if they don’t deport you, they’ll evict you

in the climate of heightened deportation and separation of countless immigrant families, recognize how other ongoing political organizing fights are connected, particularly the fight to protect and preserve affordable housing. many immigrant tenants living in RENT-STABILIZED apartments are subject to eviction through predatory landlord/management eviction tactics. landlords will especially target elders and non-English fluent families (i’ve noticed this pattern in the Bangladeshis who visit or call me regarding their tenancy).

tenants and neighbors in immigrant-dense housing and neighborhoods:

1. beware of questionable rent hikes (rent increase for 1-year lease: 1.25%, 2-year lease: 2%)
2. look up your rental history to learn whether or not you are being overcharged: https://amirentstabilized.com/. if you are being overcharged, you have the right to file for rent overcharge.
3. question and save receipts of management’s refusal to renew your lease (you don’t need your lease renewed to stay in a rent stabilized unit), and
4. do not easily believe if and when management shares that the building is de-stabilized because de-stabilizing isn’t so easy
5. know that letters coming from landlord/management are NOT legal documents, this is another scare strategy. many tenants will receive notices telling them to pay up a lump-sum of money to secure their lease renewal, don’t fall for this.
6. document EVERYTHING, keep a paper trail of attempts to contact management, take photos of management’s lack of repairs, etc.
7. reach out to tenant organizing and advocacy groups like Equality for Flatbush : E4F for more info on your rights. also, this website: https://amirentstabilized.com/ shares which tenants’ rights groups are near you based on your address.
8. important forms to know about: http://www.nyshcr.org/Forms/Rent/#tenant