DRAFT CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS

529 WEST 29TH STREET TENANTS’ ASSOCIATION

Article I

General Provisions

1.1 Name: The name of the organization shall be the 529 West
29th Street Tenants’ Association, AKA, 529 West 29.

1.2 Purpose and Powers: The 529 West 29 is hereby formed to

promote the interests of and the common good for all the resi-
dents of 529 West 29th Street. It will work to protect the
rights of tenants, help provide for a safe and enjoyable living
environment, to ascertain that the building is properly main-
tained and in accordance with applicable housing codes and regu-
lations, to insure that rents and rent increases are assessed in
accordance with HUD Section 8 and New York State Rent Stabiliza-
tion guidelines and to resolve, if possible, any issue that af-
fects the residents of 529 West 29th Street.

This Constitution & By-Laws shall be adopted by the 529 West 29

upon a majority vote of the Membership.

Article II

Membership

2.1 Eligibility for Membership: All tenants identified on the

lease and over the age of eighteen (18) shall be eligible for
membership in the 529 West 29. Membership shall be granted upon
request, terminated upon request of each eligible individual.

2.2 Voting by Members: Members shall have one vote each which
shall be cast according to the provisions of the Constitution
and By-Laws.

2.3 Meetings: The 529 West 29 shall meet once every other
month, preferably on the second Monday, at a time and location
selected by the presiding officer or the Executive Committee.
The presiding officer or the Executive Committee may also post-
pone meetings of the 529 West 29 if deemed necessary.

2.4 Attendance at 529 West 29 Meetings: Any legal tenant of 529

West 29th Street may attend the tenants’ association meetings.

2.5 Special Meetings: Special Meetings of the 529 West 29 shall

be held upon the call of the Executive Committee or one-third of
the voting members present and voting at the time of such deci-
sion. At least one day’s notice shall be given of any special
meeting of the 529 West 29.

2.6 Voting Procedures: All actions to be taken and presented to

the Membership by the Executive Committee of the 529 West 29
shall be voted upon and passed by a majority of those present
and voting unless otherwise specified. No person shall have
more than one vote in the 529 West 29. Members may vote on any
issue at any meeting with the exception of the election of Offi-
cers, the recall of officers, and the amendment of the Constitu-
tion and By-Laws for which a member must have attended at least
two (2) Membership Meetings in the calendar year.

2.7 Officers of the 529 West 29: The 529 West 29 shall elect
the following officers to conduct its meetings and represent the
529 West 29 as directed by Membership: The slates of President
and Vice-President. The officers shall be elected by a majority
of the eligible members present and voting at the time of the
election, which shall be the first meeting of each year. In the
event a member is out of town or unavailable at the time of vot-
ing due to professional obligations they may cast an absentee
ballot or proxy vote delivered to the Front Desk up to 1/2 Hour
prior to the commencement of vote tallying. The absentee ballot
shall be enclosed in a sealed envelope with the Members name,
signature and apartment number printed on the front of the enve-
lope. In the case of a proxy vote any legal resident of 529
West 29th Street may submit a proxy ballot for a member unavail-
able to vote. The proxy ballot shall be enclosed in a sealed
envelope with the members name, signature and apartment number
printed on the front of the envelope. The proxy voter shall
also identify themselves in a like manner but also further des-
ignate that they are the proxy. Finally, a member who intends
to cast an absentee ballot or proxy vote shall notify the Elec-
tion Committee Chair no less than 24 Hours prior to the day of
voting. The previous term’s officers shall hold office and the
duties thereof until replaced by the newly elected officers.
The President shall not vote in the General Elections but only
be entitled to one vote to be cast only in the case of a dead-
lock in voting. If the President is unavailable then the Vice-
President shall fulfill that role. Only those members may vote
who have attended at least two (2) Membership Meetings in the
calendar year.

2.8 Length of Service: The President and Vice-President shall

serve for a maximum of two (2) years from the point of election.

2.9 Recall of an Officer: The Executive Committee can recommend

the recall of an officer to the Membership. Likewise, any mem-
ber may request that the Executive Committee institute a vote of
recall against a particular officer. The Executive Committee
will notify the officer in question in writing in a verifiable
manner as to the reasons for the proposed recall. This will be
done immediately following the Executive Committee meeting and
at least one week prior to the next General Meeting at which the
motion of recall is to be made. The motion will be discussed at
the next two bi-monthly membership meetings or a combination of
a Special Meeting called at the will of the Executive Committee
or the will of the Membership. A vote on the motion will be
taken only at the close of that second period of discussion.
The motion must be passed by two-thirds of the eligible members
present and voting. No members may vote unless they have at-
tended two (2) meetings in the calendar year. Any proposed re-
call of an officer must be disseminated to the membership prior
to the first discussion. (The office, but not the name of the
individual, may be identified in such dissemination) Verifiable
notification of the outcome of the vote will then be sent to the
officer in question.

