March to Happen Today
The march for housing security, which was to take place on Tuesday, was rained out, so it is happening today instead. The following statement about the march was issued by Kite's Nest yesterday.
We, the young people from the Social Justice Leadership Academy ask you to join us in a march to ensure housing security for our communities. Stand with us to protect the residents of Hudson and prevent people across NY from losing any more in the already trying time.
The march comes a day after the end of the New York State coronavirus eviction moratorium. Despite the drastic economic impact of coronavirus and the continued health risks of evicting residents, on August 5 New York housing courts begin processing evictions again and children all across New York State will lose their homes.
The crisis of the coronavirus pandemic has caused people to lose education, jobs, homes and in some cases, their lives or loved ones. We seek to put an end to at least one of those hardships.Over 46% of New Yorkers are currently are risk of eviction in the coming weeks and months. We, the youth of the Social Justice Leadership Academy are issuing demands that our elected representatives take major steps towards universal housing.
Our first demands are:
- Extend The Eviction Moratorium Extend the length of time before evictions are permitted until after the end of the pandemic.
- Cancel Rent Rescind rent payment for the remainder of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring that the total accumulated debt of rent payers does not grow for the remainder of the pandemic.
- Housing Access Voucher Program Re-house 92,000 houseless New Yorkers, and provide permanent rent relief to these members of our communities.
- Affordable Housing Pass the local law to regulate short-term rentals and open up the availability of long-term rental units in Hudson for our families and residents.
We believe that housing is a human right and is fundamental to our health. It should not to stripped for the sake of individual financial gain.
The march begins at 4:00 p.m. from the entrance to Promenade Hill at Warren and Front streets.
The "demands". OK, the first one is reasonable and understandable as is the third. As for the second and the fourth: Cancel rent payment for the rest of the year and possibly beyond? So the person that owns the building is supposed to "eat" the rent and just pay the mortgage out of pocket, buh? No compromise like, "only 50% payment is due" or "rent will be allocated over a longer period". Just the landlord should eat it. The "local law" is already under fire. What "long term rental units" will be affordable to "our families and residents"? Or are the owners of those properties too having to actually lose money on their rentals? How many "young people" of the Social Justice Leadership Academy were involved in the creation of these "demands"? Or were the same people behind these "demands"? I'll be interested to see the results of the "march". There are certainly issues that need to be addressed, but to drag in "kids" to argue for change reeks of desperation.
ReplyDeleteThese are desperate times, people are understandably VERY desperate right now, and this pandemic may drag on for a very long time. People are dying, cut the kids some slack. The hippie kids in the 60’s were idealistic but their hearts were in the right place and they made a difference. Maybe it’s not so much about dollars and cents or the bottom line, it’s the principle of the thing.
DeleteFunky Hudson: This is so gaslighting. Did you attend the March? Youth were speaking. Trust that they know what they’re talking about. 100% Hudson should get behind the leadership of SJLA!! 🙌🏼
DeleteHolst: I wasn't attacking the kids, not by any stretch and I apologize if it appeared like I was. I hear you but principle doesn't pay the mortgage, which is about dollars and cents. If a landlord has no rent coming in yet the bank still requires regular mortgage payments where is that money supposed to come from? Lauren: Again, this was not an attack on the youth. My statement was a realistic look at what is being proposed; some of it good, some not. Without rent being paid are the landlords then permitted to forego maintaining the property and leave that to the tenant? Because it doesn't work both ways: renters can't not pay rent but expect that when something in the property breaks the landlord should have to fork out additional time and money. What's fair is fair.
DeleteFunkyHudson stand your ground! “Social Justice” is that code for skipping the legislature. The “Demands” is that threat of violence to get the job done. Its all so full of virtue now.
DeleteUsing kids as political props is THE MOST EVIL.
"universal housing" means free housing ---
ReplyDeleteno one wants to pay for anything -- i think you miss the point --
They are brainwashing the children in socialist ideology. Meanwhile the state and city are disincentivizing anyone to be a landlord.
ReplyDelete