MSCC, Agenda, Date: Tuesday, Oct 6, 2026, 9:30 am-11:00 am, ZOOM.US

SUMMARY

Village Preservation’s Executive Director Andrew Berman speaks about his fight against the vulture capitalist who want to reshape the village landscapes and the recent media attacks; National Homeless Coalition’s Exec Director Donald speaks about the criminalization of people who are homeless; discussing Spain’s housing fight with Rob Robinson; and building more stability with CUCS, Tamara Felix.

CHAIR: John Mudd

WELCOME / INTRODUCTIONS

We appreciate all suggestions to help us run this meeting proficiently.

• Housekeeping (Zoom protocols) copying chat, muting, etc.
  • Signing in: Please sign in with your name and organization
• Please email subject and speaker suggestions by the 15th of each month
• Items to Triage: To give time to pressing topics, please forward items at least 24 hours prior to meetings
• Introductions, welcoming new and old members (keeping it short and sweet)
• Need someone to summarize actions and followup

5 min

PURPOSE

The Homeless and Housing members, attendees, and speakers share knowledge, ideas, and resources to identify problems and find solutions to the homeless, housing, and health crisis.

5 min

POLICY MEETING UPDATES

The prior 8:30 Homeless and Housing Policy meeting wrap-up as presented by attending members.

0 min

COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS

Council’s progress report on actions and initiatives (see Addendum A for more).

2 min

SPECIAL INTRODUCTION(S) AND OR UPDATES: 

The below list of intros and updates should be brief; everyone is welcomed to present for a lengthier discussion at a planned date

• Need Board and committee members (funding & Finance, Street Sheets) 
• Elected officials/agencies—updates
• Alex Yong, MSCC Legislation Advocate, Local Regulated Housing Restoration Act (S6352/A6772)
• The Rob Robinson report
• Public Housing: We are still fighting in the streets and in the courts. Follow the breadcrumbs and see our trajectory of the fight to save public housing (see ADDENDUM C) 
• Stock Transfer Act Updates
• Evaluating the City’s Housing Framework
• Others & new attending members?

 5 min

CENTER FOR URBAN COMMUNITY SERVICES (CUCS)

CUCS excels at developing affordable housing and  providing programs that link housing, health and social services for low-income individuals and families. CUCS.org

Speaker: Tamara Felix, Community Affairs Coordinator,  Manhattan Outreach Consortium (MOC)

10 min

NATIONAL HOMELESS COALITION’S FIGHT AGAINST HOMELESSNESS

National Homeless Coalition fighting for dignity and fresh new policies. Developing nationwide action and is asking for our involvement.

 Speaker: Donald Whitehead, National Homeless Coalition

30 min

SPAIN’S HOUSING MOVEMENT

Speaker: Rob Robinson, Activist, 2025-Winner of  Inaugural Lorraine Brown Award  for Leadership, 2025 Recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from City University of New York Graduate Center

20 min

CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE JOSE VEGA

Jose Vega, running for Ritchie Torres’ congression seat—New York’s 15th District.

Speaker: Jose Vega, NY 15th District Congressional Candidate

10 min

THE PROPAGANDA BATTLE

Village Preservation’s Executive Director Andrew Berman speaks about his fight against the vulture capitalist who want to reshape the village landscapes and the recent media attacks.

• “Fair Housing Growth Strategy” plan from the city and all its problems
• Fires, Evictions, and Violations: Demanding Answers on City’s Pick for 388 Hudson Street Developer
• What is YIMBY, But A Propaganda Campaign
• Open Letter to Curb and NY Magazine

Speaker: Exec Director,  Andrew Berman, Village Preservation

25 min

HOW DID HOPE 6 HOUSING — Held over

John Massengale, American Institute Of Architects, AIA, Congress Fo New Urbanism, CNU NYC, Specializes In Green Building, Classical, and Traditional Design housing policies and development plans.

