Rochelle Thompson testifies on predatory landlords and building conditions

Thank you.

Good morning.

Good morning, Chair and members of the City Council.

My name is Rochelle Thompson.

I'm also known as the First Lady of Jazz in Harlem, USA, the continent that I love.

I have lived in my rent-stabilized building for 41 years.

I have stood at this microphone in past years telling you the exact same thing.

And my previous testimonies are on your official record.

Please look them up.

Now I am a senior citizen.

And I'm here to urge this council to protect elders and seniors targeted by predatory landlords trying to force us out or to flip our buildings.

First, we must end the crisis of legal representation.

Seniors face court loans systematically evicted by a simple $15 filing fee and a $5 certificate of mailing.

The stress dangerously spiked my sister's blood pressure, and I was forced to track to the post office in a freezing blizzard on February the 23rd just to mail my papers.

Landlords are continuously allowed to litigate the same exact issues, completely ignoring the valid credit that I have had on my rent since 1992.

Second, leases and income recertifications must renew automatically with mandatory building repair reports.

In the 41 years I have lived in my apartment, I have never seen one.

Third, HPD must have the authority to immediately enter a building, unlock the basement, and fix tampered mixing valves on the spot.

When the code enforcement inspector failed to write up the tampered valves and scaffolding, it was the HPD attorney who actually listened to the truth and typed my testimony in court.

I shouldn't have to run to the fire department just to get help opening the locked basement door.

Finally, I want to expose Judge Leslie A.

Granger and H.

Court, the landlord had three high-priced attorneys stacked against me while I was entirely alone.

Instead of addressing the open class C violations, Judge Granger overstepped her authority and improperly tried to time my repairs to a holdover case.

Before a different judge.

She explicitly told me to file a new HP action, which I did on April 22nd, but when she tried to dismiss my case under the assumption that I had lacked proof, I told her directly I had the pictures ready.

You may conclude.

So when I'm saying she signed a warrant,

For my eviction.

I'm sorry, this is off topic, so I'm going to have to cut it off unless you're speaking about construction safety in particular.

Well, it's part of construction.

Okay, but you're also over time.

Oh, okay.

Just change the laws and protect it.

Okay.

Thank you so much for speaking today.

And just to clarify that I wasn't aiming my remarks at you, but the void that is all of the folks that are calling me.

Thank you.

Yeah, I was going to say, we're the Employers Association.

I mean, maybe on the union side, they're like mobilizing.

I wanted to clarify that too, that we're not telling people to call your office and talk about pipes.

I'm glad we both then clarified.

Thank you all so much, and thank you for your testimony.

We hear you.

It was a theme today about the work that is happening without licenses.

Smaller in smaller work sites.

So thank you for coming and sharing your story.

So you will look up my past testimonies, because this is the fourth time I've been here.

Thank you.

I think this is the first time I'm meeting you, but we will follow up.

Thank you.

Yes, you weren't there, but there were other council people.

Sure, sure.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much for testifying today.

Thank you.

We will now turn to remote testimony.

Once your name is called, a member of our staff will unmute you, and the sergeant at arms will give you the go-ahead to begin.

Please wait for the sergeant to announce that you may begin before delivering your testimony.

Kyle Ems, you may begin when prompted.

You may begin.