MSCC, Sharon Jasprizza, Oct 20, 2025, 9:30 am – 11:00 am ZOOM, https://www.youtube.com/live/S2wkAi9qsM8?feature=shared

NOTE ABOUT THIS RECAP: This meeting recap, based on summaries generated by CHATGPT, has been revised for clarity and reformatted to adhere to the established style of MSCC, including edits and additional information that CHATGPT did not provide.  

SUMMARY

Alex Yong, WSNA NYC, RTC, Member of the End Apartment Warehousing Coalition, MSCC

• The Stock Transfer Tax Bill update is that the Bill was co-sponsored by Crystal Peoples-Stokes, the Assembly Majority Leader. Stock Transfer Rally
• Update: The first large-scale Honda project is now operational. The development will accept its first low-income tenants, comprising a total of 813 residents. https://youtu.be/Z6v8UtfuHAk?feature=shared

Rob Robinson: Adjunct professor of Urbanism in the Design and Urban Ecology program at Parsons New School University

• A Zoom Call with UN Representatives discussing the implications of the Grants Pass v. Johnson decision and its impact on homeless individuals in the U.S. A letter from the UN Rapporteurs addressing the potential cuts to HUD and other programs affecting low-income and fixed-income individuals was sent to the U.S. government. 
• The Brazilian Constitution written in 1985, post-dictatorship emphasizes that land must serve a social purpose (e.g., growing food, providing housing). This contrasts with the U.S. Constitution, which prioritizes property rights over people’s rights. The MST also notes, based on 1996 census statistics, that a mere 3% of the population owns two-thirds of all arable land in Brazil.

Stacy Torres, Assistant Professor of Sociology in the School of Nursing at the University of California, San Francisco and Author (At Home in the City: Growing Old in Urban America)

• Key questions and themes are 1. The importance of belonging for older adults. 2. Exploration of how older individuals maintain independence amidst vulnerabilities. 3. Forms of social relationships that aid in creating or resisting belonging. 4. There needs to be an emphasis on the significance of neighborhood environments in fostering informal social bonds. 5. A need to recognize the need for older adults to avoid overburdening family networks. 6. The importance of establishing new routines and habits, especially after retirement cannot be overlooked.
• Key recommendations include strengthening social infrastructure, investing in small businesses and public spaces, and fighting commercial gentrification to ease the “social eviction” experienced by longtime residents. A significant investment in deeply affordable, accessible, and climate-resilient housing for older adults and people of all ages is recommended. Addressing the long-term care crisis is emphasized which could be done by bolstering community supports, home health care, and support for care workers.

Caitlin Cahill, Organizer, Associate Professor Urban Geography & Politics, Pratt Institute

• Over half of Vienna’s 2 million residents live in some form of social housing, with average rents for a one-bedroom apartment around $700. The developments were inspired by the garden city movement and feature communal green spaces.
• There is a need to learn from Vienna’s model and apply similar principles to address housing issues in cities, particularly in New York City such as in Chelsea, in the context of upcoming elections and social policy reforms.

CHAIR: John Mudd

MINUTES: Sharon Jasprizza

WELCOME / INTRODUCTIONS

John Mudd, MSCC, welcomed members and the community. 

POLICY MEETING UPDATES

There were no policy updates.