ECONOMIC SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC NEEDS — Held Over

James S. Henry, economist and advocate for the Stock Transfer Tax legislation. The legislation needs widespread support. The Stock Transfer Tax Bill (a1494a/s1237)

• Lt Gov Delgado supports the stock transfer tax to reinvest in black communities
• Ending NYS’ Stock Transfer Tax Rebate Would be ‘Audacious’—Why is Mayor Mamdani Ducking it?
• Corporate Campaign’s Stock Transfer Tax 2024 Rally
• See MSCC’s Homeless and Housing March 2026 Meeting
• Stock Transfer Tax Explainer
• Statement — Jim Henry

Speaker: James S. Henry, economist and advocate

2 min

PUBLIC CONCERNS

• Immediate needs?

ACTIONS

• Summary
• Additional Requests

2 min

ANNOUNCEMENTS / EVENTS

• Additional announcements from new attendees, committee members, elected officials, others 
• Last words?

2 min

DEVELOPING INITIATIVES & PROGRAMS

• Hurt Committee
• Objectives/Mission/Vision: MSCC is busily restructuring to become more effective in accomplishing its goals and making plans for the coming new year to complete their:
  • Mission: Midtown South Community Council strives to dismantle the causes of homelessness by building an equitable, just, and sustainable social infrastructure to ensure dignity, health, and home for all. 
  • Vision: Midtown South Community Council envisions a city where homelessness and poverty are eradicated
• Committees: Managing our overwhelming tasks together with our intersecting network. If anyone wants to be involved with building committees to serve programs and projects of mutual interests (Housing, Urban Farming, Education & Awareness, healthcare, incarceration, workshops, health access, Home Improvement, communications/social media messaging, Midtown Street Sheets…), please let us know
• Street Sheets

2min

AOB

• Topic & Speaker Suggests:
  • • S9650 / A 659 Original sponsor was Brad Hoylman-Sigal. Liz Krueger is the new sponsor. The bill doesn’t *end* the affordability doomsdays — it penalizes landlords who lie about rent expirations
      • Sam Stein discusses the Sunset Clause
      • Actual legislation to fight back (click here) then scroll to Justification
    • Marquis Jenkins discusses public housing with members from Riis Houses, Ladan from Glendale Housing in Minneapolis — This discussion was on May 6, 2025. Further discussion is needed. 
    • Discussion with Andre P, about his Post Feb 4, 2025 Homeless and Housing Meeting Comments
    • Illusion of Choice: How Source of Income Discrimination and Voucher Policies Perpetuate Housing Inequality, UnlockNYC — Done!
    • Department of Building’s Office of Tenant Advocate (OTA) advocates for tenant against obtrusive or illegal construction within multi unit residential buildings. Speaker(s): Rakell Washington & Ana Pluchinatta
    • Charisma White (MSCC), what does deeply affordable housing mean
    • Network marketing and communications committee (suggestion)
    • Prison to shelter and back again
    • Policing the problem away; 50% of the Riker’s Island jail population are mentally ill
• Speaker Suggestions: All suggestions are welcomed
• New Members: Thank you for joining, feel free to tell us your needs, schedule a presentation, and connect with anyone within this network
• NEXT Meeting Homeless and Housing Meeting: 9:30 AM Tuesday, June 7, 2026
  • • Always the 1^st Tuesday of every month

2 min

Contact hello@midtownsouthcc.org or john.mudd@usa.net for more information and Zoom invitations.

