Vol. 7 No. 2 Summer 1997 M a r c h i n g , Meeting, and Working to Save Our Homes A ro u n d Tow n Colonnades Apartments Colonnades Apartments management installed new washers and driers - but not as many as there should have been. One of the towers, 25 Clifton Avenue, does not have a ramp in front or back of the building for seniors or disabled residents to use. Garden 5pires Apartments Tenants thanked Senator Ronald Rice for his intervention in a dangerous traffic situation caused by construction of a new ramp for Rt. 280 near the Aspen Riverpark tenants listen during a recent tenant building. Residents are continuing to organize with association meeting with the owner of their building help from HTC to deal with the continuing problems and a representative from HUD. in the building, particularly the elevators not working. Aspen Riverpark Apartments Aspen Riverpark Apartments residents finally got elevator service in one section of their building Roberto Clemente 5halom which was without service for 3 months, after the tenants called a meeting with the owners, management T owers and HUD. HUD responded to numerous resident complaints by doing an inspection in the building. Roberto Clemente Shalom Towers had a Tenants are continuing to meet. candidacy night for the gubernatorial candidates on Meanwhile the "Saturday SuperKids Program" May 28, to hear candidates views on the schools, held a very fun talent show at the building, where welfare reform, housing, taxes and other state issues many of the young people performed. The show that concern the community. included singers, dancers, a magician, a clown, jump rope routines, and even a boxing nun. The Aspen SuperKids Program runs with the help of the St. Stephan's United Church of Christ in Newark and First Congregational United Church of Christ in Westfield. Page 2 Tenant Action News Summer 1997 A ro u n d T ow n 3 West Kinney 5t. The Tenant Association is working for improvements in the building. Workmen have come in to deal with extermination problems. The parking lot was also cleaned up, and the City responded to pressure from residents and cleaned up the vacant lot behind the building. _________Victory Gardens_________ Some residents of Victory Gardens, a development built by the City of Newark, say that there are many problems at the townhouses. In one person’s home, carpeting is coming up, grease from contractors is all over, water is coming through heat vents, the patio is falling apart and basement lights go Frank Hutchins from the HUD Tenants ’ Coalition out constantly. Some residents have complained but recently attended a residents meeting at New Hope nothing was done. Village to speak with tenants about the letter writing campaign to federal representatives to save Section Hill Manor Apartments______ 8 and Public Housing programs. Shown above, is Maude Davis, a spokesperson for New Hope Village Approximately 40 families are still living at Apartments, attending a HUD Tenant’s Coalition Hill Manor Apartments because they have not yet Forum. located decent quality affordable apartments to move to. After a fire on April 13, 1997, residents were told that they would receive vouchers from HUD, and would be relocated. Some residents have moved to less ___________ Zion Towers____________ than desirable apartments in other complexes in Tenants at Zion Towers have been fighting still Newark. HUD, which holds the mortgage on the another rent increase. Working with HTC, they have building, has proceeded with foreclosure proceedings made the case for why the process which resulted in against Vincent Lane, the owner of the building, who their rent increase was illegal to HUD., and to the declared bankruptcy. New Jersey Housing & Mortgage Finance Agency. Some of the problems with this rent increase were that the NJHFMA notified the manager to request an _______Georgia King Village_______ increase, that the numbers which the rent increase Georgia King Village is holding a Youth Day application includes do not justify the increase and that on June 30. The annual Georgia King Village Day is the reasons for awarding an increase were changed August 30th. without notifying the residents. Summer 1997 Tenant Action News Page 3 What We Must Do Below are sections from a talk given by Cynthia Pullen, Board member for HUD Tenants' Coalition, at a workshop on the changes in Federal Housing Policy. When you listen to what Congress is thinking of doing to housing policy, you may say what can we do? But this is not a time for sitting back. When people are backed into a corner, they have to come out fighting. Here is some of what we must do: 1. Organize! 2. Register to vote and vote intelligently. You should know where the person you are voting for stands on housing issues. 3. Make your politicians accountable. If they make promises, hold them to them. 4. Join forces with other tenant groups through the HUD Tenants' Coalition. 