Bronx Park East Community Association Weekly Column

BPECA@Morgans Gove 2015-04-11
Bronx Park East Community Association, aka”B-PECA”, fights for the residents of Allerton & Pelham Parkway. Our next open community meeting will take place Thursday, May 14th at 6:30pm inside CenterLight at 2401 White Plains Road. We meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month.
May 7th: NYC Tenant Rally!

The year of the Tenant is here.
As you may know, the New York State Rent Stabilization laws that protect over 2 million NYC tenants and 1.1 rent regulated apartments, expire this June.
Not only do the rent laws need to be renewed for another 4 years, but they MUST be strengthened.
NYC is more unaffordable than ever.
Thus, why should landlords be able to raise the rent of an apartment by 20% when it becomes vacant after one year of rental? Why should landlords be able to dramatically raise rents to tenants with “preferential rents” without reason or notice?
These are reasons why the rent laws must be strengthened!
Join the Real Rent Reform “R3” coalition, the Alliance for Tenant Power and B-PECA participants on Thursday May 7th at 5pm in Manhattan’s Foley Square for a rally and march across the Brooklyn Bridge to “Save One Million Homes”!
To save one million rent regulated apartments from becoming out of reach for hard working families who are being priced out of this city.
All hands on deck: The time is NOW to fight for Bronx Tenants!
For more info on the rally/march, contact Ava Farkas of the Metropolitan Council on Housing at 212-979-6238 orava@metcouncilonhousing.org.
We invite our Allerton and Pelham Parkway Elected Officials on the city and state level to join us hand-in-hand on May 7th to truly make 2015 the year of the Tenant!

April 25th: Zimmerman Park Event!


Join B-PECA, D.I.G. Farm and NY State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson for a dynamite Earth Day Weekend planting event in Allerton’s Zimmerman Playground!
As was done in Seton Falls Park this past Sunday, DIG and B-PECA will be planting perennials, flowers and herbs at the Olinville Avenue park entrance to beautify “Zim’s”. We will also have food and music to celebrate Earth Day Weekend in fashion!
Meet at Zimmerman Playground, located on Olinville Avenue between Allerton Avenue & Britton Street between 10am and 3pm. Bring clothes and shoes you can get dirty and “DIG” in with!
For info on volunteering, text/call 347-654-7044 or email bxparkeast@gmail.com.

May 19 & June 9: ALBANY


Back to the topic of affordable housing, we invite you to join the Metropolitan Council on Housing and many other tenant advocacy groups as we take a bus to Albany to advocate our elected officials on the need for strengthening the rent laws!
The buses will be leaving from the Bronx on Tuesday May 19 and June 9th and are FREE.
You will also be served a free breakfast and lunch courtesy of the Met Council and their supporters.
To sign up for one or both of the buses to Albany, email bxparkeast@gmail.com or call 347-654-7044 and we will give you all the info.
2015: The Year of the Tenant. Let’s get going!

 
Seton Falls Success!
 
On Sunday April 19th, over 60 volunteers from the Seton Falls Park Coalition, D.I.G. Farm, Starbucks Community Giving and B-PECA all converged on one of the Bronx’s hidden treasures, Seton Falls Park – a spawling 33 acre wooded paradise located in a big valley on East 233rd Street between Crawford and Baychester Avenues.
Event sponsor, Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson greeted the volunteers and visited the various work sites throughout the park. We had an outstanding DJ who played a an eclectic mix of Rock, Country, Hip Hop, Soca, and Salsa music to dancing kids with their swaying parents in-tow. 
The kids painted a beautiful mural at the Stars & Stripes Playground and planted fresh Mint, Oregano, and Thyme. The crowd was also dazzled to an awesome food and cooking demonstration with Chef D’Amour.
This event could not have been a smashing success with out the efforts of; Renee Paterson and Ms. Williams of Seton Falls Coalition; Allison, Margot, Melanie, Mark, Carol, Guy, Tommy, and the great people of D.I.G.Farm; James Vargas and Team B-PECA; and Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson’s family and staff; Helene, Melanie, Hayden, Wilson, and Donna.
Until next time, keep in touch with B-PECA by phone, email or text, or on our facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/bxparkeast
 
Sincerely,

​​
Raphael Schweizer – Co-Founder & Board Chair
Bronx Park East Community Association “B-PECA”
Representing the Pelham Parkway North, Bronxwood & Allerton Neighborhoods of Bronx Community District 11
Phone/Text: 347  –  654  –  7044
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