Wednesday, October 10, 2012 The Tian at the Riverbank
www.palanteharlem.org
www.facebook.com/palanteharlem
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Our Vision, Mission, and Values VISION A just and inclusive society and a healthy democracy of active citizens and vibrant communities. MISSION To reduce poverty and advocate for safe housing by organizing, educating and empowering residents. We are committed to supporting each other, and to preserve our quality of life, our health, and our personal safety by assisting tenants when their rights have been violated and by holding unresponsive landlords accountable. VALUES An obligation to Move it Forward: PA’LANTE A demand to live in safe and habitable homes The right to advocacy, group assembly and freedom of speech A commitment to promoting and protecting the underrepresented and seniors A responsibility to inspire greatness in our youth _____ Productive cooperation between tenants, property owners, and the many different City, State and Federal agencies Effective collaboration between funders and community residents _____ Effective programs and activities that meet meaningful needs Maximize the use of all of resources available WHAT WE DO PA’LANTE Harlem serves as the intermediary between property owners and under represented tenants and tenant associations. Since 2008, we have assisted and educated thousands of residents, prevented illegal evictions and illegal rent overcharges, fought for better rent laws and created unparalleled resources so that our volunteer staff, tenants, and tenants associations, as a whole, can enhance their tenant organizing skills and better protect their tenancy in the communities that they live in. 3
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Evening Program 5:30 PM
Cocktail Reception Music by the Zen Brothers
6:00 PM
Welcome Zenaida Mendez, Master of Ceremonies
Thank You Elsia Vasquez, Founder
Video Presentation PA’LANTE Tenants Grassroots :: Then and Now
Harlem then and now! Inez Dinkens, New York City Council Member
The Case for Community Empowerment Charles B. Rangel, U.S. Congressman
6:30 PM
Video Presentation PA’LANTE Harlem Documentary
Good Citizenship Award Honoree: Edgar Vera, Good Citizenship
Outstanding Service Award Honoree: Robert Jackson, Outstanding Service
Leader of the Year Award Honoree: Keith Wright, Leader of the Year
Dinner Vision 2014 Elsia Vasquez, Founder
You Have a Friend John Liu, New York City Comptroller
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Welcome Welcome to PA’LANTE Harlem’s first annual Gala. As you peruse the pages of this program book, please take a few moments to read the stories of three of our interns and clients. Although they all took separate roads to reach our door, and come from very different backgrounds, they share a common trait: the desire to help others regardless of their very own circumstances. PA’LANTE Harlem has evolved into an effective grassroots results-oriented organization. Our reputation is built on helping local residents with their housing concerns and mediating with landlords to achieve satisfactory outcomes. To further assist our constituents, we developed a long-range plan that involves the continuation of our current suite of services and the expansion of our legal program and community education efforts (youth tutoring program and adult education). The challenge that faces PA’LANTE in our effort to enhance and expand programs is the need to evolve from a solely volunteer-driven organization to one with both volunteer and paid staff. Beginning this fiscal year and over the next five years, we plan to incorporate salaries by ramping up our fundraising and board engagement efforts. By developing stability and continuity, PA’LANTE can be even more effective in serving our constituents. With your continued support, I am confident that we will achieve these worthy goals. Sincerely,
Elsia Vasquez Founder
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Mistress of Ceremony ndez currently holds the position of Director of External Affairs for the Manhattan Neighborhood Network
ndez
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ndez has successfully
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ndez has been involved in a variety of issues affecting women and children -- from housing to daycare, to equal pay for equal work;
ndez served as Director of Racial Diversity Programs at the National Organization for Women (NOW), where she successfully helped to organize a number of nationwide efforts. Mendez’s national and international activism on behalf of issues affecting people of African descent has earned her recognition in the Latina/o and African American communities as well as many awards and commendations from local, national and international organizations. Mendez is president and founder of the National Dominican Women's Caucus, Principal partner of Mendez & Associates, LLC. In 1990, Mayor David Dinkins appointed Mendez to his office of Latino Affairs. And for five years she was legislative assistant to Representative Charles B. Rangel. Mendez has earned a BA in Government and Public Administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a Masters degree in Public Administration from the City University of New York, Graduate School of Public Affairs.
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2012 Gala Honoree
Robert Jackson
Robert Jackson proudly represents parts of Morningside Heights, Hamilton Heights, West Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood. A native New Yorker who was born and raised in Manhattan, Robert attended New York City public schools and later graduated from State University of New York at New Paltz. Robert is married and is the dedicated father of three daughters. He and his family have been part of the Washington Heights community since 1975.