5. Put yourself at the table where decisions are Cynthia Pullen made. Increase our numbers. It increases our power and our voice. 6. Be informed about housing policy. Attend maintenance of our homes. workshops to hear about new regulations and 14. Organize, organize, organize. changes. Read about them. 7. Write letters to the editor of the local newspaper so that society as a whole sees the lack of affordable housing as a problem. We need to make our concerns society's concerns. 8. Educate others. Share information with tenants who you know. Knock on their doors. Talk to FREE others in your building, your PTA, your Summer Workshops For Tenants church. 9. Have face to face meetings with legislators, so ♦ Recertification they can see that their decisions affect real ♦ Organizing Your Tenants' Association people. ♦ Code Enforcement: Getting Repairs Made 10. Contact your elected officials. Make sure our issues are getting on their agenda. Second Saturdays in June, July, August 11. Increase our fund-raising efforts so that the 9:00 AM to 12 Noon work of the HUD Tenants Coalition can Seton Hall Law School, Newark continue. 12. Talk about our success. When we win a fight, when we make progress, let us advertise it. Pre-registration required. Call (201) 643-7711. 13. Hold ourselves, and our owners and managers accountable for the improvement and Page 4 Tenant Action News Summer 1997 Changing Federal Housing Policy What is Congress doing to our homes? Federal housing policy keeps changing. One of the ways to keep up with it is the HUD Tenants Coalition workshops on Changing Federal Housing Policy. The most recent of these was May 15, when Marc Granowitter from the National Low Income Housing Coalition spoke at Grace Church, Newark. Mr. Granowitter talked about a number of Congress' recurring themes for the last few years such as Balance the Budget, "Deregulate HUD" , Decentralize HUD, and Voucherization. The result of how these themes have been played out is that tenants in Section 8 housing, Public Housing, and privately owned government-subsidized buildings are in for some changes and could lose their homes - unless they organize! HUD will need $20 billion to fund existing Section 8 subsidies by the year 2002. That is the same amount as the entire HUD budget currently! Congress will need to be told to take money from somewhere In two forums, winter 1996 and spring 1997, HTC else for Section 8 and other affordable housing has brought information about the changes in federal programs. Mr. Granowitter said Congress could take housing policy to tenants. Shown above is Woody money from the defense budget, or the "corporate Widrow, who spoke Dec. 7, 1996 at Set on Hall Law welfare" system where rich corporations get tax School. Marc Granowitter from the National Low breaks. Income Housing Coalition spoke May 15, 1997 (see "We did it before. During the welfare rights article). movement, we went to Washington, D.C. and we demanded things," said Maude Davis. "We have to unite and do it again. The government will only do all, and, very important, what will the rents be? what we make them do." Public Housing Section 8 buildings Mr. Granowitter talked about HR2 (House bill) Mr. Granowitter said that HUD wants to give and S462 (Senate) which address many of the same the rents a "haircut", that is to cut rents in buildings issues for residents of public housing. Who will live in where tenants are paying more than 120% of the Fair public housing? Who will get vouchers? What kinds of Market Rent. HUD hopes to eliminate the debt in the procedures will tenants have, such as grievance buildings by paying for it out of the insurance fund. A procedures? What about replacement policies for small number of buildings around the country, public housing units which are demolished? All of including Center City and Essex Plaza in Newark, are these issues are being decided by Congress this spring. part of or applying for a demonstration program to Continued on Page 11 allow owners to try "new and innovate" approaches to making their buildings work financially. There are many questions such as will the buildings be "targeted", that is, an attempt to draw different income levels of people, will vouchers be made available to Summer 1997 Tenant Action News Page 5 Regional Forums: "Eyes and Ears" Meetings The Regional Forums with tenants who live in privately-owned government-assisted properties from the entire Northeast Region continue to be held quarterly. They are called "Eyes and Ears" meetings, because tenants are the ones who really know what is going on in a building, and can be HUD's "Eyes and Ears." Tenants from New York State and New Jersey work together to create the agendas for the meetings. HUD Officials from Washington, D.C. and the