Shining Star Dinners Oct 2nd and Oct 9th 2015
Cocktail Sponsor: Full page gold star ad; signage in cocktail reception; one table for 10 at one night of the event.
Photo Sponsor: Full page silver star ad; signage near step-and-repeat; one table for 10 at one night of the event.
Law Firm Sponsor: Signage at event; one table for 10 at one night of the event.
Table Sponsor: Table signage and one table for 10 at one night of the event.
On Wednesday, April 29th tenants and community groups rallied together to advocate for a rent roll-back for rent stabilized apartments by the New York City Rent Guidelines Board (RGB). CMS’ ITAP and BHIP, CASA, Los Sures, RENA and many other tenant advocacy organizations were present to show their support of a rent roll-back. Community members marched from Herald Square to The CUNY Graduate Center where the RGB preliminary vote was held. New York City Council Members Corey Johnson, Ben Kallos, and Jumaane Williams spoke at a press conference outside of The CUNY Graduate Center. They discussed the hardships tenants are facing with the high cost of rent and why they support a rent roll-back.
After the press conference community members attended the preliminary vote held by the RGB. Both, RGB members representing the landlords and members representing tenants made proposals for this year’s increase, but it was the Chair, Rachel D. Godsil’s proposal, that got approved. Now the Rent Guidelines Board will only take into account the following range for the final vote. 0 to 2% increase for One-year leases and 0.5 to 3.5% increase for Two-year leases.
Public hearings will now be held in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx to provide the community with an opportunity to testify and advocate for a rent freeze or the lowest possible increase given the proposal approved by the RGB.
On May 14th there will be a Rally at Foley Square in Manhattan to demand stronger rent laws to keep rent affordable. On June 15th New York State’s rent laws will expire putting over 1 million rent-stabilized homes at risk. CMS would like to gather community members from all over NYC to march against Block gentrification, end rent hikes and repeal rent deregulation. Please join us in speaking out against New York’s housing crisis, demanding stronger rent laws, and keeping rent affordable for New York residents.
Join us May 14th at 5 pm at Foley Square on the corner of Centre St. & Worth St. New York, NY 10013.
Catholic Migration Services’ Immigrant Tenant Advocacy Program will be hosting a Queens Town Hall on the right to counsel in Housing Court. This event is an opportunity for community members to discuss Intro 214, a bill currently before the New York City Council which, if passed, would provide tenants the right to an attorney in eviction proceedings. The town hall is an opportunity for community members to share their thoughts on the implications of going to court in eviction proceedings without an attorney and how it creates an additional incentive for landlords to harass and displace tenants. At the town hall, we will introduce Intro 214, and discuss how community members can achieve the historic goal of making New York City the first city in the United States to guarantee tenants a right to counsel in eviction proceedings. Please RSVP if you would like to attend.
