CVH members joined the New York City Right to the City in calling on elected officials to open vacant luxury condominium developments to the poor. The construction of many of the buildings began before the economic recession, leaving many of the homes unoccupied.

The effort has been gaining widespread media coverage throughout New York.

Groups Urge Opening of Vacant Condos to the Poor, New York Times’ City Room

Right to the City-New York Survey: 601 Condo Buildings in Distress in NYC, More Than Formerly Noted, Daily News

A Close Look at the City’s Condo Crisis, Metro

Survey Finds 601 Troubled Condo Projects, Crain’s New York Business

Condos, Condos Everywhere, Gotham Gazette

Arrested Development: Dueling Stalled Construction Lists , Curbed

150 Rally for Conversion of Vacant Condos to Affordable Housing, Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Condos for the Poor, Courier Life/Your Nabe

Just How Many Condo Projects Are Unfilled And Unfinished In New York City?, Luxurist

Improvements at the SLA, Albany Ethics, Stalled Condo Projects, The Lo-Down

CVH has been working on preserving and sustaining communities in Harlem and East Harlem through our Sustainable Communities project.  Recently, CVH members traveled to Albany in partnership with the New York is Our Home coalition (on which CVH is a steeering committee member) to meet with legislators about the importance of revising rent regulations to reduce the conversion of numerous apartments to market-rate rents.  

Attachment	Size
Assembly Passes Rent-Regula...pdf	67.95 KB

On Tuesday January 27, members of CVH and Housing Here and Now took 6 teams up to Albany to meet with key state Senators in the fight to strengthen tenant protections in New York City Housing. With the passage of the Bill to repeal vacancy decontrol, and to restore home rule to the NYC Council in the State Assembly on monday February 2nd, all eyes are now on the Senate. A narrow majority by the Democrats (32-30) means its going to be a tough fight. Members of HHN other concerned groups are planning to show up en-masse Saturday February 14th to the Democratic Caucus to pick up the pressure and get these bills passed as soon as possible 

For countless NYC tenants, as basic services decline, harassment rises, and whole communities are displaced, Tuesday December 9th marked an historic day where tenants united from all over NYC said ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: REPEAL VACANCY DECONTROL!

In a room that neatly fits 800 people at the New York Society for Ethical Culture, overflow into the program proved that the tenant movement is reasserting itself to demand real changes in policy.

CVH was proud to bring a bus load of members, and a very excited bunch of youth from one of our ally organizations, Youth Action Programs & Homes making the CVH contingent not only the most intergenerationally diverse, but also THE LOUDEST in the house.

Seasoned CVH leader Ann Bragg also rocked the mic with a powerful speech on the effects of Vacancy Decontrol in East Harlem.

All eyes are now on the State Senate. Several elected officials signed pledges to make repealing VD a top priority in 2009, as well as calling upon their colleagues to do the same.

Certainly NYC tenants have a lot of pressure to exert in the coming months... This struggle is far from over.

Attachment	Size
ann bragg - VD rally.doc	23 KB
VACANCY DECONTROL.doc	25.5 KB

On Tuesday, October 21st at noon, member leaders of Community Voices Heard joined representatives from other organizations that are part of the New York is Our Home Coalition (NYIOH) in protesting in front of the offices of the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) in downtown Manhattan. At the same time, other coalition members, mainly of the North West Bronx Community & Clergy Coaltion held a similar action in front of the Bronx DHCR office.

The goal of the protests were to send a loud and clear message to the State agency, which is responsible for overseeing and administrating many housing regulations to protect tenants, that they are failing in their mission. In a market where affordable housing stock for low income families is on the brink, increased efforts to displace rent regulated and stabilized tenants is at an all time high. The tactics used to displace tenants range from wholesale unwarranted eviction notices, illegal rent increases, and ruthless neglect of basic services like heat, hot water and repair issues. 

A small delegation of 6 representatives was sent up through the main security detail at 25 Beaver street to the DHCR office to personally deliver a list of demands for administrative changes. These changes could potentially go a long way to alleviate the anxiety of many tenants, while at the same time disrupt the tactics of many landlords to squeeze profits out of their buildings. Outside, close to 50 people protested with chants and instruments. The list of demands is as follows:

• Public DHCR Meetings in all the Boroughs
• Establish community advisory board for DHCR
• Crack-down on landlord harassment of tenants
• Defend affordable rent laws
• Stop illegal rent increases
• Enforce building codes for livable conditions
• Respond to tenant complaints

Attachment	Size
dhcr.jpg	265.17 KB
Protest letter DHCR 10-21-08.doc	94.5 KB
HHN DHCR Platform, 2007.doc	109.5 KB

CVH Sustainable Communities Project sent 5 members to Brooklyn to support partner group Families United for Racial and Economic Equality (FUREE) in their battle against John Catsimatidis, a developer who demolished grocery store and hasn't been quick enough to put new stores in their place. Read the attached article to find out more about the demonstration. See CVH members Keith Gamble and Larry Gadson standing behind Council Woman Leticia James. CVH Sustainable Communities Project members want to learn from other groups around the city working against displacement and for community involvement in community evolution.

Attachment	Size
2008-07-24 No Gristedes for Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn - Brooklyn Downtown Star.pdf	361.93 KB