About ESTC We have been working to preserve affordable housing since the late 70's, and formally started in 1981. We have been deeply involved in all areas of our community, and work on landmarking, zoning, preservation and quality of life issues. We are your friends and neighbors who want to continue to call the East Side our home. This online bulletin features highlights from our printed newsletter available to all ESTC members. See membership application at the end of this bulletin. Contact Information P.O. Box 20245 NYC 10021-0064 212-249-0582 Our Town Awards Our Town newspaper gave OTTY Awards (Our Town Thanks You) to Kathy Jolowicz, Marie Maher and Dawn Sullivan, ESTC Chair, last November 28, 1996. The issue was a special edition for "Unsung Heroes" and some 100 community activists were honored. Kathy is President of the 83/84th Street Block Association; Marie has raised five children in the city and is a strong supporter of the Grey Panthers; Dawn has been involved in numerous charities, schools and causes, especially with children, having raised three kids in the city herself. She is currently Vice President of the 19th Pct.Community Council and President of the 400 East 80th Street Block Association. She considers her top accomplishment "helping to save a tenants homes. Nothing is more basic or vital than having a roof over your head." Dawn Sullivan to Meet with Bruno? One of our supporters took our Chair, Dawn Sullivan to a Skidmore Reunion where Bruno was speaking on the rent laws. He arrived with two owners of small buildings for moral support and his pitch was exactly what you have seen on T.V. He did however, say he would meet with Dawn in Albany. Let's see if he will keep his word. Your Chance to Get Involved You the people reading this must get involved and encourage others to educate themselves to the dangers facing them. It is almost unbelievable but we have had messages left on our tape telling us that Bruno wouldn't dare to end the rent laws because there would be riots in the streets! For some, denial may be the only way they can cope. Some Pro-Tenant Articles The New York Daily News did a special series on how high the rents have climbed in and around New York. Crain's NY Business, New York Magazine and yes, even the New York Times have had articles about unreasonable housing costs. CBS and NBC evening news have done items on how it is impossible to fine affordable housing. They even put things in the right perspective by commenting that the main problem was that the supply cannot keep up with the demand. Keep Us Informed So We Can Inform the Media Despite these articles, we continue to need you to advise us of abuses you and your friends and neighbors have had to deal with. We like to be able to use good examples when we lobby and try to educate legislators. The media seems very reluctant to seek out tenants who have serious problems and prefers to show tenants who seem to have the resources that enable them to discuss their options. The vast majority of tenants don't have options and live in fear under the intimidation of bully owners and managing agents. Your Letters, Faxes, and Phone calls to elected officials DO Make a Difference For a list of points to make when writing, calling or lobbying officials and to educate fellow tenants and friends about the threatened deregulation of New York City housing, please go to the March, 1997 ESTC Bulletin right here online! Save This List of Elected Officials' Contact Information East Side Officials: Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney 950 East 59th Street New York, NY 10022 (212)832-6531 Senator Roy Goodman 270 Broadway, Suite 2400 New York, NY 10007 (212)417-5563 Assemblyman Pete Grannis 1672 First Avenue New York, NY 10128 (212)860-4906 Assemblyman John Ravitz 251 East 77th Street New York, NY 10021 (212)861-9061 Assemblyman Steve Sanders 201 East 16th Street New York, NY 10003 (212)979-9696 Councilman Andrew Eristoff 409 East 14th Street, Suite B New York, NY 10009 (212)473-4960 Councilman Gifford Miller 336 East 73rd Street New YOrk, NY 10021 (212)535-5554 Councilman Antonio Pagan 237 First Avenue, Suite 405 New York, NY 10002 (212)477-1203 State Senators Guy Velella 2019 Williamsbridge Road Bronx, NY 10461 (718)792-7180 Dean Skelos 55 Front Street Rockville Center, NY (516)766-8383 Nickolas Spano 1 Executive Blvd. Yonkers, NY (914) 969-5194 Serphin Maltese 71-04 Myrtle Ave. Glendale, NY 11385 (718)497-1800 Norman Levy 30 South Ocean Ave. Freeport, NY 11520 (516)546-4100 Kemp Hannon 1600 Stewart Ave. #315 Westbury, NY 11590 (518)222-0068 Carl Marcellino 250 Townsend Square Oyster Bay, NY 11771 (518)922-1811 Michael Tully, Jr. 201 Expressway Plaza 1 Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 (516)484-7070 Joseph Holland 150 Airport Executive Park Nanuet, NY 10954 (914)425-1818 Vincent Leibell 34 Gleneida Aven. Carmel, NY 10512 (914)225-5590 Three Forms to Print Out, Fill In and Send or Give Out Come to Albany May 20th for Tenant Lobby Day Round trip fare is $15.00. East Side Buses will depart betwen 7 a.m. and 7:40 a.m. from several locations on First Avenue. Current stops will be at : 33rd,79th and 86th Streets. Other stops may be added as needed. Buses are comfortable, modern, air-conditioned with restrooms. Join thousands of other tenants as we picket, go to a tenant rally and meet with elected officials. Urge your friends and neighbors to join us! For more information call ESTC at 249-0582. Tenant Lobby Day, May 20th (online form) Name___________________________Phone(day)__________Evening_______________ Address_________________________Apt.