It’s been a chaotic time, but also a time full of openings and charged with energy. Throughout the pandemic, CAAAV has been organizing our communities both virtually and on the ground to build grassroots tenant power! And we know that despite what happens, the future is ours to build.
Next year, New York City will be voting for a new mayor as well as City Council members. And as the pandemic rages on, the future of our neighborhoods are at stake. We need to imagine a world in which local elected officials are actually accountable to the people. In 2021, we will continue to build militancy within our membership to stop eviction, fight for full funding in public housing, and for the cancellation of rent.
This year, we:
- Organized to Cancel Rent because many of our members continue to be out of work and unable to pay rent. Some members haven’t paid their rent in months and the industries they’ve worked in have been heavily impacted by COVID-19.
- Helped write Senator Salazar’s and Assembly Member Niou’s Cancel Rent bill, to make sure that public housing and NYCHA were written into the solution.
- Highlighted the failure of the Rent Hardship Policy in public housing. Many public housing tenants couldn’t provide their loss of income and weren’t eligible to apply for the Rent Hardship Policy. We joined a meeting with Deputy Major Vicki Been to demand that NYCHA and the state protect our tenants.
- Pushed Senator Brian Kavanaugh to support the bills proposed by his own constituents, including CAAAV members. In return, tenants received a failed Emergency Rent Relief Act that they didn’t even qualify for.
- Joined a direct action on October 1 with hundreds of tenants across New York City demanding a real extension of the eviction moratorium, and a commitment to cancel tenants’ rent.
- Tenants held an in-person, masked, and distanced protest in Queensbridge Park to demand our federal and state agencies to meet the needs of public housing tenants and cancel rent.
- Consistently held PPE and mask distributions in the park and in the office, often paired with political education.
Can you help us continue the fight in 2021? Donate now to our The Future is Ours To Build fundraiser! Every dollar supports organized working-class people and the fight for a more equitable New York City. Help us reach $15,000 by the end of December!
