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    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                                   JULY 31, 2026    |  The Indian Eye 24

             Mayor Mamdani Launches “Talk to Tenants”

             Campaign to Build Tenant Power Across NYC

                Volunteers will knock on doors in buildings with history of housing violations to connect

                      tenants with organizing resources and inform tenants of their right to organize

            OUR BUREAU
            NEW YORK, NY
                    ayor Zohran Kwame Mam-
                    dani  and  the  Mayor’s  Of-
            Mfice  of  Mass  Engagement
            (OME),  in  partnership  with  the
            Mayor’s  Office  to  Protect  Tenants
            (MOPT),  have  launched  “Talk  to
            Tenants,”  a  door-to-door  organizing
            campaign to support renters living in
            buildings with chronic housing viola-
            tions organize together and advocate
            for safer, healthier homes.
                Volunteers with OME will knock
            on doors to inform tenants of their
            right  to  organize  and  connect  resi-
            dents with resources and organizing
            trainings.  The  campaign  will  begin
            in East Harlem, Washington Heights
            and Inwood and Flatbush — neigh-
            borhoods  where  renters  are  con-
            fronting  rising  costs  and  persistent
            housing  quality  concerns  —  before
            expanding to communities across the   who is available to bring in your mail   ers build the collective power to hold   Rental Ripoff hearings across all five
            five boroughs.                    when you’re away to widespread col-  negligent landlords accountable and   boroughs  and  supported  tenants  in
                “The Rental Ripoff hearings   lective  action  to  win  better  repairs   fight for the homes they deserve.”   negotiating with new ownership to re-
            showed  us something that  every   and  respect  from  the  landlord,  the   The campaign builds on Mayor   solve long-overdue repairs, back rent
            tenant  already  knows:  when  land-  community and solidarity of a tenant   Mamdani’s  Rental  Ripoff  hearings,   and other issues affecting their homes.
            lords  neglect  their  buildings,  New   association  is  the  very  foundation   where tenants across all five boroughs   Tenant  organizing  is  also  a  cor-
            Yorkers are left with no heat, kitch-  of New York City,” said Director of   described  the  conditions  they  have   nerstone  of  Block  by  Block:  The
            ens overrun with cockroaches, mold   the  Mayor’s  Office  to  Protect  Ten-  endured,  from  mold  and  vermin  to   Housing Plan for a New Era, Mayor
            and  broken  elevators,”  said  Mayor   ants Cea Weaver. “The most pro-  broken elevators, chronic heat outag-  Mamdani’s plan to build and preserve
            Mamdani.  “When  neighbors  orga-  tected tenant is an organized tenant.   es and years of landlord neglect. Last   affordable housing while strengthen-
            nize,  they  have  the  power  to  hold   Through the ‘Talk to Tenants’ cam-  week, Mayor Mamdani released the   ing tenants’ ability to hold negligent
            landlords accountable and win safe,   paign, we are calling on New Yorkers   Rental Ripoff report, outlining a se-  landlords  accountable.  The  plan  in-
            dignified  housing.  ‘Talk  to  Tenants’   to join together with their neighbors   ries of reforms to strengthen tenant   cludes outreach to tenants and home-
            is  about  empowering  New  Yorkers   and partner with us to secure digni-  protections and hold negligent land-  owners about their rights, as well as to
            to  build  that  power  one  conversa-  fied and affordable housing for all.”  lords accountable. “Talk to Tenants”   landlords about best practices, as well
            tion, one building and one block at   “Every New Yorker has heard the   turns  those  recommendations  into   as overhauling the City’s response to
            a time.”                          stories—or  lived  them  themselves:   action  by  helping  renters  organize   housing  code  and  heat  complaints,
                “Every New Yorker has the right   landlords who refuse to make basic   and  advocate  together  for  safe,  af-  allowing  tenants  to  schedule  certain
            to a safe and stable home — and the   repairs, ignore dangerous conditions   fordable housing.        HPD  inspections  directly  and  coor-
            Talk  to  Tenants  campaign  will  help   and leave tenants to deal with mold,   Throughout the summer and   dinating  comprehensive  “roof-to-
            make that a reality. Organized ten-  pests and other hazards. ‘Talk to Ten-  early fall, OME will also host NYC   cellar”  inspection  days  in  buildings
            ants can support their neighbors, bet-  ants’ is about reminding renters that   101 workshops for New Yorkers in-  where tenants have organized.
            ter building conditions and responsi-  they  have  the  right  to  a  safe,  clean   terested in learning how tenant or-
            ble  preservation  deals  and  owners.   and well-maintained home—and the   ganizing works, how to build tenant   NYC 101
            Thanks to outreach by OME, MOPT   right to organize with their neighbors   unions and how collective action can   DATES AND LOCATIONS:
            and volunteers across the city, we’ll   to  demand  it,”  said  Commissioner   improve conditions in their buildings.  • August 12   : Lower Manhattan
            ensure  that  many  more  New  York-  for the Office of Mass Engagement   Since taking office, Mayor Mam-  • August 19   : Prospect Heights
            ers  know  their  rights  and  how  the   Tascha  Van  Auken.  “Change  often   dani has made tenant organizing and
            City can help protect their homes,”   begins with a conversation between   tenant power central to his adminis-  • September 16 : Flatbush
            said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for   neighbors. By knocking on doors and   tration’s housing agenda. The admin-  • September 24 : East Harlem
            Housing and Planning.             connecting  tenants  with  organizing   istration  has  revitalized  the  Mayor’s   • September 30 : Washington Heights
                “From  a  next-door  neighbor   resources, we’re helping New York-  Office  to  Protect  Tenants,  convened

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