East NYers Plan to March Against Tenant Harassment, Tear Down 'Quick Evic' Fliers

EAST NEW YORK, NY — Activists with the Coalition for Community Advancement plan to gather in East New York Saturday morning to protest what they're calling the perpetual harassment of homeowners and tenants; cruel evictions; and displacement that's tearing the neighborhood apart.

There will be a community gathering on Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m., followed by a march to "take down signs promoting home-buyouts and evictions in Cypress Hills/East New York," according to the coalition.

The demonstration, called "East New York is Not For Sale," is sponsored by City Council Member Rafael Espinal, who represents East New York and the surrounding area at City Hall.

"This Saturday homeowners and advocates in Brooklyn are putting unscrupulous speculators on notice," Council Member Espinal said in an email to Patch. "Our community is sick and tired of the unwanted solicitations of our homes. We have been harassed by unwanted and deceptive offers of cash for our homes, received non-stop offers about how we can be 'helped' in selling our property and paying our mortgages.

"It is time to put a stop to these unwanted and devious advances," he said. "These solicitations prey on so many elderly, low-income, and financially strained homeowners who deserve to not only live peacefully in their homes, but also, to receive the support they need to grow and raise their families in our community."

The Coalition for Community Advancement is a grassroots organization working with local elected officials and community members to make sure there is enough affordable housing in the East New York area.

Since the City Council voted to rezone East New York in April, the coalition says it has been working on holding the city accountable for its plans, as well as educating community residents about resources that are available to them to help them preserve their tenant rights.

The coalition is also working on a project to establish a cease and desist zone for the neighborhood. This means that residents of Community Board 5 who are getting constantly harassed to take a buy-out can opt in to a cease and desist letter against brokers and put a sign on their house that says, "Don't Ask me to Sell My House." If a broker violates that request, he could be fined or have his license taken away, according to coalition members.

Some East New York residents say they get as many as 10 texts a day by developers and eviction companies pressuring them to sell their home.

There is a company they say has been advertising a lot in the area called "Quick Evic," that helps landlords evict their "nuisance tenants," according to the company.

The signs that activists will be tearing down on the march are Quick Evic signs, as well as signs for similar companies that have popped up in the neighborhood. They say things like "Tenant Evictions Done Here," or "Need Help Evicting Your Tenant?"

Photo credit: Coalition for Community Advancement