Sad news: Helen Merber has died

The Central Park Gardens Tenants' Association mourns the loss of our founding member and friend 

HELEN MERBER

Helen died on April 6, 2025 after a long illness.  She and her then-husband Ivan Merber, with Jerry Nadler (now our Congressman) and Community Free Democrats (now part of West Side Democrats) were founding members of our tenant association. 

Professionally, Helen was an actor - an extra in crowd scenes - and a singer in the "Broadway at the Y" chorus of the 92nd Street Y.  

Always active, she served our tenant association in official and unofficial capacities as an officer, a board member, a floor captain, and signing people in at our pot luck parties. 

We offer our condolences to her son Alec, his wife Anastasia, and their extended family. 

A memorial will be held in May, with further details to come. 

Over 90 Attendees at a Wonderful Mayoral Panel

The Community Room was packed as mayoral candidates (in alphabetical order) 

• Council Speaker Adrienne Adams
• Former Chair of the NYS Assembly's Mitchell-Lama subcommittee and member of the Obama administration Michael Blake
• Comptroller (and former Council Member) Brad Lander
• NYS Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani and
• Former Comptroller, Manhattan Borough President , and Assemblymember Scott Stringer

answered questions about affordable housing, retiree Medicare, NY as a sanctuary city, and more.  There was a lot of camaraderie among them, and several echoed each other's policies with additional ideas of their own. 

All the candidates supported a rent freeze by the Rent Guidelines Board this June for rent stabilized apartments, given the 12% increase in landlord incomes reported on March 27, 2025 by the Rent Guidelines Board. (Scott Stringer, Brad Lander, and Adrienne Adams had an unspecified "caveat.")  All supported funding more lawyers to represent tenants in Housing Court. 

All were concerned about the $80 million that the Trump administration took back from NYC, and addressed how they would keep the city running despite such cuts. Brad Lander noted that the federal government had paid the $80 million and subsequently withdrew it (without notice).   Details below.

This Thursday: Mayoral Forum in our Community Room

NEW LAW: EVERYONE MUST COMPOST FOOD SCRAPS

Starting April 1, 2025, everyone in NYC has to compost their food scraps.

What should I compost?

All the food scraps that you usually throw in y our kitchen trash should be separated for compost collection.  That includes food as well as greasy paper plates and pizza boxes.  

All plant waste like dead plants or leaves should also be composted. 

Hair and nail clippings too!

What should I NOT compost?

REGULAR GARBE: Pet waste, dead animals, and used cooking oil, medical waste, wrappers, hygiene products, and most other things that didn't grow from the earth. 

RECYCLE SEPARATELY: Paper, softcover books, glass, and plastic go in their regular recycling bins.

Where do I put my compost material?

Store it in a bag in your freezer till you're ready to bring it downstairs to one of the brown bins in the two compactor rooms next to both sets of elevators on the ground floor.   It's ok to use a plastic bag - but not a black one - to store your compost. 

Thurs., April 3 - Hear MAYORAL CANDIDATES on tenant issues!

Tenant Meeting TONIGHT with Councilmember Shaun Abreu

6 PM Tonight : Call to Freeze the Rent

This weekend NYS Tenant Bloc, its sister organization Housing Justice for All, and many other groups were out ALL OVER the city knocking on doors to talk to neighbors for a RENT FREEZE!

There are 2.4 million rent stabilized tenants -- we make New York, New York. And we deserve to stay.

Can you join NY Tenant Bloc for our February 12 6 PM mass call for renters across the city to learn more about how you can join the fight to win a rent freeze?

RSVP NOW