JULY HIGHLIGHTS

• The MSCC Urban Farm Program is in full swing, and the fresh food production is amazing. The following photos are from:
  1. PARADISE FARM
  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ijhuhRygojpDBG2ZYNd988MqGvyC38OP?usp=share_link
  2. BACK HOME FARMS
  Back Home Farms have stop their market at the Union Square. They have given us
  some overflows. And we’re exploring grants that may help our partnership grow.
  We are picking up our second load from them this weekend and harvesting our
  own crops.
  3. Photos of distribution (made possible by Back home farms) from on July 13
  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GZPQlR-DFU8bqmYWFNTaHWurxoKQ8kDG?usp=share_link
  4. Photos of distribution (made possible by Back home farms) from on July 21
  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ZUtboxGp9NQ2ID5EmM3RTc7Y7iEnIVcL?usp=share_link
  5. Photos of distribution (made possible by Paradise Farm) on July 21
  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ZUtboxGp9NQ2ID5EmM3RTc7Y7iEnIVcL?usp=share_link
  6. Photos of distribution (made possible by Paradise Farm) on July 27
  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hnsh8ZozF9axd6Id_yRNWH8zuIv428mA?usp=share_link
  7. Videos of our Paradise Farm:
  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1flmg0REL3lP-TqfebKSWILC8X7pztetP?usp=share_link
• MSCC is saving public housing with its large coalition to stop developers and politicians from demolishing the Elliott-Chelsea and Fulton Houses. MSCC and its large coalition is fighting against public housing abuses and land grabs. Len Polletta is organizing a legal team to tackle issues related to HUD, human rights, and tenant rights. MSCC and its partners set up a table at the senior building to provide tenants with education and resources, including a legal clinic to help them understand their rights. The PROJECT GOAL is to immediately raise $75,000 for lawyers to represent the Seniors in housing court and stop this demolition. WATCH this SPACE for more info next month. Renee Keitt, Elliott-Chelsea Tenant’s Association President Testimony here. David Holowka’s NYCHA’s Chelsea Gold Mine. Lizette Colón, wrote a powerful letter to our electeds following a recent Town Hall about the proposed demolition. It was republished in Chelsea Community News. Listen to Pam Wolff ( Save Chelsea)’s testimony here. Layla Law-Gisiko’s chronicle of the timeline of how we got here in the first place “Housing, Power, & Broken Promises: The Fight over NYCHA’s Chelsea Redevelopment”. Leonard Poletta details how “Chelsea is facing a dramatic, community-shattering threat from private developers” in the Village View. Urban planners George Janes and Alihan Polat walk us through the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed redevelopment of the Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea NYCHA campuses. Here is a link to the YouTube replay and to the interactive 3D model of the FEIS alternatives.
• What an incredible evening! On July 17th, the Empire State Coalition held a fantastic “Meet Me at Marni’s Place” event at The Purple Tongue 410 West 43rd Street in New York City, and it was a resounding success! A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined  in celebrating the hard work and dedication of the Empire Station Coalition leadership, staff, and our amazing coalition members. Hosted by Sam Turvey, our Chairperson at ReThinkNYC and Coordinator of the Empire Station Coalition and Penn Community Defense Fund, this gathering was all about recognizing and appreciating the collective efforts that have dramatically improved the prospects for a Penn Station that truly works for New Yorkers. MSCC is a proud member of this coalition. More info at https://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/rethinking-new-york-from-civic-spaces-to-creative-visions/On the evening of July 17th, Sam Turvey, Chairperson of ReThinkNYC, hosted a midsummer “Thank You” reception at The Purple Tongue on West 43rd Street for members of the Empire Station Coalition—an alliance of community and advocacy groups committed to a more thoughtful future for Penn Station.

Also in attendance were philanthropist Barbara Tober, Peg Breen of the New York Landmarks Conservancy, Sharon King Hoge of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, and New York State Assembly member Tony Simone. Senator Leroy Comrie, a key voice on transportation issues in Albany, had planned to attend but was unable to make it.

The big surprise of the night was the unexpected appearance of Andy Byford, recently named head of the Penn Station project and already familiar to many New Yorkers as “Train Daddy” from his time at the MTA. Byford didn’t give a formal speech, but his remarks were clear and candid.

“Part of my job is to talk to everyone and to get an absolute kaleidoscope of views,” he said. “Everyone’s views are important. I know there are a lot of strong opinions and big personalities involved in this, and some people have said, ‘You’ll never get consensus.’ But we’ll see about that… I’m up for it. The hard work starts now. But watch this space— we are going to deliver a totally transformed, state-of-the-art, beautiful Penn Station.” Byford, who is originally from Plymouth, England, said he planned a “good bit of British diplomacy” to forge a plan.

