Cooper Square organizers demanding that DHCR close the Frankensteining loophole (November 2022).

Since early 2020, it has been clear that Frankensteining -- or the practice of combining rent-stabilized units in order to establish a much higher base rent -- has been destroying affordable homes in the Lower East Side. In buildings Cooper Square Committee is organizing, we’ve seen wave after wave of unnecessary construction take apartments to sky-high rents. 

For the last three years, we have been demanding that New York State take action to close the Frankensteining loophole.

As a result of sustained pressure from organized tenants, DHCR’s new rules will take effect on November 8th and reduce the incentive to Frankenstein by limiting the rent increases to reasonable amounts. 

Make no mistake: this is a major victory for tenants. We thank and congratulate all the members and leaders who came to protests, rallies, and hearings to demand this change!

And we still urge the governor to sign our anti-Frankensteining bills into law that will strengthen the DHCR rules. 

New York Attorney General Letitia James released a new report detailing deep racial disparities in homeownership and access to home financing across the state, the shameful legacy of decades of racist lending and banking practices. The report also outlines policies that could repair those harms. And one of the key recommendations is the creation of a public bank!

To join the movement for a public bank, reach out to jodiel@coopersquare.org.

On Thursday, November 2, 2023, Cooper Square Committee and This Land is Ours Community Land Trust joined elected officials and over twenty housing, environmental, and racial justice groups in front of City Hall to call for the passage of the Community Land Act.

The rally coincided with the release of new research analyzing public data; among other findings, the report showed that only 21.6% of units built by for-profit developers on public land are affordable to households making less than 30% of Area Median Income.

The Community Land Act includes two bills, both of which have majority support in the City Council. The first, Int. No. 637, 'Public Land for Public Good,' would require the city to prioritize nonprofits when selling off its land for the purpose of developing affordable housing. It has 33 sponsors. The second, 'Community Opportunity to Purchase' (or COPA), would give nonprofits the right of first refusal to purchase multi-family apartment buildings when they are sold. This proposal is modeled after similar laws in other cities, including D.C., where it has been in place since 1980. COPA has 32 sponsors.

It's time for City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams to call these bills up for a vote!

One of our LDFNYC coalition leaders was a featured speaker at NYCCELPS’s Lunch and Learn: Lead Poisoning 101 event on 10/31.  Check out the recording to find out more about our upcoming 2024 roadmap to end lead poisoning.

RELICS

STUDIO ONE

EMILY CLARK

NOVEMBER 6 - DECEMBER 1, 2023

OPENING RECEPTION

NOVEMBER 6

7-9PM

GALLERY HOURS

MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND FRIDAY

12-5PM

STUDIO ONE

59 EAST 4TH STREET

THIRD FLOOR #3W

NYC NY 10003

EMILY@EMILYCLARKSTUDIO.COM FOR APPOINTMENTS



Cooper Square Committee has partnered with the Office of Assembly Member Harvey Epstein, Loisaida Inc., and the East Village Independent Merchants Association (EVIMA) to host another Thanksgiving food drive raffle, and it's NOW LIVE until Wednesday, November 15th, 2023 at 11:59 pm.

Don't miss out on purchasing tickets to win any of the 30+ prizes, which total over $2,300 in value! Raffle prizes include items and gift cards from local small businesses in the Lower East Side/East Village. Each prize will have its own winner and you can purchase tickets for (and possibly win) multiple prizes! Raffle tickets range from $1 – $12, and all of the proceeds from this fundraiser will go towards purchasing food for our neighbors.

During last year's fundraiser we exceeded our goal and raised $4,691, which allowed us to provide over 700 turkeys and pernils to members in need in our community. This year, we again want to reach or surpass our goal of $4000!