My Nonprofit Reviews

My name is Dennis Rodriguez, senior citizen, resident of NYC, with an underlying health condition. Since September of 2019, I’ve been impacted with the threat of eviction from my residence of 13 years, not rental related but a non-primary tenant of record issue, and although I am family related and shared the apt with the primary tenant of record, the Mgmt office was consistent and persistent in having me vacate within 30 days, a very stressful situation.
After seeking legal counsel, it was still a uphill struggle, the legal bureaucracy is much to detail oriented, having to substantiate my relationship with the primary tenant of record and provide many other documents that situated me in that residence in order to get the approval and support of a judge. The process was tedious and things look so bleak, until a neighbor referred me to PALANTE Harlem.
It was an amazing experience to have met the founder of this vital organization, Ms. Elsia Vazquez, after she heard me out, it was obvious to me of her vast knowledge with landlord/tenant relations. Her no nonsense demeanor and desire to seek justice for those tenants that really cannot fend for themselves. She promptly contacted the Mgmt office to my building, a Goliath of property owners.
Ms. Vázquez was so effective in reaching out to Mgmt, that she managed to get a commitment for a conference call with the top personnel at that office, to discuss my case, which was very helpful, considering that Mgmt had legal counsel as did myself, the meeting was held with that in mind, so that the pending procedure would not be violated. The outcome was favorable in obtaining a rent stabilized lease with a reasonable rent, something that seemed far fetched just months prior to that meeting.
I have no words that can fully express my gratitude, to be relieved of the pressure of vacating my residence via eviction.
Aside from obtaining my apt lease, I can truly say that I got a new lease on life, to visualize a future in decent living conditions without the hassle of uprooting from a place I consider home for the past 13 years, especially in the midst of a historic pandemic.
I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all who read this testimony, to generously support Ms. Elsia Vasquez and PALANTE Harlem, so that this entity can continue to defend those folks that lack financial means to defend themselves from the abuses of unfair landlord practices. PALANTE Harlem, is a life line for those that for some reason or the other, fall through the cracks in this complex legal landlord/ tenant struggle for justice.