Andrew Friedman

Organizing is a Sound Investment

This morning at the early hour of 8am, the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development (ANHD) hosted a Housing Preservation Policy Breakfast in City Council Chambers. Scores of Council Members, Council Staffers and ANHD staff and member organizations gathered to discuss ANHD's broad platform to promote the preservation of affordable housing in New York City.

In addition to the standand (but still sensible and important) asks about improved housing code enforcement, increasing the capital budget for preservation, and expanding both the Neighborhood Preservation and Community Consulting Programs, ANHD made a strong pitch for the City Council to fund grassroots tenant organizing. The argument was compelling.

Basically, ANHD pointed to the central role played by housing organizing groups over the past year in catalyzing major public policy victories for tenants. From convincing the Mayor to dedicate the surplus revenues from Battery Park City to create affordable housing to winning inclusionary zoning to winning HPD's new Targeted Cyclical Enforcement Program to crack down on negligent landlords, tenant organizing was key to success. By funding organizing, the City Council can ensure a vital base of allies as they work to promote the preservation of affordable housing in all five boroughs.

Additionally, ANHD pointed to the fact that organized tenants push landlords to invest millions of dollars each year to improve the living conditions of tenants (and constituents) around the City. Finally, ANHD argued that tenant organizing develops grassroots leadership and expertise that remains a valuable community asset into the future.

Hopefully, the City Council will be persuaded.

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Posted at 10:35 AM, Jan 26, 2006 in Housing
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