local office attend, and so do representatives from state housing agencies. Tenants talk about the issues that are important to them and what HUD should be doing to help solve them. Shown on this page are some of the pictures from the last meeting in Newark, October 19, at Seton Hall Law School: Tenants take notes during the October 19 Regional Forum in Newark. Frank Hutchins from the HUD Tenants Coalition Listening to tenants presentations at the meeting are chairs a session. Also pictured (seated) are (left to Connie Loukatos from the local HUD Office, and right): Cynthia Pullen HTC, Louise Sanchez, and Chris Greer, Secretary of Multi-Family Housing Bill Good from HTC. Programs in Washington, D. C. Page 6 Tenant Action News Summer 1997 City Council Passes "Shut Up" Ordinance A number of HTC members, and other is easy to become apathetic when you get the clear individuals and groups, spoke out against a new city message that the folks in charge don't care what you ordinance which cancels the citizens hearing part of think and don't want to listen to what you have to say City Council meetings, and replaces it with non-voting - and that is what this change says, loud and meetings ("gripe sessions", one person called them) in clear...Listening to the people four times a month is each ward. In spite of the opposition, the City Council not a lot to ask from a council that takes home bigger approved the ordinance. Only Mildred Crump, Donald checks and gets more perks than almost any other town Tucker, and Ronald Rice voted against the ordinance. council in the country." Lawrence Hall, in a column in the Star Ledger on May 12, wrote, "Council members who approved the move have forgotten that part of their job is to listen to and weigh the opinions of their ^Habla Espanol? constituents...People are left with the distinct impression that the council no longer wants them to have a say in the affairs of their city...Public input is You don't, but others in your building do? frowned upon by the administration, and people have Fact sheets, videotapes, and Truth in Renting a feeling of powerlessness." books are available in Spanish. Contact 589- 3353 for Spanish tenant education materials A Star Ledger editorial said, " In a city where for residents of your building. there are lots of complaints about residents’ apathy, more opportunity to participate is required, not less. It “Housing is a Human Right” on cable channel 26 Wednesdays 8:00-8:30?M -Upcoming Shows: ►Tenant’s Rights ►Changing Government Housing Policies ►Getting Repairs Made ►Effective Tenant Organizing Summer 1997 Tenant Action News Page 7 Resources Numbers Every Tenant The following are available from the HUD Tenants' Coalition. To order, call 589-3353 or 643-7711: Should Know... * Know Your Rights Fact Sheets. These 2 fact sheets • Newark Rent Control Board cover tenants rights on eviction, and most of the local Staff: 733-3675 ordinances in Newark. They are free. Administrator: 733-6362 * Truth In Renting Law. This booklet covers the Copies of rent control ordinance. state laws which apply to tenants. Available for its • Rutgers Urban Legal Clinic cost, $1. It is also available in Spanish. 1 5 Washington St. * Knowing Where To Call. A five page list of key 648-5576 phone numbers for tenants in Newark. Free while they • Newark City Clerk's Office last. 733-3844 or 733-3669. * Recertification. This booklet was developed for a To find out about city ordinances. workshop and includes a summary of common • Landlord Tenant Court questions and important documents during your 621-5343 or 621-5346. recertification process. $1 for duplication. • Essex-Newark Legal Services 106 Halsey St. * New HUD pamphlet on tenants rights, and new 624-4500 HUD manager's handbook. The pamphlet contains • Essex-Newark Legal Services great information about your rights in HUD-assisted Senior Citizen Unit housing. The handbook contains the most current 672-3838,-3839,-3840,3895. information, and this time tenants helped write it, so it • Rutgers Legal Aid Clinic should be helpful. It is unsure at press time exactly 1 5 Washington St. how to get these, but they do exist. * 624-5300 • Newark Offices of Code Enforcement * No Easy Walk, Newark, 1980-1993. Book of 733-6470,733-6471,733-6481 photographs of Newark’s Central Ward by Helen • Newark Municipal Council Stummer available from Temple University Press for 733-3788 $20.00 plus postage. Call 1-800-447-1656. Groups Working With Tenants * Tenants Rights Manual: A Manual For Tenants Who Live in Privately Owned, Federally Subsidized • Coalition To Save Rent Control Housing (April 1992). This 161 book includes Frank Hutchins, 643-7711 chapters on: HUD Housing Programs (definitions of • HUD Tenants’ Coalition terms of all major HUD-subsidized programs), Leases, Bill Good, Jeanette Miller 643-7711 Discrimination, Rents, Rent