The Jungle That Is NYC Real Estate.

yeah i’m really mad about it. what rangel pays a month for 4 apartments is what we pay for two months in ours… and there are three of us up in there. whomp whomp.

Ahh! Congressman Rangel, one of the media-specified Harlem-based, Good-old-boy power brokers that have “represented” (many would say with ample evidence “mis-represented”) that renowned community since he was first selected to replace Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. back in the early 1970’s, of course, refuses to speak about his amassed enrichments. In this case, his four rent-stabilized apartments in the fast-becoming gentrified Harlem community.

Rangel’s silence is just as deafening as when he and the other “power brokers” –including then State Senator and Minority Leader David Paterson– were asked to speak out and act on behalf of the Black United Fund of New York when now disgraced former Governor Eliot Spitzer took over that non-profit in 2003, as then attorney general, for one of his infamous “investigations. (History repeats itself, again.) That investigation, which actually began in November 2002, to this day has not been formally closed (Assurance of Discontinuance issued by the Office of the Attorney General, as was done by Spitzer with the World Jewish Congress). There were no charges ever filed against BUFNY’s executive managers who were suddenly terminated –without cause– by Spitzer’s hand-picked board of five Black Republicans from Long Island (4) and Harlem (1). Then State Senator Paterson –a Democrat like Spitzer– even stated in a meeting in his Harlem office that he would hold public hearings on the Spitzer takeover. Those hearings were never held and when asked recently, as now Governor Paterson, for a meeting and take steps to restore the Black United Fund of New York, he stated, using a spokesperson, the destruction of BUFNY was “not on his watch”.

The Black non-profit institution, whose headquarters was within two blocks of both Rangel’s and Paterson’s residences, was effectively destroyed by 2005 and completely by 2006, even after Spitzer had said the takeover was to help BUFNY “to flourish”. Twenty-five (25) years of pioneering work, history and self-help institution building out of the window and not a word has been uttered about it. Charlie Rangel, David Paterson, David Dinkins (former NYC Mayor), C. Virginia Fields (former Manhattan Borough President) and others were all silent then and remain silent now.

One would think Rangel would be proud to speak of how he has benefited from the “system” that grinds so many of his fellow Harlem residents into oblivion. Rangel’s silence about his fortunes gained is par for the course of a “politician”.

For sure, he took the 5th on this one!

In regards to multiple apartments, Rangel is correct when he says that there are other businesses there. All of them are legit.

Let us not be naïve or so superficial about what the real story is behind the control of a few “rent-stabilized” apartments by a long-time congressman from an exploited community. While living in a “rent-stabilized” apartment is not a crime or “wrongdoing” (Don’t you just love that word that smacks of guiltiness?) on the part of Congressman Charles Rangel, the fact is that Harlem is being gentrified and Black people are getting the very short end of the stick once again with no objections from those who represent them.

Black people in general, and with the exception of the chosen few who have played the political game of “What’s in it for me?” like Rangel, Paterson, Dinkins, Fields, Wright, Perkins, etc., make room for others and are shifted or displaced like cattle on a plantation –at the whim and will of the money holders and lenders– to other pastures to await a new cycle of destruction of their community and institutions.

The silence of Rangel and Paterson on the destruction of the Black United Fund of New York, the continued denial of Alton Maddox of his right to practice law, the continued killing of Black men and women -unarmed, the displacement of Black people out of their communities, and the dismal history of political accomplishments that have not brought benefits to the masses of Black people all speak to the massive failure of Black politicians, with only a few exception, and their disservice of those they are supposed to include in their “representation”.

Have you had enough? Is the silence deafening?

I don’t know whether the landlord can raise them to market rates or if there is a cap, but the fact of the matter is rangel has tied up three extra apartments with below-market rates for however many years. While three families could have been living in them, he was using them as offices and whatever else suited his fancy.

“Black people in general, and with the exception of the chosen few who have played the political game of “What’s in it for me?” like Rangel, Paterson, Dinkins, Fields, Wright, Perkins, etc., make room for others and are shifted or displaced like cattle on a plantation –at the whim and will of the money holders and lenders– to other pastures to await a new cycle of destruction of their community and institutions.

The silence of Rangel and Paterson on the destruction of the Black United Fund of New York, the continued denial of Alton Maddox of his right to practice law, the continued killing of Black men and women -unarmed, the displacement of Black people out of their communities, and the dismal history of political accomplishments that have not brought benefits to the masses of Black people all speak to the massive failure of Black politicians, with only a few exception, and their disservice of those they are supposed to include in their “representation”. ”

This statement is 1,000% true.

However, I’m torn about my allegiance to them. They have done a lot of good for the community.