Independence Plaza North Tenant Association

Let's Stay United!

Nov 05, 2002

What's the best way to divide and weaken tenants? Spread ugly rumors, attack board members, make ridiculous accusations, start a whispering campaign.

Now guess what's happening at IPN, just as IPNTA, by effectively mobilizing the troops to counter a buyout, is proving itself strong enough to make the owners and would-be owners sit up and pay attention:

For starters, there are false accusations that IPNTA board members are "business associates" of real estate mogul Laurence Gluck, the man reportedly under contract to buy our complex and remove it from Mitchell-Lama rent protections.

Then we hear a few people in hallways muttering that IPNTA board members have done nothing for tenants. Right: nothing, except work tirelessly to build a strong organization, warning us for years that a buyout attempt was inevitable, and organizing to prevent it.

There's more: flyers are pasted up accusing IPNTA of "contempt" for senior citizens-even though the IPNTA president will himself be a senior in a few months, and other board members are, or will soon be, in that category. Among other silliness, the flyers demand that IPNTA violate democratic procedures by bypassing elections to appoint a member of some brand new "committee" to a VP position on the board.

Not so strange, perhaps, that this "committee" never existed, let alone approached IPNTA, prior to Mr. Gluck's learning of how powerful IPNTA has become.

For the record:

No IPNTA board member is, or has been, a friend, relative, associate, business partner, or any other relation, of the current owners or Mr. Gluck.

IPNTA does not treat tenants above a specific age as separate or distinct from all other tenants. All tenants, including seniors, juniors, and everyone in between, are now, always have been, and always will be defended and supported by IPNTA.

Anyone -- anyone -- can run for office in the next IPNTA election, just as they could have run -- if they were serious -- in the recently held elections.

So let's ignore the ugly rumors and the crazy "demands." Let's stay united. That's the only way we all win.