Increases, Tenant Nancy Zak, 589-3353 Organizing, Evictions, and many other topics. Copies Tashana Parrish, 344-7210 are available from the Low Income Housing Information Service, 1012-14th St., N.W. Washington, DC 20005, (201) 662-1530. The cost is $10 to members of LIHIS, $20 to all others. Prepayment is required. Call the local HUD Office, 622-7900. Page 8 Tenant Action News Summer 1997 HUD Tenants' Coalition Organizing With Tenants "This group is keeping tenants aware of what HTC staff and members also were at: is happening - and knowing about things is the first ■ the National Low Income Housing Coalition step in getting involved, and changing them." meeting in Washington, D.C. This is what one tenant said recently about the HUD Tenants' Coalition, the group which organizes ■ Legal Services of New Jersey training on residents in privately-owned government-assisted welfare reform ■ A Board retreat facilitated by Rutgers buildings in Newark. Some of the things which HTC has been doing University Center for Social and Community recently include: Development ■ Sponsoring two forums on changing federal ■ The May 7 City Council meeting, where housing policy, and working with Newark tenants to residents spoke out against a new city ordinance (see design a strategy to preserve affordable housing, (see article p.7). Most important, HTC has been working with and advising tenants around the city, and attending many meetings. HTC is assisting residents who are What you get if you join HTC: doing some great organizing in their buildings. HTC staff are currently focusing on work at Garden Spires, HTC helps tenant organizations: Spruce Spires, Center City Housing buildings, and ♦ get started and continue to be Aspen Riverpark Apartments. effective (write by-laws, hold As they approach their tenth anniversary, HTC has elections, etc). grown from 8 to over 20 member complexes around ♦ monthly meetings to share strategies . the city. g| ♦ Tenant Action News - the only newspaper for tenants ♦ help in fighting harassment by managers/owners, illegal rent increases, etc. ♦ workshops at Seton Hall Law School How do you join? Individual membership is $5.00; Building article p 5). ■ Regional Forums with local and federal membership is $25. Make checks out to: HUD Tenants' Coalition (mark check: for HUD offices, co-sponsored with tenants from New membership dues); and send to 95 Fleming Ave., York State (see article p. 6). ■ Meetings with Director Timothy Touhey and Newark, N.J. 07105 Assemblyman John Kelly, Chairperson of the state's For more information call: 643-7711, Housing Committee, focusing on rent increase 643-7712. procedures which are having a negative impact on residents. Summer 1997 Tenant Action News Page 9 HTC Meets With HUD & NJHFMA Members of the HUD Tenants' Coalition held a meeting on May 15, 1997 with Director Timothy Touhey of the New Jersey Housing & Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHFMA) and Connie Loukatos, Director of Multi-Family Programs, Newark office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The meeting covered a variety of issues, including rent increase procedures, tenant harassment, inspection of buildings, tenant evaluation of managers and service contractors, and ongoing communication between all involved to improve living conditions in the building. Shown above, (left to right), Ethel Ellis, Sam Rivers, Frank Hutchins, Bill Good, Conie Loukatos, Milton Zisman, Timothy Touhey, Frank Morris, Walter Washington (partially hidden), Elaine Sewell, Janice Adams, Francis Thomas, Juan Haro, and Jeanette Miller. Thank You! Correction: Window Guards Special thanks to the following organizations and individuals for their recent financial or other support: In the last issue of Tenant Action News, it United Church of Christ, Newark Coalition was stated that those interested in the state for Neighborhoods, Campaign for Human ordinance about window guards should Development, St. Stephan's United Church of Christ contact the state’s Code Assistance in Newark, United Church of Christ of Westfield, Department. The correct Department and N.J., the IOLTA FUND, Ironbound Community Corporation, Metropolitan Ecumenical Ministry, the phone number for this information is the Funding Exchange, Essex Newark Legal Services, Bureau of Housing Inspections: Suburban Housing Corp., Milton Zisman, Rutgers 609-530-8793. The law requires that Law School, Seton Hall Center for Social Justice, the window guards be installed and maintained Vista Program, the Sisters of St. Francis Social in rental units above the first floor in which Justice Fund, the Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Fund and the Marianist Sharing Fund.. children age 10 years or younger reside. The law says tenants must ask for the window guards. Page 10 Tenant Action News Summer 1997