From The Association

Comments from IPNTA Executive Board: City Hall Rally/Press Conference 10-29-03

Thanks to all the tenants who came! Our Rally was magnificent. The Press Conference was very successful. The Hearing was very positive.

We marched in the streets displaying our coalition banner: “Preserve Affordable Housing.” We took over the streets, we had a police escort. When we got there, the press was waiting, there were people waiting.

It was a great site visually -- that we had 300 tenants on the steps already, lines to get into City Hall on both sides. The lines were so long that the Police came over to us, and told us we have a limit. When I told the crowd, “We have a problem today, “we have too many people,” you cheered.

The hearing went well. Testimony supporting the bill was given by:
• A variety of IPN tenants, representing diverse views
• Other Mitchell-Lama tenants
• Elected officials and lawyers sympathetic to the Mitchell-Lama plight
• Union 32BJ
• Other coalition partners, including Community Service Society

Our testimony was superior to that of the Real Estate interests (the landlord’s attorney, the Real Estate Board of NY, other attorneys).

Other testimony was that of Department of Housing Preservation & Development. HPD basically said that they have a proposal for state legislation, which is a little different than previous proposals to the State. But throughout, the State has not shown itself to be sympathetic.

It is significant that the Mayor felt he needed to preempt us. He held a press conference prior to our noon rally to announce legislation proposed to the State to expand Rent Stabilization. This shows that the City Council bill is doing a few things:

• We’re getting the attention of the City and the attention of the Mayor
• It’s putting pressure on the State. We’ve always said this bill only pertains to City Mitchell-Lamas because the City Council only has jurisdiction over the City M-Ls, but if it’s passed in the City Council, it puts pressure on the State to do something.

The implication that our City Council bill is divisive and will turn City M-Ls against State M-Ls is wrong. We certainly support expanding Rent Stabilization laws. However, the proposed State legislation and the City Council bill are not mutually exclusive. Both could be passed.

The City and State are being pressured to do something – and it’s through IPN Tenants that these things are happening. The City & Mayor would not have come up with a proposal to help M-Ls if we didn’t put the pressure on City Council. We can be proud of ourselves. We are affecting change for ourselves and other M-L tenants throughout the City.

Again, I want to thank the tenants! We have to spend a lot of money on lawyers, accountants, public relations, buses, printing – a whole range of things that cost money. But what’s equally important is PEOPLE.

We need both money and people – without both the Speaker would not be in our corner. Not only did we deliver, but we over-delivered! Probably 400 tenants came, some were turned away.

We conveyed our message and made our point. We have to continue to move forward, continually maintain a visible presence, and show our strength and determination.

Press coverage is listed on In The Press.