Independence Plaza North Tenant Association

President's Message -- Citizens of the Year, IPNTA Elections

Aug 15, 2002

We thank all of you who turned out for the second annual "We ARE Tribeca! Party. Some 200 people were there, and folks had a great time. Thanks too to the hardworking volunteers who sold the tickets, set up the event, and made it a great success. (See winners of Tribeca Citizens of the Year awards in separate article.) Space does not permit naming all the many public officials, local business owners and Tribeca notables who were there, but clearly we are on our way to establishing both the event and the Citizen of the Year award as Tribeca institutions-and IPNTA as an important force.

As I write, on July 19th, we are about to have our annual election. I don't know whether it will be contested. The board decided to run as a slate. Here is why we made that decision. We have established a strong tenant organization over the past two years. We have money in the bank, a committed group of floor captains and volunteers, and a management structure that works. We have succeeded thus far because most - not all -- IPN residents understand that we are working towards the only goal that counts, namely, a safe, clean, and affordable IPN. We have our disagreements, but the board members trust each other.

The best way we can vindicate your trust in us is to make sure the board stays on track. This only comes from working together over a period of time. Some folks are well intentioned but they just don't have the time they thought they had. Others have IPN sincerely in mind, but also may have other obligations that get in the way. With these considerations very much in mind, the people listed on page 4 have agreed to accept nominations to the board. Those of us who are already on the board endorse them, we thank them for stepping up, and we ask you to support them and continue to support us.

There are many rumors abroad that IPN has been
sold or is about to be sold. We have no evidence that this is the case -- or that it isn't. We remain convinced, however, that despite what they say, the current owners, Duane St. Associates, will opt out of the Mitchell-Lama program. We have asked them to meet with us to discuss alternatives to the typical opt out scenario: much litigation, bitterness, and a bad outcome from the tenant point of view. Those of you who attended a recent tenant meeting and listened to our real estate finance presentation know that we understand the owners' economic interests. These interests can be satisfied outside of the "greedy landlord-crazy tenants" charges that go back and forth in typical cases.

Regrettably, Duane Street Associates declines to discuss these issues with us. Please understand that the executive board thinks of little else. We have a strategy. When we receive the opt out notice, we will tell you what we know and will pursue it. Meanwhile, be assured that a sale of IPN cannot occur without our learning of it, and that a new owner will be in no better legal position than is Duane St. Associates.

Finally, the executive board expresses its gratitude for the service of Dorothy Drayton and Paul Glass whose hard work and dedication to IPN tenants is deeply appreciated. We accept their resignations with regret. Both Paul and Dorothy now serve on Community Board 1. Each has told us that they remain committed to our cause - everyone's cause. They stand ready to help us when called upon. --Neil Fabricant