Robert's involvement as a leader in the fight to improve our schools began in 1980 when he enrolled his eldest daughter at P.S./I.S. 187. He became an active member and then president of the Parents' Association. His activism led to his 1986 election to Community School Board 6 (CSB6). In 1991, as CSB6 President, Robert and CSB6 Attorney Michael Rebell founded the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE). With Robert as lead plaintiff, CFE sued the State of New York for failing to properly fund NYC's public schools. CFE asserted that each year NYC's 1.1 million students were being cheated out of billions of dollar and denied the right to a sound, basic education. The trial court agreed with CFE, finding the State's funding formula unconstitutional. The suit and the decision have been hailed as a landmark. Challenged on appeal, the initial findings were upheld in 2003. Prior to that trial Robert walked 150 miles from New York City to Albany to dramatize the case. As a result, Robert and CFE were honored as NY1's "New Yorker of the Year". Prior to his election in 2001, Robert was Director of Field Services for the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF), a union representing over 55,000 professional, scientific and technical employees of New York State. Robert dedicated over 20 years to ensuring that union members' contractual rights and benefits were protected. In the Council, Robert serves as Chair of the Education Committee and as a member of the Contracts; Finance; Housing & Buildings; Land use - Zoning & Franchises; Rules, Privileges & Elections; Sanitation & Solid Waste Management and Standards & Ethics Committees. He also is Co-Chair of the Council's Black, Latino & Asian Caucus. Robert describes his highest priority as the safety and well being of his constituents.
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2012 Honorees Gala Honoree A lifelong resident of Harlem, Assemblyman Wright has earned a reputation as a dedicated and thoughtful public servant who gets results for his constituents. Active in his Harlem community, Wright has helped grow small businesses, create affordable housing, and increase economic opportunities for all New Yorkers. Wright was elected to the Assembly in 1992, and appointed Assistant Majority Whip in 1998. As chair of the Labor Committee, Keith L.T. Wright Wright is currently charged with the important task of leading the fight for workers rights, increased unemployment coverage and fair pay throughout New York State. Wright was the prime sponsor of the first-in-the-nation "Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights" which ensures that domestic workers receive fair wages, working hours and benefits. Among other legislative accomplishments, Wright, as a member of the Housing Committee, was a co-sponsor of the critical legislation which protected rent controls. Wright also chairs the Subcommittee on Public Housing, where he champions the rights of tenants through extensive hearings and legislation. A member of the Correction Committee and the Task Force on Criminal Justice Reform, Wright is a strong opponent of the death penalty and the Rockefeller Drug Laws and an advocate for criminal justice reform. As chair of the Harlem Community Development Corporation (CDC), Wright has leveraged limited resources to make a substantial, tangible impact on economic development in Harlem, developing and renovating properties to create hundreds of units of affordable housing, grow small businesses, increase services for children and seniors and expand cultural venues. A graduate of Rutgers Law School, Tufts University, the Fieldston School and the Ethical Culture School, Wright credits his parents for teaching him the importance of strong values, commitment to community and defense of civil rights. Wright is the son of legendary New York Supreme Court Justice Bruce Wright and mother Constance Wright – a long time educator and former principal in the New York City public school system. Keith Wright lives in Harlem with his wife, Susan, and children, Jared and Jordan. He is a board member of Tufts University, and attends St. Phillips Episcopal Church.
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2012 Gala Honoree Active in the Harlem community for over ten years, Edgar Vera, is a local resident who was born and raised in Harlem, New York. Edgar was always an integral part of his family infrastructure. Growing up, he was his Grandmother's translator and now he serves as her caretaker, as well. Edgar first came to PA'LANTE Harlem seeking help for a housing issue she was having. His experience so informed him that he began to help his neighbors with their housing problems. Sometimes he serves simply as a translator and often he reads and writes letters for them as they exercise their rights to fair and decent housing. It is one neighbor helping another neighbor. Edgar Vera
Throughout his professional career Edgar has worked in the computer field as an Information Technology professional. He has used his technology skills to assist Community Planning Board No. 9 and has he served on the board as a member of the Communications Committee. He has volunteered his time and skills to several community-based organizations and elected officials. He feels the greatest rewards come from educating the young and assisting the elderly. Edgar continues to lend a hand wherever possible. He chair’s the Monarch Tenant Association (a neighborhood tenant advocacy organization he helped found) and lends his 26 years of computer expertise to PA’LANTE Harlem where he is also a member.
