Housing Notebook

Mon, Jan 5, 2026 20:00 PM

Info

Hosts: Scott Sommer and Vajra Kilgour

Topics:

Topics of general interest to tenants, and specifically the struggles and organizing work of Pinnacle tenants -

Synopsis:

On his first day in office, Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited a building owned by Pinnacle Grouip, which has filed for bankruptcy after racking up thousands of violations in buildings it owns. Pinnacle tenants will join Vajra Kilgour to bring us up to date and talk about their hopes for the future.

Housing Notebook is a production of the Metropolitan Council on Housing, New York's oldest citywide tenant union.

Guests:

Vivian Kuo and Josie Wells, Pinnacle tenants and organizers -

Playlist:

Info / Links:

Met Council hotline: normally 212-979-0611, M & W 1:30-8 PM, F 1:30-5 PM; metcouncilonhousing.org, thetenant.org; info@metcouncilonhousing.org; Facebook & Instagram: search for Met Council on Housing; email: housingnotebook@wbai.org – no housing problems please! X: @met_council, @wbai.org, @scottmsommer (also on threads & bluesky); wbai.org – live stream, find archive, join radio station there or go to buddy.wbai.org to become a WBAI buddy or make a one-time donation – be sure to scroll down to choose Housing Notebook as the show you want to support! Or call 833-922-4692 - leave a message with your phone number if no one picks up, and they'll call you back. Mail a check made out to WBAI-Pacifica to WBAI Radio, 388 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn NY 11217.
Walk-in clinics will start up again in February; for all Met Council events, including trainings for hotline volunteers, workshops, and meetings about basic rights, check the calendar here.
to get in touch with Pinnacle tenants: pinnacletenants.org; instagram: @pinnacletenants; email: pinnacletenantsnyc@gmail.com.
Heat and hot water: from 6am to 10pm, when the outside temperature is below 55 degrees the inside temperature must be 68 degrees; from 10pm to 6am, the inside temperature must be at least 62 degrees. Hot water must be 120 degrees at the tap at all times. For more information, click here.
New rent guidelines: for leases starting 10/1/25 in New York City: for apartments and lofts, 3 percent for a 1-year lease, 4 1/2 percent for a 2-year lease; class A & B hotels, lodging houses, rooming houses, & SROs: 0 percent - find more detailed info here. Kingston: 0 and 0; Westchester 2% for 1 year, 3% for 2 years; Rockland County 5% for 1 year, 6% for 2 years; Nassau 2% for one year, 3% for 2 years. For more information about developments in Kingston and Poughkeepsie, contact For the Many: email info@forthemany.org or call 845-481-0703.

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