Embarrasing Turn-Out for "Door Knocking Kickoff Party with Dan Garodnick for Stronger Rent Regulations"

About 5 people, if that, showed up on Sunday at the Oval Cafe (!) to join Council Member Dan Garodnick and TA President John Marsh in a knocking-on-doors effort "to involve neighbors in the campaign to strengthen rent regulations." The turnout was so low that Dan had to involve his kids in the effort. (Cute photos, however.)

This effort reminded me of the TA failed presence at the 1st Ave leasing office in protest of mid-lease rent increases on the "new stabilizers" (ie, market rate ST/PCV tenants).

I have no idea what Garodnick and the TA are thinking. These mini-photo ops are worthless and embarrassing in the very low turnouts achieved. CW must be laughing their collective heads off at these limp attempts to motivate tenants.

When are the TA and Dan going to go after CW Capital in a major way and stop with these laughable, pathetic tactics?

Answer: Never, it seems.

Break Time

Chain Store City

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20150418/us--nyc-saving_storefronts-ee226dc5df.html

New York is home to some of the world's most expensive retail real estate. Asking rents in the prime of Fifth Avenue have risen about 50 percent in five years to top $3,100 per square foot, or $6.2 million for a space the size of an average Starbucks, according to real estate firms CBRE and Cushman & Wakefield.

Manhattan landlords ask an average of about $94 per square foot per year, compared to $34 in San Francisco, $13 in Atlanta and $12 in Kansas City, Missouri, Cushman & Wakefield says.

National chains have expanded in New York City for six straight years, boasting 7,473 locations last year, according to the Center for an Urban Future, a public policy think tank.

More at the above link.

And this is what the REBNY thinks:

http://thevillager.com/2015/03/26/rebny-president-fires-back-says-shoppers-want-more-duane-reades/

The REBNY is rapidly destroying New York as we know it.

Question: Why does the TA have anything to do with the REBNY?

Question: Why does Dan Garodnick attend annual REBNY parties and is all smiley and friendly in that company?

Question: Why does Mayor de Blasio do likewise?

Pictured above: Steven Spinola, President of the REBNY, who is quoted a lot in the Villager.com article. Mayor de Blasio. Robbie Speyer, chairman of the REBNY and failed landlord of Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village.

Do you despair over what's going on in ST/PCV?

One of the downers to a good mood, or one of just equilibrium, is to read on the TA Facebook page all the problems people are having here and knowing that nothing is being done to alleviate these problems. There are several nice things about living here, but they are always counterbalanced by the bad things. And we have been deserted by the powers that be--and that includes by the politicians.

Gone

Preferential Rent Vs. the Legal (Real) Rent

There have been questions on two STPCV Facebooks about rents being raised more dramatically than seemingly allowed by the Rent Guidelines Board every year. The questions were answered, but I may has well stress the facts here. I will also be adding this info the side bar.

Basically, if you are a newer tenant, you will probably be charged a "preferential rent," which will be stated in your lease rider. This preferential rent will NOT be the rent the landlord CAN charge you, which would be the legal rent. It doesn't matter that all apartments in Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village are rent stabilized, one "victory" that was the outcome of the Roberts decision. (And what a joke that victory turned out to be!) Upon lease renewal, the landlord can charge as much rent on your "rent stabilized" apartment as the legal rent allows, the preferential rent be damned.

Because of the high turnover of apartments in this community, via the transient student population, the legal rents of many apartments are now very high, a major reason the landlord loves and welcomes students, of course. (And when are the politicians going to close this loophole?)

Chances are that your new apartment in STPCV will have a preferential rent to lure you in. But BEWARE: around the corner could be an increase that could shock you.

If you are about to rent an apartment here and would like to stay long term and call this your home, please be very aware of this. If anyone makes you a promise that your rent will remain what it is, excepting normal Rent Guidelines Board increases: 1) make sure you have that promise in writing, and 2) make sure your lease explicitly states that your preferential rent will remain in effect for the entire term of your tenancy. Chances are very good you will get neither.

You can read more about preferential vs. legal rents here:

http://www.nyshcr.org/Rent/FactSheets/orafac40.htm

Save NYC

http://www.savenyc.nyc/

Read This and Be Prepared to Gnash Your Teeth

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/06/nyregion/mayor-bill-de-blasio-and-developer-rob-speyer-are-close-but-not-on-affordable-housing.html?_r=0

Unlike many of his more wary real estate brethren, Rob Speyer moved quickly to build a strong relationship with New York’s liberal mayor, Bill de Blasio, after his election in 2013.

The relationship flowered, and Mr. Speyer, whose company owns Rockefeller Center and operates on four continents, was a host at Mayor de Blasio’s birthday party at Gracie Mansion last May. At a real estate gathering five months later, Mr. de Blasio singled out Mr. Speyer, telling the 6,200 attendees that the developer was “tremendously civically oriented.”

While enjoying a close relationship, however, the two men do not seem to be on the same page when it comes to the pressing need for affordable housing in a city where rents are soaring beyond the grasp of the poor and middle class.

More at the above link.

Perhaps Bill can ask his buddy for a return on the billions that Robbie weighed down tenants with when his then-property ownership of this complex went bust.