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About P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem A Series of Unfortunate Events Rats. Toxic mold. Bedbugs. Collapsed ceilings. Peeling lead paint. Leaking pipes and backed-up sewers. More than 2,500 health and building code violations in all. That was the reality facing the 70+ families living in three buildings on 225 and 235 W. 146th Street and 301 W 141st Street a little more than three years ago. It’s become an old story in this city—greedy slumlords letting their buildings fall apart so that discouraged rentcontrolled tenants give up and leave. When the building empties out, the landlord renovates and then charges sky-high market rates to the new tenants. Not this time! In September of 2006, the tenants of those three buildings banded together to fight back against their landlord and assert their rights to live in safe, functional, and affordable housing. They called their tenants’ association P.A.’L.A.N.T.E., which stands for People Against Landlord Abuse and Tenant Exploitation.
In It For The Long Haul What the tenants didn’t know at the time was they had a long fight on their hands. They took their landlord to court for both immediate repairs and to fight for inclusion in the City’s 7A Administrative program. This program, which had been granted to only 37 other buildings citywide, removes the landlord from management control and sets up a system where the landlord is billed for costs of repairing and managing the property. After countless days in court and numerous delaying tactics, the landlord was stripped of his management rights, a 7A Administrator was installed and now all three building are fully rehabilitated.
What’s Next? As uplifting as this story is, the sad fact is landlords usually win these battles. Our community residents need to continue to fight and send a strong message to unresponsive landlords to ultimately force them to change their poor business practices.
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CONT’D
As we continue our struggle and collaborate with key community representatives, elected officials, and activists, news of our success has resulted in our becoming a recognized community support system in Harlem and Northern Manhattan. This has led to increasing demands to broaden the scope of our activities to other New York City buildings whose tenants are faced with similar unsafe living conditions and unresponsive landlords. It’s a challenge we want to meet and our first step was to become a communitybased organization: P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem!
A Plan of Action P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem has developed a growing reputation for supporting the rights of low-income residents and improving their quality of life by addressing the consequences of abusive landlord behavior. We remain committed to helping our community residents. We educate and represent a significant number of residents in their fight for tenancy rights. Our expertise has been effectively applied in coaching tenants and representing them in Housing Court. Our organization thus far has organized, nurtured and currently represents over 20 different tenant associations in Harlem and Northern Manhattan. P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem is committed to supporting otherwise powerless, under-represented tenants in fighting for their rights—and to reject surrender as an option!
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The True Story of Poochy Vasquez…
How It All Began
It was frigid city night in September of 2006. Harlem seemed void of the usual and bustle of the kids on the block and families having barbecues by the stoop. Elsia was just coming back from yet another business trip to "you-pick-a-city". With all this out of state travelling every city starts to look like every other city. The only place that still retained any sense of originality and refuge was "home". As she got out the cab you could hear a loud sigh. "Ahhh...home." As she made her way to the fifth-floor walkup she could already hear Poochy rubbing against the door and meowing quite sternly. Anyone could have understood the cat's tone . The cat might as well have said, "What took you so long! Don't you know I need round-the-clock affection!" After fumbling for the keys Elsia made her way in. Poochy's groans subsided and there was a quiet stare from the hallway floor. "There you are!" was the look on Poochy's face. As Poochy began to do the dance- weaving through Elsia's legs- Elsia noticed a disturbing scab on Poochy's back. It looked something had bitten her and left a nasty cut. 'Pooch" paid it no mind. She was all too happy to have her roommate-slash-servant back home. Elsia, though, couldn't let it go. These weren't the usual flea or tick bites. Off to the animal clinic she went to get answers! The vets agreed something bit Poochy...just no idea what. Unsatisfied, Elsia started to inquire from other tenants in her building to see if anyone else fell victim to these mystery bugs. The results were more than Elsia could ever have imagined. Tenant after tenant began to show Elsia how their children had been bitten by the same mystery bug. Down the rabbit hole she went and discovered that a majority of these apartments not only had nasty bedbugs but also , roach infestation, and rat droppings. The tenants all began to tell her how they had told the landlords about the conditions only to be shooed away. The landlord was only interested in getting their rent money...in cash! Elsia couldn't believe what she heard. This landlord demanded the rent payments in cash only for many of these tenants. This was the story she heard from many Spanish-only tenants who simplify forked over the money to avoid any trouble of being evicted. They were being harassed to pay $1300 and $1400 rents in cash and then neglected when they needed essential repairs to their apartments. This was the last straw! Could this really be happening at the same time as Harlem’s alleged “second renais- sance”? She began drafting up flyers to hold a meeting with the tenants. She explained to them that in order to be taken seriously by the landlord they would have to form a unified group…a tenant’s association. The first order of business was to get legal counsel and then freeze all rents to the landlord. Within a month, 80% of the occupied apartments were on board and so began a long battle against L.K.H. & Associates, a real estate group run by Ilan Zinner. The tenant’s association is now more than a year into the legal fight to get a 7A Administrator appointed to the three buildings. Out of this association we formed Pa'Lante. On December 18th Judge Pamela Jackman Brown ruled that the buildings met the criteria for 7A administration. This marked a major, if not the most significant milestone in getting much needed stabilization and repairs. It all began with a black cat named Poochy. The end. 16
