The Real News Network - Latest Comments in New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

Re: New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

Johnny Gagnon — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 08:04:32 -0000

Capitalism in society is like keeping snakes and rodents together in the same enclosure and expecting them to live happily ever after............. by simply providing them all , each with some splendid entertainment and divertissement ....on their very very own digital color flat screen high definition,surround sound and panoramic hallucinogenic vision factory tailored tv's.......... it's pure bulla!

Re: New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

Johnny Gagnon — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 07:52:53 -0000

Landlords are not pet shops.....housing and food are essential to all life,even human beings

Re: New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

henry malcom — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 02:38:55 -0000

When a government exempts a fellow citizen of punishment for putting so many lives in blatant hazard to it's continuance.It tells me that drone strikes on innocent men,women,and children in far of lands is no mistake or accident but deliberate.IF YOU CARE NOT ABOUT YOUR OWN CITIZENS LIVELYHOOD ,you can not really be trying to make life better for the people in farway places.

Re: New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

henry malcom — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 02:15:42 -0000

Seems to me this is sufficient evidence of a city government in need of a complete overhaul from top to bottom.The long arm of the law needs the long arm of cleaning.

Re: New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

Henry Malcom — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 01:59:43 -0000

No one should be owner of dilapidated residential properties that expose tenants to the looming possible harm, homelessness and or death due to obvious gross negligence of essential maintenance's and still be allowed to legally collect any leans from fanacially able tenants residing in any said primmest(property).

Re: New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

enpisicorre — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:30:58 -0000

First of all, Housing IS a Human Right.
2) you can't just tell people to move when they have lived in their homes for 30 years, just because they do not OWN their apartments it does not mean it is not their homes.

3), get the facts: some folks in the building are paying $1650 for a two bedroom, this is "market rate" or whatever they call it and not very low.

... hmm: "get back to work"-- did you miss the part about this being a working class neighborhood?

i could go on, but is not worth it.

peace, and be well!

Re: New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

Klaipeda — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 22:14:34 -0000

It is going to take ordinary people rising up. It's a class war and we are on the defensive.

Re: New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

Guest — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 16:16:59 -0000

Well said! We have been brainwashed over the past few decades into believing that the govt is not there to provide for the general welfare of the nations people. Then, I ask, what in hell is it there for? We pay taxes, we pay 2/3 more of our measly wages for food, rent and utilities. We work longer hours for less money at the expense of our families and we wonder why our youth are lost and in trouble. I wonder what its going to take for the rich elite and the bank and corporate hijacked govt to do their duty, get off our backs and allow us to live a half decent life.

Re: New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

rosythebear — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 16:10:09 -0000

Well said! I totally agree. With the resources and extreme wealth in certain sectors of the world we can feed and shelter everyone. Health, education, food and shelter is a human right in a civilized caring society. Rent has been allowed to go so high a lot of people cannot afford one room today. We have to stop this injustice and constant attack from the rich elite. They should be forced to live like some people have to. Maybe then they will learn.

Re: New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

Powerofmind — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 15:23:50 -0000

I don't care how much the tenants pay for rent, if one pays his rent, then one shouldn't have a problem. The tenants did their part, but the lazy landlord refuses do his part.

Re: New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

Klaipeda — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 14:59:02 -0000

If housing is not a human right, then it should be. It is also for the government to distribute resources because it is a collective way to determine how the society is going to take care of each other. Groups of humans need to take care of each other for the social structure to survive. Allowing the poor and ill to live on the streets or die is detrimental to society as a whole, it is the antithesis of civilization.

Re: New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

kingofseafood — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 13:58:16 -0000

I agree with Paul in saying that housing in not a human right. At the same time it is the responsibility of the landlord to provide them with safe living conditions and it is obvious in this case that this particular landlord is not doing that. No matter how low rent at a particular place is, the tenants safety should be the number one priority.

Re: New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

TeeJae — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 10:18:44 -0000

"It is not for the Government to allocate resources."

Actually, it is. "To provide for the general welfare," appears in both
the Preamble and the Taxing and Spending Clause of the Constitution.
Hence, military, police, fire, education, and various other social
services are resources allocated by the government.

Nevertheless, "free" housing is not what this video is about. Unsafe
wiring and trash piling up in the basement are fire hazards that
endanger them all. So too is the lack of A/C during these
record-breaking temps. So, according to NYC tenant laws, these residents
have every right to picket their assemblyman and
withhold paying their rent until their slumlord agrees to make critical
safety repairs.

"They could more easily move somewhere else." Really? It's "easy" to
move? Apartment hunting is not time-consuming? Coming up with the
security deposit, first month's, and (often) last month's rent isn't
costly? Packing and moving all your earthly belongings isn't both costly
and time-consuming? Why should they go through all that trouble when it
is their landlord who is breaking the law?

Your lack of compassion and understanding for the less-fortunate is astounding.

Re: New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

Robert — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 10:03:55 -0000

Paul, you should know that if the landlord isn't making good on his end of the contact, and if city officials are failing to pressure him to come into compliance with basic fire standards, that people are in the right to protest. They don't lose that right just because they don't have the resources to move. When we are reduced to merely consumers, we will have lost the republic.

How sad that showing solidarity to the less fortunate is so despised by so many. Get a clue: I can work AND demonstrate. It's no impossible feat.

Re: New York Residents on Rent Strike Against Slumlord

Paulmusgrove — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 08:59:38 -0000

First of all, housing is not a human right. If you have money you can either rent or buy housing. If you do not have money then you should turn to private charity for help with payment. It is not for the Government to allocate resources.

These people have a private rental agreement with the Landlord. They can take this contract to the law courts or more easily - move somewhere else. I would suggest they are not moving because the rent is very low and the conditions reflect this.

Other parties, i.e. the interfering do-gooders, put down your signs and get back to work.

This is not real news, it is altruism-biased claptrap.