2.10 Standing Committees: There shall exist the following

Standing Committees of the 529 West 29:

Building Operations Committee: which shall be responsible for

pursuing solutions to tenants’ problems in the areas of Mainte-
nance of both personal and community space.

Security Committee: which shall be responsible for pursuing so-

lutions problems relative to security within 529 West 29th
Street which tenants cannot solve.

Rent Committee: which shall be responsible for pursuing answers

to problems relative to rent and recertification which residents
cannot solve.
Engagement Committee: which shall be responsible for promoting
events for all 529 West 29th Street tenants for the express pur-
pose of encouraging tenant interaction and fun.

Changes in areas of responsibility described in this paragraph,

and guidelines under which each Standing Committee operates,
shall be in accordance with the instructions and/or approval of
the Executive Committee.

Members of each Standing Committee shall be appointed by the

President from the members of the 529 West 29. The President or
his/her representative shall call the first meeting of each
Standing Committee, at which time a Chairperson and Vice-Chair-
person shall be elected by each new Committee. The election of
the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson shall be subject to the ap-
proval of the membership. The Vice-Chairperson shall act as a
Chairperson at the request of or in the absence of the Chairper-
son. The President of the 529 West 29 shall be an ex-officio
member of all Standing Committees and Special Committees except
the Nominating Committee.

2.11 Special Committee: The membership is empowered to appoint

and dissolve Special Committees as it deems necessary along with
defining their composition and areas of responsibility, as well
as giving them special instructions and charging them from time
to time. A Special Committee shall be proposed at any 529 West
29 Membership Meeting and approved by a two-thirds vote of eli-
gible members present at the following scheduled Membership
Meeting. Members must have attended at least two (2) Membership
Meetings in the calendar year. The procedure for selecting mem-
bers and the Chairperson of each Special Committee shall be the
same as used for Standing Committees.

ARTICLE III

Executive Committee

3.1 Composition: The Executive Committee shall consist of the

elected officers of the 529 West 29, the appointed positions
designated by the President and Vice-President, the Chairperson
of each Standing Committee and the Immediate Past President as
an ex-officio voting member. The Vice-President shall be empow-
ered to act in place of the President when necessary.
3.2 Powers: The Executive Committee shall be the administrative
body of the 529 West 29, while still responsible to the full 529
West 29 membership. Issues of concern to the membership of the
529 West 29 shall be referred to the membership at the bi-month-
ly meetings by the Executive Committee accompanied by its recom-
mendations.

3.3 Length of Service: All members of the Executive Committee

shall serve a maximum of two (2) years from the time of election
of the President and Vice-President and run concurrently. All
members of Standing Committees and Special Committees shall
serve no more than the length of service of the President and
Vice-President whom appointed them.

3.4 Recall: Any Committee Chairperson shall be subject to re-

call by two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee present and
voting. The request for a vote of a recall shall be presented
to the Executive Committee at least one meeting prior to the in-
tended voting. Recall of a Chairperson is subject to two-thirds
approval by the Membership.

3.5 Meetings: The Executive Committee shall meet at least once

each month. An emergency meeting may be called by any two mem-
bers of the Executive Committee with a minimum of 24 hours no-
tice to each committee member.

3.6 Quorum and Voting Requirements: The Executive Committee

shall take no action unless a quorum is present. A quorum shall
consist of one-third of the members of that committee. All ac-
tions of the Executive Committee shall be upon a majority of
those present and voting. Each member of the Executive Commit-
tee shall have only one vote.

3.7 Special Committee: The Executive Committee shall be empow-

ered to appoint, instruct and dissolve such special committees
as it considers appropriate.
 ARTICLE IV

Amendment

4.1 This Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by a motion

proposed at one membership meeting. The motion will be dis-
cussed at the next two membership meetings. A vote on the mo-
tion will be taken only at the close of that second period of
discussion. The motion must be passed by two-thirds of the eli-
gible members present and voting. No members may vote on the
motion unless they have attended two membership meetings in the
previous twelve (12) months. Any proposed amendment must be
disseminated to the tenant body prior to the first discussion.