Dear Neighbor: #cancelrent


We hope this message finds you healthy and well. We are writing to address what we see as a lack of city, state, and federal support for tenants and landlords alike during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Many of us in the neighborhood have lost significant portions of our income due to the extraordinary events of the last two months, and some of us have lost our incomes entirely. Similarly, because all businesses, aside from those deemed essential, have been forced to shutter, many small businesses are struggling through a significant loss of income. Residential and commercial tenants are not alone in this struggle. The rent burden is shifted from tenants on up to landlords, most of whom face monthly property tax payments and mortgage payments. Neither Governor Cuomo’s eviction moratorium nor the federal stimulus packages fully address the combined challenges of completing rent and mortgage payments under the shelter in place order. The city and state have left us to resolve these tensions amongst ourselves, placing undue stress on the relationships between tenants and landlords. We urge you to realize that we face this challenge together. As tenants and landlords, our combined voices are stronger than our individual voices. 

There are several bills in the state senate and in the U.S. congress that propose solutions to the challenge faced by tenants and landlords. But these bills are not receiving attention proportionate to the severity of this crisis. Leading up to May 1 and afterwards, we want to use our collective voices to call our city, state, and federal representatives into action. Because it is unsafe to assemble in public spaces, we are reaching out to tenants across the city in a call to hang signs out of their windows and banners from their buildings. Join us! Let your neighbors know they are not alone. Flip this over and hang it in your window, or make a banner of your own. 

If you have questions or want to help spread this call, please do not hesitate to reach out. Email us at aad.nyc@riseup.net.

For further resources, check out bit.ly/RentStrikeNY

Thank you !

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Single-sided letter PDF
Double-sided letter PDF
Cancel Rent graphics
Cancel Rent action sheet
Housing Justice For All

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