As we approach another month, we’re coming up on another day rent is due. And that’s rent that many New Yorkers are unable to pay.
The New York universal eviction moratorium is set to expire June 20th: the moratorium through August 20 is currently extended only to tenants who qualify for unemployment benefits or who are experiencing a “financial hardship” as a result of COVID-19.
Evictions at any moment are dangerous, and we know that housing is one of the most glaring racial justice issues in New York City. That's not new! But the #CancelRent strike is a critical moment to take personal action in mutual interest with our neighbors.
We’re got some short stories from two SURJ NYC members who have joined the rent strike:
Greg: “As May approached, my roommates and I spoke and decided to reach out to the other tenants in our small building in Bed-Stuy, who we did not know well. On a conference call, we started off simply: ‘How are you?’ We listened to people’s stories about declining income, job uncertainty and the monthly stress of rent. Someone said of the economic and employment crisis: ‘It’s not our fault, or particular to our building. Tens of millions of Americans cannot pay rent.'
Two days before the first of the month, we decided to form a small tenant association and join the strike: we did not pay in May, and we sent a certified letter to our management company demanding they cancel rent. They started calling all of us to scare and intimidate us, but we’ve learned not to answer any individual communication. If they want to communicate, they have to use the tenant association email: we’ve shifted the power dynamic and will not be bullied. We’re fighting in alignment with millions of New Yorkers facing eviction, homelessness and health crisis. We refuse to pay to uphold a system that puts landlords’ and investors’ profit ahead of people’s well being.
Jennifer: I have lived in El Barrio for 10 years. I’ve tried to organize in my building, but so many long-term tenants have been displaced, and now I have health reasons that prevent me from interacting much. But in mid-April I posted signs on my door and window saying I was gonna go on strike and to contact me if you want to. On Met Council calls I found other East Harlem tenants to connect with. The morning of May 1, I saw photos of a “CANCEL RENT” banner drop and felt not alone. I sent my check with ‘cancel rent’ written on it and an email CCing my council member, assembly member and state senator. And I got one other tenant in my building to agree he would go on strike in June. Landlords claim 25% of tenants did not pay in May. We need more to join us in June to pressure owners to pressure Cuomo and create an impossible to evict situation.
If you are personally still able to pay the rent, joining the strike is a powerful way to take meaningful action in solidarity with those who cannot. The more folks who go on strike, the more power we can build: this keeps all of us safer against retaliation, and also makes us all more likely to win. We need to come together to withdraw consent, withhold rent and assert our collective power to demand Cuomo #CancelRent and all utility bills, freeze increases and grant automatic lease renewals.
We’re starting a SURJ NYC Rent Strike group to organize for housing justice, share resources, and support one another. We know June 1 is close, but there is still enough time to organize! Sign up here! Whether you’re coming with “But HOW do I do this?” or “‘Ahh this is really scary!” - we’ve got you.
In addition to our own SURJ NYC Rent Strike group, we encourage all tenants to learn more about the rent strike by attending community Zoom calls of any of the Housing Justice for All coalition groups:
In solidarity,
SURJ NYC