ADDENDUM A: PRESS HIGHLIGHTS

• Kaziah Glow’s WBAI segment, NYCHA rally against demolition, with Renee Keitt and John Mudd (7:30AM)
• Michael Haskins, on WBAI, development policies (particularly NYCHA), with Marquis Jenkins and John Mudd
• Joe Vega on his podcast, development policies an the importance in protecting public housing, Renee Keitt, Marquis Jenkins, Ted Houghton, and John Mudd
• See WBAI Michael Haskins Living For The City, Sam Turvey, Viren Brahmbhatt, and John Mudd (approx. 5:40)
• Success! Generosa is back into her original apartment after 5 years
• MSCC receives Goddard’s Good Neighbor Award
• WBAI Labor and Healthcare Confidential Oct 23, 2025 interview with Lizette Colon, Len Polletta, Ivy Wang, and Jackie Lara
• WBAI Michael Haskins Living For The City interview with MSCC, Sam Turvey, and Viren Brahmbhatt (approx. 5:40) https://wbai.org/archive/program/episode/?id=60810
• Events, initiatives:Annual Report
• Rob Robinson: https://youtu.be/MS2jy0Gli_g
• Viren Brahmbatt: https://youtu.be/kzoE4SyQyI8
• Keith McHenry: https://youtu.be/3r8J1xPCgZQ
• Protesting in front of Erik Bottcher’s residence:  https://youtu.be/0W-ccKKW78Q
• Did you check our our pictures from Communities Together? Video Clips, Videographer Clips
• Social media: Rob Robinson on housing!
• WBAI Michael Haskins Living For The city interview with MSCC, John Low-Beer Wednesday, May 27, 2026 Segment
• Arthur Schwartz’s WBAI Advocating For Justice broadcast with Public Housing residents and activist Celines Maranda and Doris Ruffin

ADDENDUM B: BIOGRAPHIES

Rob Robinson is senior advisor at Partners in Dignity and Rights, and a human rights movement-builder with roots in New York City and networks worldwide. His work focuses on economic justice and addresses issues such as debt, police violence and access to broadband. Robinson also has been involved with the U.S. Human Rights Network, the Campaign to Restore National Housing Rights, and the Land and Housing Action Group of the Take Back the Land national movement.

Brett G. Stoudt is an Associate Professor and Deputy Executive Officer in the Psychology Doctoral Program at the City University of New York, Graduate Center. Dr. Stoudt conducts public-oriented science and has worked on numerous participatory action research projects with community groups, lawyers, and policymakers nationally and internationally. His general interests include the social psychology of privilege and oppression with specific focus on the human impact of the criminal punishment system, especially policing. He is also interested in critical methodologies, particularly critical approaches to quantitative research.

Brett is the author of We Deserve to be Safe (as part of Communities United for Police Reform & the Public Science Project), a report that explores how New Yorkers living in heavily policed communities understand and experience safety.

Jay W. Walker  is a skilled NYC activist and Resistance organizer based in Chelsea. He has been part of the coalition that launched Hands Off NYC since its start.

Margarita Aguilar is a long time labor activist and graphic designer. She’s lived in Chelsea for 14 years and is co-chair of the LGBTQ+ group at Penn South.

Trudy Rudnick, is a retired union organizer and a coordinator of the Penn South Archive project, which documents through interviews, assorted documents, pictures and a film, the history of Penn South, an affordable housing development in the middle of NYC. All 3 are founders of Chelsea Neighbors United Hands Off NYC (handsoffnyc.com ) is a coordinated effort supported by a coalition of over 200 unions, faith leaders, activist organizations and community groups, to stand together in nonviolent resistance to the uninvited, unwarranted, unnecessary, unjust, and unconstitutional federal intervention in NYC’s communities. Just as people in cities across the country have stood up to these attacks, the people in NYC will too.

Chelsea Neighbors United ( ChelseaNeighborsUnited2@gmail.com ) is the neighborhood affiliate of Hands Off NYC. In its 3-weeks existence, they have had meetings, distributed flyers and whistles on street corners calling for our community to be a part of the movement to defend immigrants who live and work in Chelsea. They have also canvassed businesses and restaurants in the Chelsea/Hell’s Kitchen neighborhoods with the tools they need to protect their workers. Over 300 people have signed up to be involved. Our next major event is a Chelsea Town Hall on Monday, December 15, 6:30 at St. Peters Church.