Westchester Rent Control Guidelines Board (WRBG)

Good News!!! The WRGB met last week to pass the rent adjustment for next year (for leases that begin between 10/1/23-9/30/24.) The guidelines for Westchester Rent-Stabilized Tenants are 1% increase for a one (1) year renewal, or 2% for a two (2) year renewal. This was despite the landlords’ requesting guideline increases of 6% and 10%! After the full WRGB passed the 1% and 2% guidelines the two (2) landlord representatives got up and walked out of the meeting in protest! Did you say “Isn’t that like a little kid taking his baseball home to stop the game when he didn’t like the way the game was going?” Yes, the two (2) landlord representatives are adults – go figure!

Special thanks to the two tenant representatives who did such a powerful job for us, MVUT’s own Tamara Stewart, and Sylvia Hamer of New Rochelle. Their compelling presentations were invaluable to the public members. Likewise Genevieve Roche of MVUT destroyed much of the landlords’ arguments in her presentation and analysis of their claims. Thanks to all three (3) ladies!

Mt. Vernon Comprehensive Plan

The second Comprehensive Plan Public Workshop was held on the same evening as the WRGB vote (June 29) and MVUT was not able to be represented as a result. We’ll follow-up with staff from the Mt. Vernon Department of Planning and Community Development (MV-PCD) and get back to our members and friends in the next mailing.

$ FOR MVUT

We need your support! Please give generously. We had included a fundraising notice in our last mailing. Many of you responded. THANK YOU! We’re enclosing another envelope for your convenience for those who have not as yet given.

PLEASE GIVE!! 
Support Tenants’ Rights!
Support Affordable Housing!!
Support MVUT ! !

Download PDFs from Mailing:

MVUT Early July Mailing page 1

MVUT Early July Mailing page 2

Westchester Aims to Give Tenants Attorneys in Eviction Cases

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

As we bring 2021 to a close, we’re hoping everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and will also have a safe, secure and joyous holiday season (Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza, New Year’s, etc.)
It’s been a challenging and rewarding year for MVUT. The Covid-19 pandemic continues to ravage our community, impacting all of us in so many hurtful ways. lt’s at times like these that we really need COMMUNITY! MVUT works day-in, day out, to provide that – keeping people in their homes, improving services for tenants and fighting landlord harassment throughout Mount Vernon and all over Westchester County!

A major part of our work all year long has been fighting the pandemic through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). MVUT has successfully submitted hundreds of applications directly for tenants who had either lost income or had additional expenses as a result of Covid 19. In numerous other cases we assisted others in uploading documents or referring tenants to make their own applications directly. We helped countless tenants in filing “Hardship” applications to the court to prevent their court cases from proceeding until after the moratorium ends on Januarv 15.2022. All of these efforts have allowed tenants to maintain some level of normalcy during these terrible times.

We’re enclosing a copy of a November 21, 202 1 Sunday Journal News article “Despite Backlog, N.Y. Ends $2.4 Billion Relief Program” which highlights some of the great work MVUT is doing. The heading is somewhat misleading. We’re still processing ERAP applications as additional New York State funding has been made available and we’re hopeful significant new federal dollars will be as well. Please contact the office if you, or someone you know may need ERAP assistance.

Have you made your tax-free contribution to MVUT?

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