SPECIAL INTRODUCTION(S) AND OR UPDATES: 

Alex Yong, WSNA NYC, RTC, Member of the End Apartment Warehousing Coalition, MSCC, Stock Transfer Rally

• Stock Transfer Tax Bill Update: Co-sponsored by Crystal Peoples-Stokes, the Assembly Majority Leader. Crystal represents the Buffalo area. Her involvement is seen as a positive development for the bill. Crystal’s role may help alleviate fears among certain assembly members who might be hesitant due to Carl Heastie’s influence. Her leadership position provides a potentially more favorable path for the bill’s progress. There’s a common misconception that only the State Senate has a majority leader, typically thought of as Andrea Stewart-Cousins. The Assembly also has a majority leader in Crystal Peoples-Stokes, highlighting the importance of leadership in both chambers.
• Update on the Honda Project: The Honda project was initiated about four to five years ago during the pandemic and has since become law. According to reports from a journalist, the first large-scale Honda project is now operational. The development will accept its first low-income tenants, totaling 813 residents. The project is situated near JFK Airport. It is notable that the speaker’s landlord is the developer of the project, leading to a personal connection. The architect responsible for the project also previously worked on renovations in the speaker’s building in 2020. While the site is not close to public transportation, a shuttle service will be provided for residents, which was part of the planning process. https://youtu.be/Z6v8UtfuHAk?feature=shared

POTENTIAL CUTS TO HUD AND OTHER PROGRAMS AFFECTING LOW-INCOME AND FIXED INCOME INDIVIUALS 

Rob Robinson: Adjunct professor of Urbanism in the Design and Urban Ecology program at Parsons New School University. Economic Update Interview. rob.robinson423@gmail.com This section is also at https://youtu.be/6MsQkk7sESU.

• Lived experience of homelessness for 2.5 years on the streets of Miami and 10 months in a New York City homeless shelter. Strong personal connection to issues of homelessness and housing. A Zoom Call with UN Representatives on June 3rd involved individuals with lived experience of homelessness and the UN Special Rapporteur Balakrishnan Rajagopal, and Helen Cruz, a plaintiff in the Johnson v. Brans case. They discussed the implications of the Grants Pass v. Johnson decision and its impact on homeless individuals in the U.S. Outcomes of this call include a letter from UN Rapporteurs written by Balakrishnan Rajagopal (housing) and Olivier De Schutter (extreme poverty). It addressed potential cuts to HUD and other programs affecting low-income and fixed-income individuals and demanded an explanation from the U.S. government regarding these cuts.  The UN rapporteurs posed five key questions to the federal government regarding the impact of proposed changes and cuts.  There has been limited response from the federal government despite the letter requesting a reply. A meeting was organized by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to address concerns raised by the rapporteurs.  The letter and its accompanying questions serve as a powerful organizing tool for advocacy. This meeting with UN rapporteurs represented a significant opportunity to address critical homelessness issues.
• The collaboration with advocacy groups and the formulation of pointed questions serves as vital steps in raising awareness and demanding accountability from governmental bodies. Continued community engagement and advocacy are essential to effecting change in housing policies and practices in the U.S.
• The National Low-Income Housing Coalition and the National Alliance to End Homelessness provided critical reports that helped inform the rapporteurs’ inquiries. This collaboration with advocacy groups and the formulation of pointed questions serves as vital steps in raising awareness and demanding accountability from governmental bodies.
• The need to push elected officials to recognize that international scrutiny exists regarding U.S. housing policies, with an emphasis on the importance of community advocacy is extremely important, as the U.S. government may not adequately respond to the upcoming Universal Periodic Review in November.  The Universal Periodic Review will allow for a global assessment of the U.S. regarding its human rights practices, including housing.
• The government has disbanded the US Inter-Agency Council on Homelessness. Nichelle Carver, the regional representative, frequently engaged with New York stakeholders, including community members and government officials. This disbandment has led to significant reactions from the community.  The president can issue executive orders, but these do not equate to law. It seems current Congress members, primarily Republicans, are not challenging these actions.  If a different president is elected in the next election, many executive orders may be reversed.
• The United States is scheduled for a peer review in November, which may not be conducted correctly due to current circumstances.
• Countries are uniting against perceived injustices by the US and Israel. There are calls for action regarding humanitarian aid for Palestine, with some nations threatening to recognize Palestine as a state if conditions do not improve.  France has already recognized Palestine, while England and Canada are considering similar moves. This could lead to a shift in international alliances and further complicate US relations. Town halls across the country provide a platform for community members to voice their concerns, especially in Republican-dominated areas. There is an opportunity to challenge representatives like Mike Johnson by organizing town hall events in New York. Efforts should focus on influencing representatives directly rather than relying solely on 
• A Brazilian militant from the Landless Workers’ Movement (MST) was here recently. (The Landless Workers’ Movement (Portuguese: Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra, MST) is a social movement in Brazil aimed at land reform.) The MST differs from previous land reform movements in its single-issue focus; land reform for them is a self-justifying cause. The organization maintains that it is legally justified in occupying unproductive land, pointing to the most recent Constitution of Brazil (1988), which contains a passage saying that land must fulfill a social function (Article 5, XXIII). The MST also notes, based on 1996 census statistics, that a mere 3% of the population owns two-thirds of all arable land in Brazil.[8]The Brazilian Constitution is important when in discussions about land and transnational corporations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landless_Workers%27_Movement. The Brazilian Constitution written in 1985, post-dictatorship emphasizes that land must serve a social purpose (e.g., growing food, providing housing). This contrasts with the U.S. Constitution, which prioritizes property rights over people’s rights.
• Rob advocates for internationalism and global connections among organizations and is currently writing a foreword for a book on the housing movement in Spain (LA movement). “Vulture funds” and their negative impact on housing in Barcelona and other cities, similar to the issues faced in Brazil with movements like MST (Landless Workers’ Movement).
• Rob referenced a call on June 3rd where Christian Raja Gopal challenged the lack of housing and homelessness plans from mayoral candidates in New York. There is a need for community organization to demand clear platforms from candidates regarding housing and homelessness.

AGING AND PLACE – HOW OLDER ADULTS MAKE A HOME IN THE CITY 

Stacy Torres, Assistant Professor of Sociology in the School of Nursing at the University of California, San Francisco and Author (At Home in the City: Growing Old in Urban America)

Website: https://stacymtorres.wordpress.com/

Faculty Page: https://sociology.ucsf.edu/faculty

UCSF Profile: https://profiles.ucsf.edu/stacy.torres

Email: stacy.Torres@ucsf.edu

• Affiliated with the nursing school specializing in sociology. Grew up in Chelsea, New York City, from a working-class background. First in the family to attend college and daughter of a Chilean immigrant who worked as an elevator operator and a mother who was a secretary.  Majored in comparative literature and pursued an MFA in non-fiction creative writing at Columbia University. Began research at a local bakery, pseudonym: La Margelain, which survived gentrification. Predominantly older patrons (ages 60-90) who were “aging in place.” Unlike peers who moved to retirement homes or warmer climates, these New Yorkers maintained their homes and community ties. Spent five years observing and interacting with older adults in the bakery and surrounding neighborhood and documented community dynamics, social gatherings, and resilience. The bakery eventually closed due to lease issues, prompting older patrons to seek new gathering places.
• The quote from Joan Didion: “A place belongs forever to whoever claims it hardest…” signifies the deep emotional and personal ties to a community and highlights the importance of understanding how older adults create and maintain their sense of home in urban environments.
• The book’s, (At Home in the City: Growing Old in Urban America) theme is aging in place, and explores the experiences of older adults aging in a specific Manhattan neighborhood. The challenges faced by older adults are accumulated losses in various forms such as: Loss of social connections, impacts of gentrification, health setbacks and depression, financial difficulties and daily challenges.
• Despite these losses, older adults demonstrate resilience by building social support networks and finding a sense of belonging to their community and each other.
• Key questions and themes are 1. The importance of belonging for older adults. 2. Exploration of how older individuals maintain independence amidst vulnerabilities. 3. Forms of social relationships that aid in creating or resisting belonging. 4. There needs to be an emphasis on the significance of neighborhood environments in fostering informal social bonds. 5. A need to recognize the need for older adults to avoid overburdening family networks. 6. The importance of establishing new routines and habits, especially after retirement cannot be overlooked.
• The research focuses on understanding how older adults maintain connections to their communities and combat isolation. As older people spend more time near home due to retirement, health issues, and limited finances, their connection to local places becomes crucial. Relationships formed in public spaces such as libraries, community centers, and coffee shops can provide older people with greater recognition and a sense of belonging. These public spaces offer alternative social connections that can rival traditional structures like family and home in terms of well-being and support. Isolation is often associated with old age due to factors like living alone, physical illness, and depression, which can increase the risk of social isolation.  As people age, their social networks may shrink due to the loss of friends and family, selective reduction of social contacts, or transitions to retirement communities.
• Despite the challenges, researchers have found that older people experience less loneliness and isolation than previously thought, and social interaction and volunteering often increase with age.
• Place becomes increasingly important as older people spend more time close to home, making it difficult to travel extensively or even leave their neighborhood. Bookstores, coffee shops, and recreation centers serve as important social spaces for older adults, providing opportunities for social contact outside of service settings. These neighborhood spaces are particularly important for vulnerable individuals who lack strong family support, financial resources, or are dealing with cognitive and physical declines.
• The study involved five years of participant observations and interviews with 25 older adults, mostly men over 60, from diverse ethnic backgrounds, and low to middle income. The participants lived in buildings defined as naturally occurring retirement communities, where older adults concentrate over time.
• Older adults often find public spaces like McDonald’s and local delis to be their “public living rooms,” where they can spend time, socialize, and feel a sense of community. Factors that facilitate social interaction in these spaces include low cost, proximity to home, and a lack of surveillance or pressure to spend money.
• The social relationships observed were described as “elastic,” stretching to accommodate fluid and spontaneous social interactions while maintaining flexibility and openness.
• Gossip among older individuals was surprisingly intimate and revealing, contrary to its often-negative connotations. It is seen as a way to share a deep sense of intimacy, as it requires a lot of personal information about the individuals being discussed. For older people, gossip served as a means of connection and intimacy, allowing them to feel part of a group, especially when they were physically confined to a particular space. It helped diffuse tension and allowed for information sharing, which contributed to the building of social hierarchies within the group. Complaining was another significant activity in these “third spaces,” providing a way for older individuals to commiserate and support each other, especially during challenging times.
• These spaces allowed for consultations and second opinions on important life decisions, such as healthcare and housing issues. One notable example mentioned was an individual who received pro bono legal advice from the group when facing eviction.
• “Home” is more than just physical walls and that third spaces provide crucial social support, especially for those facing multiple vulnerabilities. With increasing diversity and shifting demographics, the need for community connections throughout one’s life becomes more pronounced.
• The concept of “elastic ties” refers to social ties that offer a balance between connection and autonomy, which are often underrecognized forms of social support.
• The challenges of aging include the administrative burdens and the lack of preparedness for later life’s complexities.
• Key recommendations include strengthening social infrastructure, investing in small businesses and public spaces, and fighting commercial gentrification to ease the “social eviction” experienced by longtime residents. A significant investment in deeply affordable, accessible, and climate-resilient housing for older adults and people of all ages is recommended. Addressing the long-term care crisis is emphasized which could be done by bolstering community supports, home health care, and support for care workers.
• The importance of accessible transportation is significant. New York aims to be fully accessible by 2055. Activists in Berkeley in the 1960s and 1970s advocated for curb cuts and other accessibility features. This highlights the universal benefits of such designs. The concept of “curb cuts” as a metaphor for universal design emphasizes how features initially intended for people with disabilities, also benefit a wide range of individuals. The importance of reliable and frequent public transportation is important because of the isolation experienced by those with disabilities in areas with poor transportation infrastructure.
• A documentary about the disability rights movement and the positive impact of curb cuts on various populations is available.

SOCIAL HOUSING

Caitlin Cahill, Organizer, Associate Professor Urban Geography & Politics, Pratt Institute

Report Back on Red Vienna: Social Housing. Red Vienna (German: Rotes Wien) was the colloquial name for the capital of Austria between 1918 and 1934

• Caitlin visited Vienna earlier in the year, inspired by their friend Tito Delgado, who is instrumental in the community land trust movement. Vienna is renowned for its social housing, often described as a “mecca” for those interested in social housing. Red Vienna (German: Rotes Wien) was the colloquial name for the capital of Austria between 1918 and 1934. 
• The Karl Marx-Hof, one of the largest housing developments in the world, spans over a kilometer and initially housing 5,000 units and were right-sized to accommodate larger families.
• Vienna celebrated the 100th anniversary of its social housing in 2020, marking a significant milestone in urban planning and social policy. During the same period, while Vienna was developing its social housing infrastructure, the United States was creating systems that led to segregation and racial capitalism, highlighting the contrasting paths of social development. The enduring legacy of social housing in Vienna, despite the rise of fascism in the 1930s, which temporarily halted the progress, continues.
• The fall of “Red Vienna” in 1934 was marked by a paramilitary coup, leading to battles between right-wing nationalists and socialists, with many workers taking refuge in the Karl Marx-Hof.
• Today, over half of Vienna’s 2 million residents live in some form of social housing, with average rents for a one-bedroom apartment around $700. The developments were inspired by the garden city movement and feature communal green spaces.
• Before the implementation of social housing, Vienna’s population lived in poor conditions, with overcrowded “basenna flats” and high rates of disease. A rent cap, known as a “peace rent,” was introduced to make housing more affordable during the post-World War I period, although it made it harder for low-income groups to find accommodation.
• The social housing developments in Vienna were designed to be both aesthetically pleasing and functional, with shared facilities and ample green spaces, fostering a sense of community. The diversity of Vienna’s social housing residents comes about because everyone except the top fifth of the population is eligible. This contributes to its political popularity. Vienna’s social housing model is contrasted with the United States, where public housing is often seen as a last resort for the very poor, rather than a desirable housing option.
• The importance of land availability is important when developing community land trusts. Margettton, an underdeveloped area in Vienna, is where several social housing developments are located. The layout of Vienna’s social housing developments is described as an “urban archipelago,” with housing complexes closely situated to each other, creating a network of communal spaces. The architectural style of these developments was inspired by the grandeur of the Habsburg Empire, reflecting a commitment to creating high-quality, durable housing for the working class.
• There is a need to learn from Vienna’s model and apply similar principles to address housing issues in cities, particularly in New York City such as in Chelsea, in the context of upcoming elections and social policy reforms.

COPA, COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE ACT

Speakers: Katy Lasell: katy@neweconomynyc.org

• The purpose of COPA is to grant community land trusts and mission-driven nonprofits the first right to purchase multifamily buildings when landlords sell and aims to curb speculation in the housing market. It also promotes tenant-led and community-led decommodification of housing. It was inspired by legislation in cities like Washington, D.C. and San Francisco.
• We are close to passing COPA this year. A successful hearing was held in June where the administration showed willingness to support the bill with modifications.  Achievements have been driven by community organizing efforts. Currently, there are 30 city council members co-sponsoring COPA and over 150 organizations have officially endorsed the bill. There are ongoing negotiations with the city council and the Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) regarding the bill’s passage.
• There are plans for a brief phone bank or email bank to mobilize support. Volunteers and organizations are collecting postcards to demonstrate public support for COPA and tabling events are being conducted at community gatherings and street fairs to engage people and collect postcards.  Postcards have been effective in influencing council members, notably prompting Adrien Adams to call for a hearing on COPA. Organizations are encouraged to participate in advocacy by hosting tabling events for COPA postcards.

  

Alex HS Yong provided timestamps for this meeting: https://www.youtube.com/live/S2wkAi9qsM8?feature=shared

4:13 Update on S1237/A1494A – The Stock Transfer Tax (STT) bill – NY State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes recently co-sponsored this bill, and that’s a positive

5:19 HONDA law update (Housing Our Neighbors With Dignity law) – For those of you who worked on HONDA and/or advocated for HONDA 4-5 years ago, please know your efforts resulted in something good. https://citylimits.org/we-cracked-the… More than 300 formerly homeless people will move in to the former JFK Hilton beginning this autumn, made possible through the HONDA law. Quote from the article: “Architects cut, molded, and reconfigured those pieces to turn that behemoth structure into 318 affordable homes. Hundreds of formerly homeless residents will move in this fall.”

7:06 Rob Robinson, Consultant and Human Rights Activist – On June 3, 2025, advocates for the homeless gave info to the UN on the nationwide upticks in harassment toward homeless people in the U.S. after the 2024 Supreme Court decision in _Johnson v. Grants Pass_. . . . Helen Cruz, one of the plaintiffs in the case, was one of the people supplying information to Balakrishnan Rajagopal, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on adequate housing. The world is watching.

21:41 Stacy Torres, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Dept. of Social and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF School of Nursing, – “Aging in Place – How to Make a Home in the City”

56:03 ; 1:08:50 ; 1:18:15 Caitlin Cahill – Early in 2025, Caitlin visited 10 social housing developments in Red Vienna (Austria) ; 1:04:23 Caitlin shares video from NY State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani about the origins of Red Vienna ; 1:23:54 “Limited profit construction and housing associations” – profit structure in Red Vienna

1:37:09 MSCC was awarded the 2025 Good Neighbor Award from Goddard Riverside. Thanks Goddard, thanks Larry Wood, et. al. – Video coming soon about that award (it will be combined WITH the MSCC farm initiatives videos – Awaiting video or pics from Back Home Farm **and** the 53rd Street urban farm)
1:42:00 NYS Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, through an amicus brief, endorsed “The City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” (CoYHO)

https://citylimits.org/we-cracked-the-code-first-hotel-to-housing-conversion-using-state-program-to-open-in-queens

(https://youtube.com/live/S2wkAi9qsM8)

CHAT BOX CURTESY OF ALEX YONG

Caitlin Cahill: https://www.gofundme.com/f/hnwyzz-chelsea-public-housing-legal-defense-fund

Caitlin Cahill: https://gothamist.com/news/senior-nyc-residents-at-elliott-chelsea-houses-receive-orders-to-vacate

Alex Yong, MSCC: HONDA – Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act from 4-5 years ago which became law. It was a hotel conversion idea (hotel-to-residential)

Questions which Rob Robinsion refers to above follow:

Robert Robinson: Please indicate whether your Excellency’s Government has assessed the potential impact of the proposed budget cuts on persons belonging to vulnerable groups, including persons experiencing homelessness, and migrants. If such an assessment exists, please provide disaggregated data on the persons who might be impacted by the budget cuts.

Robert Robinson: Please provide information on the reasons behind the decision to suspend the activities of the Interagency Council on Homelessness. Following the suspension of this mechanism, please indicate what measures your Excellency’s Government plans to take to fill the gap left by this decision.

Robert Robinson: Please provide information on the measures, if any, that your Excellency’s Government plans to implement to guarantee, considering the cuts proposed by the budgetary law, that persons currently receiving federal support to access adequate housing do not lose access to such support.

Robert Robinson: Please provide further details on how your Excellency’s Government plans to administer the new SRABG and emergency solution grants programme for homelessness, including to ensure that persons and households receiving support do not lose it as a result of the two-year time limit.

Miriam Fisher: Please also address transportation accessibility. I spent many summers in Bay area, had never seen people subway (BART), and was a transformative experience for myself and late husband (another sociologist, Peter Freund, who wrote about health , transportation). We have MTA approval of accessible subways in NYC because of disability activists who sued MTA. Elevators in subway enlarge lives of all- seniors, parents with strollers, luggage, people in wheelchairs and ambulatory difficulties.  Please talk about transportation. Bay Area led the way for transportation, though a newer system than NY.

Stacy Torres: https://www.ucpress.edu/books/at- home-in-the-city/paper Use coupon code UCPSAVE30 to save 30%

Stacy Torres: https://www.ucpress.edu/books/at-home-in-the-city/paper

Alex MSCC: [https://archive.ph/bUTQO] Could Zohran Mamdani fix NYC’s broken property 

Harvey Montague: Take note of the site plan of these developments in Vienna as a model for NYC redevelopment underway.

Caitlin Cahill: https://www.platformspace.net/home/the-house-that-anti-fascism-built-the-hofs-of-red-vienna. https://hiddenarchitecture.net/red-vienna-i-karl-marx-hof/

https://www.npr.org/2025/06/15/nx-s1-5400642/affordable-housing-environment-vienna-climate-change

https://portside.org/2023-05-25/imagine-renters-utopia-it-might-look-vienna

https://socialhousing.wien/tools/municipal-housing-in-vienna

https://jacobin.com/2023/10/red-vienna-public-affordable-housing-homelessness-matthew-yglesias

Alex MSCC: Nobody called out Eric Adams on his ‘Executive Order 43’ which is almost a year old: Adams told all city agencies to identify developable land. I think it was his back alley gift to the EDC

Caitlin Cahill: The funding of social housing construction – both for rental flats and for subsidized owner-occupied units and single-family homes – is tied to a fixed portion of income tax, which corresponds to one percent of the combined income of both employees and employers (i.e. either group pays 0.5 percent), paid in the form of a housing construction contribution. On the basis of this national tax, Vienna receives an annual amount of approx. Euro 250 million for housing purposes. In all, Vienna spends around Euro 530 million per year on housing construction. This funding via taxation creates a reliable basis for the planning of complex social housing programmes, which would be impossible under strictly market-dependent housing policies. In recent years, however, the increased demand for housing has forced the Vienna City Council to earmark additional, separate budget resources for housing purposes. Austria’s federal constitution grants Vienna wide leeway to define its own criteria for housing subsidization. Developers receive subsidies to enable them to keep fixed costs and rents at a lower level. A one percent-interest loan is granted for a period of up to 40 years and covers roughly 35 percent of construction costs. The remainder is financed through bank loans, developer’s equity and, in some cases, through an equity contribution by tenants. For the duration of repayment, rents are capped at cost rent. Contrary to benefits paid to individuals, these subsidies enable the municipal administration to directly influence housing production.

Luana Green: Elliott Chelsea Houses had all those things before divestment.  Communal spaces for pottery classes, youth groups, arts and recreation spaces. tutorial center, communal laundry room and social workers, even a space for our own marching bands that participated in parades and a free summer camp

Caitlin Cahill: https://www.gofundme.com/f/hnwyzz-chelsea-public-housing-legal-defense-fund

Alex MSCC: The West 51st Street Broadway McDonalds is that – for seniors’ elastic community. They do care for each other, organically, but they also gossip about each other LOL

Alex MSCC: https://www.youtube.com/@midtownsouthcommunitycouncil/videos for the MSCC playlist.

Caitlin Cahill: Communities Together Festival on 9/21/25

Alex MSCC: Communities Together Festival at 41st Street between 6th & Broadway

NEXT Meeting Homeless and Housing Meeting is at 9:30 AM Tuesday, September 2, 2025. Always the 1st Tuesday of every month. Contact hello@midtownsouthcc.org or john.mudd@usa.net for more information and Zoom invitations.