News, commentary and analysis by leaders of the Communist Party USA in New York State. We discuss State politics and issues in New York City, covering developments in labor, civil rights education, housing and more.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Citywide tenant protest in Harlem demands Real Rent Reform!

New York City tenants and housing organizations held a rally through heavy rain at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building in Harlem tonight. Called by the Metropolitan Council on Housing and the Tenant's & Neighbors, the protest rally kicked off a new "Real Rent Reform Campaign" or R3.

Participants at the rally were outraged at the increase of rents for subsidized housing in the city. It is the 20th straight year of rent increases approved by the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB). Tenants have called for the dismantling or reform of the RGB which is fundamentally flawed and stacked against renters.

Many speakers called for defeating Republicans in the State Senate in order to pass pro-tennt legislation which has been blocked in Albany for years. State Senator Bill Perkins reminded the crowd that "we need troops in the streets and we need troops at the ballot box" to expand tenants rights.

The main demands of the R3 campaign are:

• Repeal vacancy decontrol
• Home rule on rents
• Save Mithcell-Lama and Section 8
• Reform the rent Boards

You can download a PDF of the campaign platform here.

For more information, visit the webpages of Met Council and Tenants & Neighbors



















No comments: