The Diamond Quoteth: "In 2005, nearly 69% of
households owned their own homes, a significant increase over the 64% ownership rates of a
decade ago. Since 1999, the most dramatic increases came for Hispanics, whose home ownership grew to 49.5% or by 4 percentage points in 2005."

AHEM!!!!! Now we have disaster with the sub-prime market defaulting on their mortgages. All those people, not just Hispanics btw who for the first time ever yes had their own homes... but it was an illusion, a scam in the free market, the poor got sucked in by greedy yes GREEDY mortgage companies offering 'no interest loans,' etc. etc. we know the whole pathetic saga.

Such companies constantly send me literature to "pay off' my mortgage by borrowing at a lesser rate, yes, but for longer term, and at a NON-FIXED rate! They STILL have the audacity to ply their trade of scavenging. There are no curbs on them. Why not?

I'm bloodie sick of people glorying in their ill-gotten gains.... I was recently at a party and talking to a fairly interesting photographer, who THEN told me his family was "TEARING DOWN MANHATTAN" to build high-rises... He was GLORYING in it... Like it was something so fucking CLEVER... meanwhile he lives FAR FAR away from the cultural, economic and sociological repercussions of this DEVASTATION. His eyes had that fixed glassy look of millions in the bank. He seemed amazed I was NOT IMPRESSED... but there's just NO TALKING to these morons!

On good old Republican FOX news yesterday they were saying the new "buyer's market" for homes is so outrageous now, the rate of non-occupancy and defaulting is higher than it has been in 8 years. A friend of mine trying to sell property in Brooklyn said value has been lost on their home, IN ONE YEAR, to the tune of $100,000.

Parroting the lies of Good Times Rolling is just nauseating, how can you stand yourselves! Just friggin blind as they can be. "No Child Left Behind" indeed as seven said, No Children LEFT will be more like it.

Why this attack on Bobby? There is probably no one on these Boards with more integrity.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: S'tan,

STRENGTHENING RENT LAWS.....

The main reason things have changed so much and the city has become so unaffordable is the gutting of the rent regulations in 1997 by Pataki that ends up deregulating apartments at $2000.

The only way we can reverse this is if the Democrats take over the State Senate in November. They only need 2 more votes...

This article explains it all....

http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/housing/20080131/10/2419

DEMOCRATS WIN SPECIAL STATE SENATE ELECTION....

ONE SEAT AWAY FROM CONTROL OF NEW YORK STATE SENATE!!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/27/nyregion/27senate.html?ref=nyregion

This means we are one seat away from total Democratic control of New York State Government and the ability to pass new tenant protections, repeal vacancy decontrol (that $2000 threshold where apartments leave rent stabilization) and finally restore some power to tenants in this city.

We are writing to invite you to a press conference this Thursday, March 13, 2008, at noon on the steps of City Hall to celebrate the signing of the Council's historic anti-harassment bill, which will protect tenants and their families from being harassed by their landlords.

This groundbreaking piece of legislation makes harassment, in and of itself, a violation of the law. Tenants who believe their landlord is attempting to get them out of the building will be able to fight not just for basic services, but to put an end to the abuseonce and for all. Examples of harassment include: turning off essential services such as heat and hot water, removing a tenant's belongings, locking a tenant out of his or her apartment, or bringing baseless or frivolous court proceedings against tenants who have a legal right to live in their apartments.

An owner who is found guilty of harassment can face a penalty of $1,000 to $5,000 for each apartment where it is found that harassment has occurred.

We are very proud of this bill and the work we have done with tenant advocates, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the real estate industry to make it strong and fair for both tenants and responsible landlords. When this bill becomes law, it will be another critical tool in our efforts to fight gentrification and protect affordable housing in New York City.

When will this legislation be signed in to effect? I'm currently in a conflict with the landlord where I live (we won in court recently for a breach of habitability suite when the services mysteriously went out just five days after I refused to accept a cash offer to move out).

And thank you very much. There is so little that gets done with regard to progress on tennant's rights nowadays.

The legislation takes effect immediately I think. If anything happens again you can probably sue under the new law.

In other news the Rent Guidelines board is voting soon on the rent increases for stabilized apartments. For a while they were approving increases of 2% for one year leases and 4% for two years. But since Bloomberg appointed the board they have been going crazy with up to 7.5% increases for 2 year leases.

If Democrats take over the State Senate next year, one of the things tenant advocates want is for mayoral appointments to the rent guidelines board to need approval from the city council so they wont be landlord hacks.

If you want to help flip the Senate and get better rent laws, make a contribution to...

http://tenantspac.org/

even if you can only give $20. Every bit will help towards strengthening tenant protections in New York.

I know the Presidential race is heating up and you are being inundated with Obama
requests for money and volunteer opportunities but I am serious when I tell you the very character of our
community is at stake.

We are rapidly losing rent stabilized housing because of the "vacancy decontrol" provision George Pataki
and the real estate lobby put into the rental laws in 1997.

If Democrats take control of the State Senate we can restore some sanity to New York rents....

Please contribute all you can here...... Even $20 is a big help!!!!!


http://www.tenantspac.org/

their website explains it more.

The Greedy real estate lobby isn't stupid, they are contributing to the Democrats too in order
to convince them not to help tenants. If tenants give them more money, we can hold their feet to the
fire. This article in the times explains it more.....


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/08/nyregion/08rent.html?hp

STRONGER RENT LAWS NOW!!!

Now that the Democrats have taken over the state senate, it's time for tenants to demand they act, repeal vacancy decontrol and protect low income New Yorkers from displacement by greedy real estate developers.

http://www.indypendent.org/200...-rent-reform-begins/

End Vacancy Decontrol...

Save rent stabilized housing...

read this article...

http://www.chelseanow.com/cn_116/sisepuede.html

The Assembly today passed sweeping revisions of the rent laws, protecting tenants. It goes to the State Senate now...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02...nt.html?ref=nyregion