mercredi, juin 27, 2007

Sicko, Damages, Tenants and Neighbors

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Yesterday I put some air in the Huffy tires and rode downtown to the Housing Court to pick up an audio recording of last Friday's hearing. I am starting to think that a class action lawsuit is in order. According to the Pro Se attorney's office in the housing court, the court that a tenant's association in this situation would go to would depend on what is being sought. If, as a group we are asking for damages over $25,000 we would go to the NYS supreme court and make our case there. I believe this company 545 W 146th street, Inc. has been negligent in maintaining the building, has falsified records and lied to state agencies in order to unlawfully increase rents, and has harassed tenants.

I hope that as a tenants association we can get help from the legal aid society in pursuing this case. This evening I think I will sit in the lobby and talk to people about problems in the building and how forming a tenants association could help.

Last night I went to see Sicko with Mitch. I left wishing I could move to France. or england or some civilized country that recognizes basic human needs as the right of every citizen. Throught out the film europeans and canadians are laughing at michael Moore's questions. How many sick days do you get from your job in France? Ha Ha Ha Ha??

I missed the last RGB/Metcouncil get together at Cooper Union last night.

vendredi, juin 22, 2007

gene, genet*, genome

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Yesterday I went to the library to learn more about Factiva and how to search it for articles.

Today Judge Wendt dismissed the LL petition for Non-payment on the grounds that the DHCR registration was faulty. They had registered a second lease that apparently did not exist under the name of my roommate. Bernardo denied knowledge of the registration or a second lease. By law LLs are required to offer rent regulated tenants a renewal lease. It would be illegal for them to offer the lease to Bernardo and not to me as well.

Now I am back at 545 with my Neighbors, Sam and Jake hanging out till their mom gets home.

I feel pretty good about what happened except now I'm a little worried about going to Ohio for two weeks. I'm sure the LL will try to petition the court for eviction while I am not here to defend myself. I want to talk to tenants in the building about filing a class action suit as a tenant association. Maybe if we go on the offensive, with some help from legal aid we can get everyone's rents rolled back to what the should be and also get the building brought up to code.

I amused myself today during the long wait by trying to guess people's ethnicity. I think I am getting better at it.


On the way home a found out that Don De Lillo has a new book out.

mercredi, juin 20, 2007

Rent Guidelines Board

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Last night I went to a hearing of the Rent Guidelines Board where tenants and LL's were allowed to speak to ten members of the board. the board is appointed by the mayor and has raised rent stabilized rents by greater and greater percentages in recent years. most of the speakers were tenants calling for (pleading, demanding) a freeze in rent stabilized rents.A few LL's spoke in favor of rent increases.

Council member Jackson asked also for a freeze or failing that and small increase...but preferably a freeze.

lundi, juin 18, 2007


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Work has begun again on the bathroom in apt 47. I am hesitantly optimistic that we will soon have a clean, non-leaky, non-moldy place to pee and shower. I and compromising on the tiles. E. Ponce compromised on covering the old marble with concrete and we both agreed that an all porcelain sink is way better than the particle board thing that keeps getting water damaged.

more on 545

SickO NOW!

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Oh My god...I am getting chills hearing someone make so much sense. PLEASE see today's Democracy NOW in which Amy Goodman interviews Michael Moore about his health care film.

Whatever you may think of Moore, he is making so much sense I am almost in tears with happiness that someone is finally saying these things and sadness that so many people have suffered so long needlessly.

I SO miss the good health care I had access to at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio. Finally, SOMEONE is doing a good job pointing out how barbaric the American (public? private? civil?) health care system is.

MY RECENT HEALTH CARE HORROR STORY

dimanche, juin 17, 2007

cell one, cell two

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Hi I'm here with Jake who should be asleep but in stead is bugging me about HTML tables so I'm going to try to put one here to show him what it is.









spider, manspider, woman
ladybug, greenladybug, yellow











feathers, healthyfeathers, placed
aluminium, roundaluminium, square


"I like spiderman and we have a cat named Derry." says Jake.










ice cream, bananasice cream, oranges
popcicle, grapespopcicle, spiderman