31 faith leaders from across the five boroughs and beyond to denounce this unjust treatment and bring about change. Faith leaders and tenants from Croman-owned buildings will deliver letters from the 31 faith leaders to Croman’s office at 632 Broadway, 7th Fl (near Bleecker St.) on Thursday, April 7th at 1:30pm.
In their letters, the 31 faith leaders from a broad array of denominations – including Catholic priests, rabbis, Buddhists, and Lutheran, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Methodist, Unitarian and Interfaith ministers – exhort Croman to “treat your tenants with dignity and respect rather than pressuring them to leave their homes.”
This landlord’s underhanded tactics include threats of jacking up rents by hundreds of dollars coupled with pressure to take buyouts. Tenants who reject buyout offers have received bogus leases with illegal rent increases, a blatant attempt at removing apartments from rent stabilization. Croman is also known for baseless court actions and hazardous and toxic demolitions and renovations, tactics aimed at driving out long-term tenants. Religious leaders argue that Croman’s abuses and tactics will have long-lasting effects as they “are resulting in the loss of critical rent regulated housing, which has a devastating impact on our communities by destroying the ethnic diversity and character of them.”
Croman is currently under investigation by the New York State Attorney General for his efforts to push rent-stabilized tenants out of their homes. Despite action by the Attorney General against Croman’s “tenant relocation specialist,” Anthony Falconite, well-known for harassing Croman’s tenants, this individual is still operating and pressuring tenants in buildings across New York City.
East Harlem tenant, Esperanza Figueroa, a member of Movement for Justice in El Barrio, is one of many who have suffered Croman’s intimidation attempts and abuse. When Esperanza went to Croman’s office to pay her rent, staff demanded that she sign a “Surrender Agreement” saying she would give up her apartment. When she refused, Croman illegally jacked the rent up by $300 a month on her new lease. Esperanza refused to sign and joined together with her neighbors and tenants in other Croman buildings to defend their rights as tenants. Esperanza, along with other members of Movement for Justice in El Barrio and members of the Cooper Square Committee and are now joined in their efforts by a powerful grouping of faith leaders from multiple denominations and faiths reflecting the diverse backgrounds of tenants in Croman’s over 185 buildings citywide. Figueroa says, “My family and I are staying in our home. This landlord is trying to scare us with threats, push us out of our community and sell it off to the highest bidder. With the support of priests, ministers, rabbis and other faith leaders, we’re even stronger and we’re not going anywhere.”
George Tzannes, a tenant of 529 East 6th Street and a member of the Cooper Square Committee, who had been living without cooking gas in his building since December of 2014 (gas was just recently restored after a 15 month outage) said, “When Steven Croman bought the rent-regulated building where I’ve lived since 1974, the tenants immediately experienced aggravating rent billing errors, questionable legal fees, lost rent checks and baseless court actions. But the worst part is the way hazardous and toxic demolitions and renovations in vacant apartments push regulated tenants into buyouts. After years of living with toxic dust contamination from construction and enduring constant service cut-offs, anyone would want to leave.”
These examples of Croman’s abuse expose the landlord’s true intentions: to force rent-stabilized tenants and their families from their homes, replacing them with people from outside their communities who can pay double and triple the rents, further contributing to gentrification in low-income neighborhoods. The 31 letters to Steven Croman end by saying “as the owner of over 185 buildings in New York City, you have a great responsibility to thousands of tenants and we implore you to take on this responsibility and respect the rights of your tenants”.
Who: Faith leaders and tenants from Croman-owned buildings
What: Deliver 31 letters from faith leaders to landlord Steven Croman
When: Thursday, April 7th at 1:30pm
Where: Office of Steven Croman, 632 Broadway, 7th Fl (near Bleecker St)
###
Saturday 3/26, 1pm – Press Conference on Anniversary of 2nd Ave Explosion
2015 Organizing Round-Up
Our organizing team was so busy in 2015. We accomplished a ton this past year … read on about all the ways we’ve been stopping displacement and building community!!
PDF: 2015 Organizing Dept Round Up
Jared Kushner’s tenants at 118 E 4th St demand adequate living conditions and a restoration of cooking gas
| For Immediate Release March 2, 2016 |
Contact: Brandon Kielbasa (212) 228-8210 bkielbasa@coopersquare.org |
LET THE TENANTS COOK AGAIN!
East Village Tenants to Jared Kushner: We’ve Gone Months Without Gas — Enough is Enough.
Tenants of 118 East 4th Street Demand Adequate Living Conditions and a Restoration of Cooking Gas
Tenants Have Been Without Gas for Nearly Five Months, Other Building Services are Grossly Neglected
New York, NY – Tenants of 118 East 4th Street in the East Village appear back in Manhattan Housing Court on Thursday March 3rd at 9:30AM as part of ongoing litigation against their landlord, Jared Kushner. Tenants are calling for the immediate restoration of essential services and for living conditions to be rectified.
The tenants have recently endured bouts of no heat, mounding trash, and have been without cooking gas since October 2015. Con Ed shut down all gas for the building and Jared Kushner has yet to take the necessary procedures with the city to restore it. This comes on top of the landlord’s failure to repair a multitude of potentially dangerous conditions in the building, including:
- No cooking gas
- Collapsed ceilings
- Questionably safe electrical systems
- Mounding trash
- Deprivation of heat
- Apartments entered without notice
- Blocked mail delivery
- Vermin