Bernadette has lived on the same bloc for 62 years. She lives with her son and grandson and is disabled. Her landlord, Dawn Ruffino, wants to evict Bernadette and her family to renovate the apartment and rent it out at a higher price to affluent newcomers. Bernadette knows Dawn personally and the threat of eviction feels like a cruel stab in the back.
Bernadette's roots are in this neighborhood, Carroll Gardens, and she has no desire to leave. New York City is in a serious affordable housing crisis, with rampant gentrification and skyrocketing rents displacing long-time New Yorkers from their homes and communities. The elderly and disabled are particularly affected and vulnerabe. Because there is a desperate lack of senior and affordable housing in the city, waitlists are long, turnover is slow, and families who get evicted get pushed out of the city or into the homeless shelter system because they have nowhere to go. In recent years, homelessness in New York City has reached the highest levels since the Great Depression of the 1930s, with over 60,000 homeless people today.
We believe Bernadette and her family deserve to stay in their home and community. Eviction would be extremely traumatic and could have dire consequences. Housing is a human right! Dawn Ruffino, drop the eviction!
Dear Dawn Ruffino,We are writing to you, as a community, to express our deep concern and shock at your intention of evicting a long-time community member, Bernadette Polemeni, who is elderly and disabled, from her home, where she resides with her son and grandson.Bernadette has lived on the same bloc for 62 years and has deep roots in the community. Her support network is here and she has nowhere else to go. Eviction causes extreme stress and trauma to seniors and, in some cases, can even lead to death. The distressing threat of eviction has already aggravated Bernadette’s disability and health.It is our understanding that you have known Bernadette your whole life and that she has been a maternal figure for you, raising you like her own child. We find it shameful and heartless that this is how you would treat someone who is an extension of your family.We will not stand by quietly while elders get displaced from their homes and uprooted from our community. We will not stand by and contemplate the potential devastating consequences of her eviction. We urge you to drop the eviction and to let Bernadette, her son Jo, and grandson Max, stay in their home. Evict greed from your heart! Sincerely,The Southwest Brooklyn Tenant Union and undersigned
Update #36 years ago
Thank you all - it meant the world to Bernadette to see your support and read your passionate comments. We sent the 100+ signatures to her landlord last month. We were not able to stop the eviction, but did negotiate a more favorable deal for Bernadette and her family in Court. They are still devastated that they have to leave their beloved home and long-time community. They have until the end of September to find a new home. If you have ANY leads, or can offer any support, please let us know!
Update #26 years ago
We have hit our goal of collecting 100 signatures and are about to mail the petition to Dawn Ruffino! Thank you all so much for your support.
Bernadette's Housing Court date is 9 am on Friday June 9th at 141 Livingston Street in Brooklyn. It would be so powerful to have a crew of people come with her in solidarity. If you are interested in joining the squad, please e-mail the Southwest Brooklyn Tenant Union at swbtu11231@gmail.com.
THANK YOU!
Update #16 years ago
Thank you to all for signing, we are only 8 signatures short of our 100 goal! Can you help us reach our goal by tomorrow? Bernadette's Housing Court date is coming up fast and we want to make sure her landlord receives the petition before, so we will be mailing the letter tomorrow. Help us out by sharing the petition with friends!
