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United
Tenants
of Albany

Safe, decent, and affordable housing for all.

The Latest

UTA’s 52nd Annual Event

On Tuesday, September 30, from 6-8PM, UTA will be holding its 52nd…

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The Latest

UTA’s 52nd Annual Event

On Tuesday, September 30, from 6-8PM, UTA will be holding its 52nd…

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Tonight, the Albany Common Council Planning Commit

Tonight, the Albany Common Council Planning Committee will review the two amendments to the Inclusionary Zoning ordinance. One version was rushed through with no notice; one version was crafted through conversations with tenants, council members, and advocates. One version completely overrides the purpose of inclusionary zoning; one version ensures inclusionary zoning remains something developers must contend with.

If you're available tonight, please come to the Planning Committee and let the Council know which version you support and why! If you aren't free, please make sure you contact your Council Member ❤️

In a last minute backroom deal cooked up this week

In a last minute backroom deal cooked up this weekend, the Mayor's office whipped 9 Common Council Members to support an initiative to overturn our local affordable housing ordinance that took years of research and conversation to win.

The proposal does two things:
1. Raise the income level that inclusionary zoning serves from low-income to median income.
2. Grant developers a buyout mechanism so that they don't have to build any working class housing.

These changes are a big deal. Developers could pay their way out of providing low-income housing for as little as $5,000 per unit, assuming they'd even need to, since rents would be higher than $2,000 per month under this "affordability" rubric.

Developers already get hundreds-of-thousands of dollars from tax-payer subsidies, and now we're giving them a cheap 'out' at low-income tenants' expense.

But the deal's not done. We're working to make sure tenants are prioritized, that these rollbacks don't go through as planned, and that we are heard! They will have to hear from you before they go forward with a vote. Please make sure you go to the December 1 Common Council meeting and let them know you don't support developer handouts!

We'll keep you in the loop moving forward.

Do you want to learn how to build power in your ap

Do you want to learn how to build power in your apartment building? Are you sick of landlords profiting off your rent and stress? Do you believe a better world is possible?

Then come on out to our Tenant Union Organizing Training 102 at the Albany Public Library on December 6. You can RSVP at the link in our bio (or DM us if that's too confusing)! If you missed 101, we'll have a brief review of door-knocking, the organizing conversation, inoculation and retaliation. During this session we'll do a deeper dive on some of those topics, leadership identification & development, tenant union structures, and how to run a good meeting! Hope to see you soon :)

Albany tenants are winning! Yesterday, the Amsdel

Albany tenants are winning!

Yesterday, the Amsdell Tenants Union steering committee sat down with the landlord/owner Sam Dean & property manager of The Amsdell. The tenants brought 16 demands to the table, and ownership agreed to 14 of the demands (!), including commitments to functional sprinkler systems, repaired elevators, better ventilation in units and common areas, pest control, sound security, and heightened privacy.

Demands the tenants are awaiting responses on include: rent abatements until advertised amenities are materialized and air & water testing. The landlord has been given a timetable to bring responses back to the tenant union.

We want to send big congratulations to the Amsdell Tenants Union and its fierce steering committee - Here's to many more victories in this fight!

Tenants, advocates, and experts from across New Yo

Tenants, advocates, and experts from across New York came to Albany this week to advocate for expanding access to rent stabilization. As the law works now, tenants and localities from upstate and long island have faced far too many hurdles in trying to bring peace to the housing market and stability to their communities. It's time NYS passed the REST Act!

After 60 years in the tenant struggle, Michael McK

After 60 years in the tenant struggle, Michael McKee, founder of several tenants rights organizations, including but not limited to Tenants & Neighbors and Tenants PAC, passed away peacefully, with his partner Eric by his side.

It is not possible to put into words the impact Michael had on housing laws and tenants power across the state and country. He was incredibly close with the founders of UTA, and regularly spent the legislative sessions in their home between the 1970s up until just last year.

He has served as a true mentor, not only to UTA, but everyone involved in the tenants rights movement. These photos were taken by @a_bix15, from UTA's 50th Anniversary Celebration, where Michael was honored for his tremendous impact. He was truly special, and we love him and Eric deeply.

The Amsdell Tenants Union officially launched this

The Amsdell Tenants Union officially launched this morning! Calling attention to poor conditions, lack of safety, and incommunicative management, the tenants demanded urgent remediation to a list of issues sent directly to the landlord.

80% of tenants have signed “union cards” authorizing the union to represent them for the purposes of collective bargaining. Since “rehabilitating the property”, NCG Jay LLC, owned in part by Sam Dean & Steven Schechter, have failed to provide safe, decent, and affordable housing. The property manager, Hudson Capital Properties, which shares an address with the LLC-owner, has failed the tenants on several occasions. As one speaker put it, "congratulations to Sam & Steven for putting lipstick on a pig".

Thank you to everyone who came out last night to c

Thank you to everyone who came out last night to celebrate UTA's 52 Anniversary! It was so great to see so many familiar faces and to celebrate some seriously special awardees this year.

Additional thanks to Westminster Presbyterian Church for being such a great host, and the huge crew of volunteers that made last night possible <3 And thank you @kendallrmc for taking such great pics to memorialize the fun night!

Yesterday the Ida Yarbrough Tenants Union, with su

Yesterday the Ida Yarbrough Tenants Union, with support from @dorceyforalbany and Assemblymember @amromero109, held their second round of negotiations with the Albany Housing Authority. Since their first meeting two months ago, 9 of their 16 Tenant Union demands have been met. Yesterday, 5 of the remaining 7 were proven to be accomplished, with commitments for the final 2 demands to be met within the next 30 days! Mold and water tests, common area cleaning, access to the community room, enhanced security and more are now regular and in place at Ida Yarbrough, with agreements to work to secure a safety officer and accessibility needs in the works.

We thank the Albany Housing Authority for negotiating in good faith with the Tenant Union, and the Auditor and Assemblymember for their sincere support. This is the first time either a soon-to-be Mayor or Assemblymember (let alone both, together!) fought with Albany tenants to win safe and decent housing.

None of this could have been achieved without tenants forming a union and fighting to be heard. Let's keep it up!!!

UTA was at Stephen & Harriet Myers Middle School a

UTA was at Stephen & Harriet Myers Middle School and Stand Up for Women Who Serve this week, sorry if we missed ya!

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Address

United Tenants of Albany, Inc.
255 Orange Street
Albany, NY, 12210

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(518) 436-8997
info@unitedtenantsalbany.org

Hours

Monday-Thursday 10am - 3:30pm
Closed daily for lunch 12pm - 1pm
Other times by appointment only

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