Pilar DeJesus was among the activists to gather in Cooper Square Wednesday and protest new rent hikes. DeJesus, who works as the senior advocacy coordinator at TakeRoot Justice, said her clients cannot afford a rent increase.
"We’re trying to show the judge that there’s been a pattern,” said Jason Torres, who is currently represented by the nonprofit legal group TakeRoot Justice. “I just don’t know what to do anymore.”
Stephanie Storke of TakeRoot Justice, Catalán’s attorney, said that participating in court via an interpreter is often cumbersome even for in-person settings, but that virtual hearings can make it worse.
The lawsuit describes the slight-of-hand that the City Planning Commission used to incorrectly certify the developers' application to start the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) without an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
If the owner still could not pay back the lien, Segal said, they could “decide that they want to transfer the value of their land to the community land trust as a way of resolving the debt.”
The research shows that laws designed to protect voucher-holders from discrimination are failing.
Lawsuit filed by TakeRoot on behalf of Chhaya CDC, Minkwon Center for Community Action and the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce argues that a full environmental review, with community input, was omitted and is necessary before City Council vote.
The City has the legal authority to suspend rents for commercial tenants impacted by the pandemic and stabilize commercial rents in the long term. By Paula Z. Segal, Cheryl Walker and Catherine Humphreville May 15, 2020 Having reduced her restaurant to
New executive order from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo amending rules for commercial and residential evictions during the coronavirus pandemic could be particularly challenging for small businesses, according to senior staff attorney at TakeRoot Justice.
We have been back in court twice; each time, the judge has urged NYCHA to make and show progress. But conditions continue to deteriorate, even amidst increasingly urgent concerns over COVID-19.