Evelyn Perez
My experience as an Intern for PA'LANTE Harlem has been a very rewarding one. I've worked closely with residents both young & old in our community and have become fully engaged during this period of change in my life. PA'LANTE has positioned me to further understand the needs of others, and has given me personal growth since I joined the organization a year ago. I've gained strategic management and communication skills in our diverse organization. I have also met many warm wonderful people during my journey. PA' LANT.E. is a rich and valuable resource for Harlem and I think that all who walk through it's doors to contribute their time will gain a sense of appreciation such as I have. PA'LANTE Harlem is a committed organization with a dynamic leadership. It's mission has made it an obvious choice to those such as myself to carry on and become fully engaged in what we have come here to do. I believe that with our strong and dedicated leadership in place we are poised for continued success and will enthusiastically "Move Foward" " Si se puede!"
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Congratulations to our Friends
Robert Jackson &
Keith Wright
PA’LANTE Harlem Grassroots Tenants 225 W. 146 Street, 235 W. 146 Street, 301 W. 141 Street
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Chelsee Ann Sutherland I am Chelsee Sutherland, and I don’t take “No” for an answer. Why? Because I don’t have much of a choice. My family is far from the kind you read about in children’s books. Even so, I learned life lessons from them that will always be with me, and for that, I thank them. I have lived in numerous homes because my parents weren’t able to provide a home for me. My mother and I didn’t get along so when I was 14 I was sent to live with my father. That didn’t work out, so I ended up moving to my aunt’s house. I stayed with my aunt until my relatives came to town and needed a place to stay. So I was again sent looking for another place to stay. My closest friend’s mother took me in but four months later she moved to Colorado. Then I lived with her daughter but left after five months because there was a lot of miscommunication between us. I rented a room and enjoyed having my own space, but when my internship ended that June, I fell behind in my rent and was evicted. I then became a resident at the Covenant House. While my living situation never seemed to be stable, neither were school and my behavior. I was in and out of detention facilities from the ages of 14 to 16. When I was 15 I was placed on probation. I didn’t like to ask anyone for the things and I was constantly told I would never have a future. When I was supposed to be in school, I was looking for my next meal or a place to sleep for the night. I didn’t think school was more important than surviving. I hit rock bottom when I turned to my family and they said that I would never amount to anything. I couldn’t handle it anymore. I truly felt alone in the world, and felt like giving up on myself. I was 16 and sitting in a detention facility when it dawned on me that I didn’t want my life to be this way. I wanted more for myself and a better life than I was living. My first step was going back to school. I began attending Aspirations Diploma Plus High School in September 2009.
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CONT’D I started to understand why school was so important and that I was depriving myself by not attending regularly. It seems pretty obvious now, but I discovered that learning how to read and write is a necessity in today’s world. I’ve learned that if I changed how I view the world, that everything I’ll ever need or want is possible! A year later I graduated high school a year ahead of schedule and was named salutatorian: It was one of the proudest days of my life. I also got off probation in July 2010, and right after that received a citizen award for my remarkable behavior on probation. I went to college in the spring of 2011, but didn’t do so well. On top of that I had an outstanding tuition bill I couldn’t pay. This caused me to miss the fall semester. At that time I was residing in the shelter but then I was offered a scholarship to pay my school debt. Covenant House paid for me to go to college and I was able to go back in the spring of 2012. I am now 19 years old and working at the Covenant House as an assistant and at P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem as a community liaison. I thought working at P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem would be just a summer job. But I’ve been able to save money and meet new people, which I hope will lead to new opportunities. I am working hard to become the person I want to be. I’ve learned include how to find and keep a job and how to network and make connections with other people. I’m also on a youth advisory council dedicated to helping improve the experience for youth on probation. I am grateful for the love and support I get at PA’LANTE because I would not be at this point in my life otherwise. Now it’s my turn to offer that same support. I love the feeling I get when I help someone else. It’s a way to give back to the community and a real accomplishment.
