Press

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 16, 2020

EFFECTIVE TUESDAY: STATE-WIDE EVICTION BAN

Earlier this week, the Ithaca Tenants Union and the Tompkins County Workers Center called upon our local landlords and judges for compassion during this time of crisis, global in scale yet local in its most acute ramifications. We joined organizers around the state in calling upon our legislators to pass a moratorium on evictions.

Today, New York State officials answered our call for help. According to NYS Real Estate News outlet, “The Real Deal,” New York State Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence Malks has stated that, starting Tuesday, eviction proceedings and pending eviction orders will be suspended state-wide. In a statement to the The Real Deal, a spokesperson for the New York Office of Court Administration stated that, effective Monday, March 16th at 5pm, “nonessential functions of the court will be postponed.” The courts will otherwise remain open.

Economic disruption of any kind harms the low-income and already vulnerable members of our community. Job losses, reduction of hours, and unstable work schedules are all in the foreseeable future. With home quarantines spreading across the country, both for recovery and as a precaution, we are reminded of the necessity and fragility of housing.

We thank the New York State government for its swift act of grace, and call on local media to disseminate this information quickly.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 12, 2020

COVID-19 and Housing: A Call to Action

The coronavirus (COVID-19) is coming to Ithaca. The cases in New York State are growing exponentially, and Cornell and Ithaca College’s decisions to move to virtual teaching for undergraduate students following spring break will mean that parents from all over will be coming to Ithaca to help move their children out.

Ithaca has to be prepared to take measures to protect its residents. Our most vulnerable populations, low-income tenants, are highly at risk. With mandatory quarantines and unforgiving work environments, it seems likely that many tenants will be left without the ability to afford the costs of their current housing. The proliferation of self-quarantines around the nation only further highlights the innately human necessity of secure housing.

The Ithaca Tenants Union formally requests humanity from our landlords and local employers. We are calling on the Tompkins County Landlords Association, as well as our local judges and justices, to place a moratorium on evictions until the foreseeable end of the coronavirus pandemic. We are calling on employers to be lenient with their workers, by providing paid sick leave, to stop the spread of coronavirus. Lastly, we are calling on Cornell to take responsibility for the workers and faculty who will be laid off because of the University’s move to online courses. Cornell must provide funds for these workers to support themselves until their on-campus positions resume.

ITU is requesting donations to support the Robin Fund to provide emergency monetary support for any tenants in Ithaca who need to self-isolate in the coming weeks and cannot pay their rent as a result.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 2, 2020

Tenants Union Launches in Ithaca

Following decades of rising rents and declining conditions in Ithaca rental properties, renters have united to form the Ithaca Tenants’ Union in defense of our shared interests.

The presence of Cornell University and Ithaca College has driven up the cost of housing in Ithaca due to the necessity of short-term leases for students who rotate in and out of housing during their time in college. This cycle and artificially inflated demand allow landlords to lower the standard of living and raise the cost of housing for students and local residents. At IC and Cornell, workers often cannot afford to live in Ithaca and have to commute from neighboring towns. Moreover, lack of living wage jobs and persistent gentrification intersects and pervades the issue of tenancy.

Building maintenance issues have persisted in Ithaca for decades. No Ithaca renter need look far to find a personal story of building maintenance failures ranging from collapsed ceilings to cockroach infestation and lack of a garbage receptacle. As the number of these stories climbs in tandem with our already-outrageous rents, it is time to take action.

Maintenance issues are far from our only concern. Without adequate visibility or affordable legal representation, the scale will always be tilted toward the landlords until tenants organize together.

All people have the right to fairly-priced, decent housing. We intend to build tenant power to match that of the landlords and transform our Ithaca community. As a collective, we wield tremendous power over landlords who rely on our rent for income. When the situation arises wherein non-compliant landlords continue to disregard local and state housing standards or overlook a tenant’s rights, the Union will act as a check on these repeated abuses of tenant finances and dignity. Landlords complying with local, New York State, and federal tenancy laws need not fear the formation of this Union.

We seek to form coalitions with other organizations and movements that are fighting structural oppression, as housing rights cannot be won without the solidarity of these groups. This would include movements fighting for racial, gender, LGBTQ+, environmental, and immigrant liberation. Tenants do not lead single-issue lives, and we must consider the many identities that may affect their standard of living. As our community tackles issues ranging from immigration rights to health care to education equity, we must remember that everyone needs a roof over their heads, and all our fights can surely fall under the same roof.

The foundation of this union presents the opportunity for renters to level the playing field with landlords and achieve the previously denied goals of a decent standard of living at an affordable rate. Together, we can ensure dignified, affordable living in the places most intimate: our own homes.

If you want to join the Union, you can sign up on our website ithacatu.org or contact 607-269-0409. Our office is located at the Tompkins County Workers’ Center, 115 The Commons Ithaca, NY.