Join 596 Acres, Equitable Neighborhoods of the Community Development Project of Urban Justice Center, NYC Council Members Antonio Reynoso and some of the 17 others who wrote this letter to Department of Finance (DOF), and New Yorkers whose places are directly threatened by the tax lien sale on the steps of City Hall to encourage swift action on a new bill introduced this week that will exempt charities from the tax lien sale, and to protect 176 community properties before this Friday’s deadline (moved to June 23 in response to our collective advocacy).
The NYC Department of Finance tax lien sale, slated to take place in August, routinely puts improperly-charged tax, sewer and water debt on charity properties into the hands of private capital. Learn more here and campaign updates here.
Here’s the media advisory:
NEW BILL TO EXEMPT CHARITIES FROM TAX LIEN SALE
RALLY AT CITY HALL FOLLOWING INTRODUCTION OF BILL AND ANNOUNCING OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
Contact: Ben Roussel (212-255-2575 or ben@caminopr.com)
NEW YORK — This week, 2017, a bill will be introduced to exempt charities from the annual tax lien sale, which takes tax, water and sewer debt owed to the City and converts it into liens that are subsequently sold to a designated private trust managed by the Bank of New York Mellon. The bill also stipulates that charities be notified of their right, under state law, to refunds of any taxes paid. On Thursday, June 22, 2017, advocates, community leaders and elected officials will gather on the steps of City Hall to encourage swift action on the bill and to announce other developments. The rally will take place on the eve of the deadline for property owners to pay debt or enter in payment agreements to be removed from this year’s sale.
WHO: Advocates, clergy, community members and elected officials, including:
Councilmember Antonio Reynoso
Public Advocate Letitia James
Muhammed Yasir, Al Muneer Foundation, Queens
Darma Z. Diaz, Overcoming-Love Ministries, Brooklyn
Mara Kravitz, 596 Acres
Paula Z. Segal, Community Development Project at the Urban Justice CenterWHAT: Rally to support bill to exempt charities from tax lien sale
WHEN: Thursday, June 22, 2017 at 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: New York City Hall
There will be signs and other visuals at the event.
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The Community Development Project at Urban Justice Center provides legal, participatory research and policy support to strengthen the work of grassroots and community-based groups in New York City to dismantle racial, economic and social oppression.
596 Acres champions resident stewardship of land to build just and equitable cities. In New York City, the organization builds tools to help neighbors see vacant lots as opportunities and create needed green spaces that become focal points for community organizing and civic engagement. 596 Acres created Living Lots NYC, an interactive tool about vacant land across NYC designed to support organizing and advocacy work.
Can’t make it but still want to protect our places? Great! You can sign and share this petition, share these press stories, help people who run community places in your neighborhood get out of the August sale by Friday’s deadline, and encourage your elected advocates to take a stand! Follow links for instructions.
THANK YOU!