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PA’LANTE Kids
PA’LANTE’s 2012 SYEP Interns with Kofi Boateng of the WHLDC
Every year, a select group of teens intern at PA’LANTE. They work in a professional office setting where they learn marketing, segmentation, tenant advocacy and most importantly, they engage in community service. This past summer, in partnership with the West Harlem Local Development Corporation, ECDO, NYCHA and Strive PA’LANTE became a worksite for the 2012 Summer Youth Employment Program. We had a wonderful group of teens who still regularly visit and volunteer their time. Here is what some had to say: "PA’LANTE has been more than a job these past few months. It's also family." - Denilde Peña, 19 ______ "I like working here because I've gained a lot of work experience and got to meet a lot of important people." - Lillian Carter, 19 ______ “While working here ...the youth feel a sense of empowerment and purpose. PA’LANTE has provided us with an excellent work experience that made us feel responsible as a team and as individuals. We are going to miss this place that provided us multiple opportunities, and like a loving family, has impacted our lives in the utmost positive way.” - Shaniqua LaVaughn, 19 21
Congratulations to
Elsia Vasquez In Honor of
Keith Wright and
Robert Jackson
Robert Rosenberg
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Maria Rosado
My name is Maria Rosado. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. I am from a rural area in Puerto Rico and for ten years worked as an Internal Auditor for the government. My job was to expose fraud and corruption. Because of the poor economy, along with many thousand others, I was laid off. I tried and tried but couldn’t find a job so I decided to come to New York City to look for work. I didn’t speak English so as soon as I got here I started taking classes to learn how. Even though my life is so very different than it used to be, the biggest changes occured when I came to PA’LANTE Harlem. I used to be very shy and didn’t like speaking in front of groups of people but Elsia has helped me speak, read and write English much better. She insists I speak English in the office. Now I am so comfortable communicating that I am able to participate in the tenants rights clinics that PA’LANTE holds. Now I am able to give presentations to dozens of people at a time! I have also worked as a fund raiser, reaching out to local businesses and asking them to support our cause. Sometimes, the experiences in your life can change both how you think and how you feel. I really feel for the people who come to PA’LANTE looking for help. It’s an amazing thing. I never had a job before where the primary focus was helping people. I want to return to school to get my Master’s degree in Finance and Administration and work for a non-profit social services organization. Because of PA’LANTE Harlem, the direction of my life has completely changed. I love PA’LANTE and I love Elsia. She’s helped me improve my communication skills but more importantly, she’s opened my eyes to a whole new world I had never imagined. Thank you so much Elsia and PA’LANTE Harlem.
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2012 Gala Sponsors
Benefactor Harlem CDC
Friend Columbia University L&M Development Partners
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Special Acknowledgments PA’LANTE Harlem extends a special thanks to those who have made our First Annual Gala a smashing success.
Alex Cruz Ronald Donaldson Ann Kashickey Denilde A. Peña Evelyn Perez Michael Regalado Darren Rigger Maria Isabel Rosado Sandra Sbar Chelsee Ann Sutherland Mark Weinstein 26
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Special Updates Our grassroots case (225 West 146TH Street, 235 West 146th Street, 301 West 141st Street) which began in September 2006, was settled in the State Supreme Court in September 2011. Together, we successfully enrolled three (3) decaying buildings, including 98 rent-stabilized apartments, in the NYC HPD 7A Program. This was the first successful tenant-initiated transfer in eight years. The fifty-five (55) families that were part of the tenants association recently settled their claims. Following is a recap:
1. Removed over 3,500 violations. Ninety eight (98) rent regulated units were fully rehabilitated; 2. New boilers purchased with the $400,000 the tenants association held in Escrow; 3. Rehabilitation of the properties (under NYC HPD's 7A Program) cost over $3.7 Million; 4. Tenant attorneys openly dismissed in Housing Court and immediately replaced with Tim Collins Esq., former Executive Director of the Rent Guidelines Board; 5. Landlord abuse & tenant exploitation effectively ended; 6. Legal rents have been established. The landlord’s illegal rent registrations with Homes & Community Renewal, in an effort to remove the apartments from Rent Stabilization, were corrected for all 98 apartments; 7. A new landlord purchased the buildings
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