BY KELLY MARIE MANCUSO
A Ridgewood activist announced Wednesday morning the formation of the Ridgewood Tenants and Neighborhood Association (RTNA), which aims to empower and increase representation for Ridgewood renters.
“We want to foster meaningful dialogue on how to continue making Ridgewood a livable and affordable neighborhood for all residents,” said Henry Cross, one of the group’s co-chairs. “We believe that Ridgewood can retain its rich cultural diversity of its tenants and residents that are low- to moderate-income working people. Everyone is welcome to connect, participate and advocate … around the issues that affect the lives of everyday Ridgewood people.”
The group, co-chaired by Cross and Queens College Professor Stephanie Wakefield, hopes to interact with other civic groups and local elected officials, as well as host town hall meetings and forums to foster an exchange of ideas, concerns and experiences within the neighborhood. According to Cross, the RTNA’s main objective is to “generate a stable but dynamic and participatory neighborhood for all” while helping to “amplify the voice of tenants and residents within a changing neighborhood.”
The RTNA will host its first public forum, titled “Ridgewood: Your Voices, Your Issues,” at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 27, at the Ridgewood Library, located at 2012 Madison St. This event follows a February panel discussion Cross moderated titled “Ridgewood: Preserve, Discover and Redefine” at Topos Bookstore Cafe on Woodward Avenue.
“This forum was a huge success,” Cross said. “It was out of this meeting we decided to officially form the Ridgewood Tenants and Neighborhood Association, to create an organized framework to continue to respond to the challenges posed by the changes coming to Ridgewood.”
Residents and tenants interested in learning more about the RTNA’s events, goals and upcoming agenda can click here or email ridgewoodtenants@gmail.com.
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