IT'S NOW OR NEVER -- HIT CW CAPITAL IN THE ONLY PLACE IT KNOWS -- ITS POCKET

This is it, folks.  If we as a community (that's already been ravaged enough through these past years), can't stand up now and join together to stop the excess greed of our landlords, the displacement of the true middle class and families in ST-PCV, and the eradication of AFFORDABLE HOUSING in what was a bastion and pride of this city for affordable housing, then that's it for us.

Just in from the Tenants Association (see below).  And please join the Tenants Association if you haven't already.  Only in unity can there be any strength.  Link to main TA page is here.

Hit CW Capital where it hurts -- at the Leasing Office

Are you angry and fed up with CW Capital?
Let prospective renters know -- at the Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village Leasing Office -- how you feel about what living here has become and why they should talk to residents before they sign a lease.

Tell them about:

• Staggering mid-term rent increase
•  Slugging your laundry blocks away because laundry rooms are inoperable
• Unreliable elevator service  -- months after Sandy
• Your personal belongings rotting in a shipping container for six months
• Tepid enforcement of the quality-of-life rules
• Noisy, disrespectful neighbors
• Worrying your next maintenance visit might become a security issue

 Prospective renters should hear you.
CW Capital should hear you.
All neighbors, new or tenured, young or old, need to stand together and support this action.  Losing good neighbors means less stability and quality-of-life for all of us.
We'll start this Saturday and Sunday and if enough neighbors respond to our call for weekday shifts, we'll have those, too.
Each 1-2 hour shift will promote our message of what it's really like to live here.
We'll do that by displaying hand written posters, distributing flyers to prospective renters and talking with them in front of the rental office.

•  We'll tell them about CW Capital's family-busting rent increases. 
• We'll also make sure prospective renters know about our noisy and inconsiderate neighbors and management's minimal enforcement of its quality-of-life rules.
• About the recent burglaries and the need to remember to lock up valuables and be present for service appointments.
• Show them how to check the TA's Bedbug Registry
• Make sure they know of the legal requirement that leasing agents must disclose which buildings have been infested with bedbugs in the past year.
• We'll tell them which 17 buildings have rotting basements and no laundry rooms and of managements providing no schedule for resolving building-wide problems.
• Make sure they understand there is (wink wink) an 80% carpet rule.
• And best of all, we'll give them homework!  We'll ask them to read the blogs such as Stuytown Report, EscapeStuyTown, Town and Village Newspaper and the TA Facebook and our Official page.

Working together, we can sustain this action for a long time.

• Retirees and night workers can help on weekdays.
• Loving grandparents can help watch young ones while moms and dads take a shift.

Can't make a full shift?   Stop by and support your neighbors.  Bring them water or just a smile and a thank-you.
Find out what else you can do.

• Send CW Capital a Video Message.
• Contribute your legal expertise.
• Help to get our message out via Social Media.
• Post flyers in your building.
• Make a donation

Register below to learn more, join a shift, or do something else

Registration link here.

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May 17, 3:10pm Update:

CW Capital Sneaks Prospective New Renters In and Out the Back Door  

On the TA Facebook page we get this inside look at an email blast to brokers:

"Please note that in light of the recent headlines concerning the property, we anticipate a gathering of displeased tenants outside of the Leasing Office this weekend. In order to ensure a positive customer experience, the leasing staff will be prepared to greet you and your clients at the back entrance area of the Leasing office (off of the First Avenue loop by 16th street). We apologize for the inconvenience and expect this to be a very short-term issue."

Cowards. 

May 17, 6:45pm Update:

Know your rights. The TA posted the following on its Facebook page.  I would add to this that if Public Security goes against what's below, try to get the name of the officer(s) and a description if no name is provided.

The TA: Let's keep it peaceful and respectful. Keep walkways and entrances clear. Bring your Resident IDs and a DL or State ID card as back up.

The New York State Real Property Law § 230: Right of tenants to form, join or participate in tenants' groups:

1. No landlord shall interfere with the right of a tenant to form, join or participate in the lawful activities of any group, committee or other organization formed to protect the rights of tenants; nor shall any landlord harass, punish, penalize, diminish, or withhold any right, benefit or privilege of a tenant under his tenancy for exercising such right.

