Housing, homelessness & policy blog of Picture the Homeless.

Vacant Properties Legislation introduced at New York City Council!

 

***UPDATE***  (March 2):

In less than three weeks, we are up to 20 co-sponsors!   Checkout:

http://tinyurl.com/48vacant

Call your Council Member -- thank them if they're aboard OR encourage them to sign on if they didn't yet!

 

***

Picture the Homeless is proud to announce that legislation we have long been pushing for is on its way in the New York City Council!  On Thursday, February 11, Intro 48, mandating that the City conduct and publicize an annual census of vacant properties, was introduced to the Council.  Picture the Homeless's Housing campaign members see identifying all vacant buildings and lots as a huge step towards creating housing for the lowest-income New Yorkers with these properties.

Here it is, on the Council website, Intro 48!
http://tinyurl.com/48vacant

We thank all our members and friends who helped move the legislation this far... onward!   Please confirm the name and phone number for the City Council Member that represents you, and give them a call -- tell them you're a constituent, and that you encourage your Council Member to sign-on to co-sponsor Intro 48, the citywide vacant properties count bill.

Let's get Intro 48 passed!, and keep up the fight for housing for all.

 

[PTH Housing Campaign leader DeBoRah Dickerson, making sure you know the magic number]:

 

report from PTH Civil Rights protest at Penn Station on Tuesday

 

Picture the Homeless's Civil Rights Campaign held a hot protest at Penn Station on Tuesday, protesting police harassment and displacement during this cold winter.  Police have been putting up yellow crime-scene tape late at night in the Amtrak and NJ Transit areas, then forcing people to leave the top level.

[...more...]

 

[PHOTOS: BRANDON KING]

 

 

 

PTH's March 2010 events calendar -- save some dates!

 

 

Squatting NYC, then and now

 

As we strategize and envision the various tactics we can use this year towards making the human right to housing a reality for all, the achievements and inspiration we get from the squatters movement is always key. 

Reverend Frank Morales, currently PTH's Housing Organizer, gave this interview on California radio station KPFA on The Squatter Movement -- check it out!

http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/40677

 

 

 

a PTH member's editorial on police harassment

 

Picture the Homeless's Civil Rights Campaign against police abuse of the Disorderly Conduct statute is on its way!  We're working on building this campaign in alliance with people from other organizations and sectors of New Yorkers, homeless and non-homeless, who face profiling and harassment.

Longtime PTH member-leader Letitia wrote this editorial, on the unacceptable police harassment that she sees every day...

 

Who Will Police the Police?

[...more...]

 

 

UN Rapporteur -- hosted by PTH last year -- releases final report on housing in the U.S.

 

Picture the Homeless was proud to co-host the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing's first official visit to the U.S. in October-November 2009.  In New York City, PTH leader Rob Robinson chaired her town hall meeting ...

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Rapporteur Rolnick's final report on her U.S. mission was released last week.

A Huffington Post story on the report noted some of her recommendations -- influenced by PTH and some of our allies, and affirming our campaigns...

[...more...]

 

 

upcoming events in February

 Picture the Homeless events calendar
 
PTH office: 2427 Morris Ave [near 4 or D to Fordham Road], Bronx – ph:(646) 314-6423
 
 
FEBRUARY…

* 19th (Friday) -- 7:30pm at PTH: rent party! … Come through for a party with PTH members, staff, and friends!  Put in whatever you can, even a couple bucks, towards helping one leading PTH member save up money towards getting an apartment.
 
* 22nd (Monday) – 5pm at PTH: JPMorgan Chase campaign meeting …  strategizing to promote divestment petition and plan for action on March 15
 
* 23rd (Tuesday) – Civil Rights action!  Stay tuned to our blog and email-list...
 
* 23rd (Tuesday) -- 6pm at PTH: Homeless Organizing Academy -- free class: On the origins of homelessness --for PTH members and all homeless people only
  
24th (Wednesday) -- 7pm at PTH: Movie Night -- free movies!, snacks, and discussion 
Homeless Power[15 minutes]  While the economy unravels and the gap widens between rich and poor, we look at the rise of a new poor people's movement in America.
&
Broke Down in Motor City[20 minutes]  Detroit was once the epicenter of American industry. Today, it is a city in crisis. Broke Down in Motor City is the story of this crisis, and of the people fighting to save their homes and their city.

 

 

 

PTH Civil Rights Campaign members rally at Attorney General's office, pushing Cuomo to act on NYPD rights violations

 

On the morning of February 9, members of Picture the Homeless's Civil Rights Campaign rallied outside New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's Manhattan office, demanding that he take action on the NYPD's unconstitutional enforcement of the Disorderly Conduct statute.  

The action was a success!  Our letters were delivered, our message was sent... Today, we got word from Cuomo's Civil Rights division, that they will be looking into the constitutional injustices and pattern of discrimination that we have identified, and take on the matter of the vagueness of the Disorderly Conduct statute, and the fact that a person's specific violation is never specified when they're hit with a Dis Con charge.   We will be staying on top of this...  Thanks to everyone for support and participation -- stay in touch, let's keep building!

 

[...more...]

 

 

PTH trainee brings organizing skills to spark tenants' protest victory! (News 12)

 

 

Letitia Ledan, a PTH member and graduate of our Organizer Trainee Program, applied her skills to rally her fellow tenants in the Bronx's River Park Towers in a successful action!  

In just a few days, after getting notice that the management of their parking garage intended to gouge their fees by more than doubling the amount, Letitia pulled together a really solid and hot tenants' protest, building on the talents she cultivated as a PTH member.

 

*  News 12 coverage of River Park Towers tenants protest on Feb 5 *

 

They won!, as the garage management backed off on the outrageous fee increase.  The River Park Towers tenants have shown what collective action can do, and plan to stay mobilized on other issues that affect them.  Great work, Letitia and everyone else!, we're looking forward to continuing to support your organizing.

 

 

PTH leader represents in Daily News

 

A few PTH members saw Tina Moore's reporting in the Daily News on Jan31 and Feb1exposing the horrible conditions and unsustainable apartments that the city pushes homeless people into through the failed Advantage vouchers program. One PTH leader wrote a letter to the editor, which was published: 

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/02/05/2010-02-05_untitled__vox05ed.html

Failing the homeless

Bronx: Your I Team investigation of the unlawful conditions the city has pushed homeless people into tells an all-too-true story. The Department of Homeless Services is supposed to help the transition from shelter to stable housing, but many of the homeless have been shaken down by landlords and denied subsidies from the city.

Teresa Paiva
Picture the Homeless 

 

 

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