#______City______State________Zip______ ___ Yes, please reserve a seat for me! ___ My check for $15.00 is enclosed ___ I would like a complimentary seat ___ Sorry, I can't come, but would like to sponsor a seat. Mail to: East Side Tenants' Coalition P.O.Box 20245 New York, Ny 10021-0064 Join the East Side Tenants Coaltion ESTC Membership (online form) Become a member --active or supportive. All members receive our printed, illustrated newsletter and flyers. Suggested fees: Students and Seniors: $10.00 Individuals: 18.00 Tenant Associations: 25.00 Block Associations & Community Based Organizations: 30.00 If you wish to also include an extra donation along with your membership fee, as a 100% volunteer organization, your donations are welcomed and needed. Name___________________________Phone(day)__________Evening_______________ Organization(if any)________________________________________________________ Address_________________________Apt.#______City______State________Zip______ Please check one or more boxes that apply: ___ I can be active ___ I can't be active I would like to attend events held from Monday to Friday during the ___ day ___ evening on weekends during the ___ day ___ evening I would like to attend ___ public hearings ___ rallies ___ Albany trips I would like to help with ___ petitions ___ xeroxing ___ surveys ___ phone calls ___ art/graphics ___ tables at street fairs ___ typing ___ word processing ___ writing ___ mailings ___ distributing fliers in my building, etc. ___ donating supplies or services (please specifiy) ________________________________________________________________ ___ other________________________________________________________________ Please mail this with your check to East Side Tenants' Coalition P.O.Box 20245 New York, Ny 10021-0064 Flyer to print out and make copies of to give out to retail merchants and small businesses .............................................................................. To the Retail Merchants and Small Business Owners on the East Side of Manhattan: What would happen if your sales dropped by 72%? The greatest threat to the survival of your neighborhood business is being planned right now and you are probably not aware of it! Governor Pataki and politicians friendly to wealthy real estate interests, both in the state Legislature and the City Council, are working to weaken or destroy the rent laws. These laws protect over 2-1/2 miolion tenants in New York City. Seventy-three percent of the households on the Upper East Side, Turtle Bay and Stuyvesant Town are tenant households! Nearly 85% of these tenants, YOUR CUSTOMERS, are protected by these rent laws or other laws. Your customers are already spending more than 30% of their gross income on rent. Some tenants, especially seniors, spend up to 75% on rent. Haven't you heard your customers complain that after paying the rent, the gas and electric and the telephone, they have nothing left? That means nothing left for you! Every extra dollar that your customers are forced to pay for rent is a dollar less for your business. Every dollar diverted to the landlord is a dollar less spent on food, clothing, housewares, furniture, appliances, entertainment and travel; even haircuts and dry cleaning. The last time the rent laws were weakened, residential rents in New York City rose overnight by an astounding 72%. If such an increase in tenants' rents is allowed to happen again, your sales will surely be devastated! Many small businesses will not survive. The City Council extended the rent laws for three years on March 25 but failed to end the $2,000 a month vacancy/luxury decontrol provision. Mayor Giuliani and Speaker Vallone are going to Albany to lobby for the continuation of the law, but they must speak out against vacancy and luxury decontrol. Please contact the following and tell them to renew the rent laws, WITHOUT WEAKENING AMENDMENTS and NO VACANCY OR LUXURY DECONTROL. If you need the names of your local Council, State Assembly or Senate representative call the East Side Tenants Coalition at 249-0582. Hon. Sheldon Silver Governor George Pataki NYS Assembly, Albany, NY 12248 Executive Chamber, Albany, NY 12224 Tel.#212-385-6680 Fax#212-312-1425 Tel.#212-681-4580 Fax# 212-681-4643 Hon. Joseph Bruno Mayor Rudolph Giuliani NYS Senate, Albany, NY 12247 City Hall, New York, NY 10007 Tel.# 518-455-3191 Fax#518-455-2448 Tel.#212-788-2614 Fax #212-788-3142 Senator Alfonse D'Amato Hon.Peter Vallone 7 Penn Plaza,Ste. 600 NY, NY 12247 City Hall, New York, NY 10007 Tel.@212-947-7390 Fax#212-564-5066 Tel.#212-788-7210 Fax#212-788-7207 Call Your Merchants Associatiion - Protect Your Business East Side Tenants Coaltion has been a leader in the fight for reasonable commercial rents. ESTC P.O. Box 20245 New York, NY 10021-0064 212-249-0582