2. Tenants' groups, committees or other tenants' organizations shall have the right to meet without being required to pay a fee in any location on the premises including a community or social room where use is normally subject to a fee which is devoted to the common use of all tenants in a peaceful manner, at reasonable hours and without obstructing access to the premises or facilities. No landlord shall deny such right.

May 17, 10:27pm Update:

ANOTHER SHOCKER: CW CAPITAL FINAL F.U. TO ROBERTS SETTLEMENT TENANTS

This says it all.  A drop box in front of Oval Concierge. I guess the Powers That Be don't want to see any affected tenant inside any office.  The attitude is "Don't let the door hit you on the way out."  Indeed, it does now seem like the raising of rents on these tenants was an eviction notice. 

May 18, 12:15pm Update:

Volunteers have been covering front and back of Leasing Office, handing out flyers to potential renters and yellow "community not a commodity" signs to tenants.  Many, if not all of the potential renters are young student-age people who seem either indifferent or bewildered, but some are taking the flyers offered to them.  Without doubt, however, an impression is being made, so congratulations to the volunteers.

We definitely need to see more yellow "community not a commodity" signs in windows. A huge problem is that, as peculiar as it may seem, many tenants are not aware of the protests and the signs, and an effort must be made to make tenants aware. Do not become discouraged when you walk about the complex and see only one or two signs per building, if that.  This is going to take some time to put into effect.  I spoke to a tenant whose rent had just gone up $400, and she was unaware of the window signs, and took one immediately after she was informed about it.  It's important to remember that many tenants do not read any of the Stuy Town blogs or Facebooks.  We have to "walk the beat" and hand out these signs.  (The signs are available in front of the Leasing Office during protest hours.)

We also must not forget that CW Capital is counting on our effort dying out as the days, weeks go by.  This is why the company stated to brokers in an email that any disruption will be "short-term."  Let's make sure we make it long term.  Keep up the spirit and the fight, and don't back down.  And thank you for whatever you may do toward this effort.

 May 19, 8:17am:

We are, of course, part of a bigger battle: affordable housing in Manhattan. And the bigger battle is being lost, with our politicians (mayor, city council) making the way for "luxury towers" being built all over Manhattan at the expense of affordable housing. Today's NY Times provides info on this pattern:

Sky High and Going Up Fast: Luxury Towers Take New York

 May 19, 11:39am:

Spoke to one of the volunteers positioned at the back of the leasing office, and she had a splendid idea.  If one can't get the pre-printed ST-PCV yellow sign to place in one's window (they were not handing them out today in front of the leasing office due to the rainy weather), then place any yellow substitute paper instead. This can be construction paper, whatever.  You don't even have to write anything on this paper. The yellow papers/signs are instantly noticeable in windows.  I'm still seeing some white papers in windows, but you really have to strain to make them out when there's a white blind drawn.

Another tactic: If you see a group of potential renters walking with a leasing agent, you can inform them of what's happening in the complex as they pass by. You will be ignored but your message will be heard. Ask them to please read up about what's happening in Stuy Town, how rents have been raised mid-lease on many tenants, how leasing agents assured tenants that this wouldn't happen, etc. Mention that they should check the bedbug registry to inform themselves of the possible bedbug history of their building. Again, you will be ignored but they will hear you. I make a point of now walking past the back exit of the leasing office in hopes of coming across such groups.  And I have.

 May 20, 8:46pm:

IMPORTANT

From the TA FACEBOOK: MID-LEASE RENT INCREASES: If you have received notice of a mid-lease rent increase and you recall a leasing office agent representing to you to get you to sign a lease, either verbally or in writing that you would not have to worry about such increase taking effect, please send a direct message to Peter Stuyvesant. Please include your contact information (phone and email) so we can gather the details for forwarding to the NYS Attorney General.

"Peter Stuyvesant"can be reached on the TA Facebook page, which all are urged to join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/358760671689/