050-11-CARSANWLN01 study help - RSA NetWitness Logs & Network Administrator Updated: 2024

The Rent Stabilization Association (RSA) is New York’s largest trade association representing the policy interests and priorities of thousands of apartment building owners and managers of all sizes. Because the issues facing apartment buildings also impact other multifamily buildings, RSA members also include co-ops and condos. The overwhelming majority of their membership is rent-stabilized buildings, which provide most of the affordable housing options in the NYC metropolitan area. RSA provides compliance services, lobbies in Albany and at City Hall and has research, legal and communications professionals as well. 

Since the end of the worst of the COVID pandemic and the sunsetting of rent support government programs, there has been a steady drumbeat of alarms from tenant activists and some public officials about an “eviction tsunami.” In response to these claims, which have been informing some housing policy discussions, the real estate newsletter BROOKLYN SPACE (sponsored by the Brooklyn Eagle) heard from RSA about a research project their General Counsel undertook to look at Housing Court data from throughout New York City. We spoke with RSA’s Communications Director about the numbers and their policy suggestions for addressing Housing Court backlogs.

BKLYN SPACE: There’s a lot to unpack here, but what’s the topline executive summary explanation of what RSA’s General Counsel found in looking at Housing Court data?

RSA: The data doesn’t support the rhetoric coming from some corners of New York’s policy conversations. In fact, the numbers show significant decreases in evictions everywhere in New York City. This is all publicly available information. There’s also a misunderstanding about Housing Court. While some call it “Eviction Court” the truth is more complicated. The Housing Court is where problems are solved, where the parties can meet — sometimes for the first time, where settlements are reached and where tenants in economic distress can be connected with government programs and social services. Mislabeling Housing Court and mispresenting what goes on there does a disservice to the judiciary, who endeavor to ensure that litigants are heard properly and that tenants are given every opportunity to make their case and be connected with services and settlements.

BKLYN SPACE: What period of time and what courts were looked at? provide specifics, because if you’re saying you can refute rhetoric with data, you need to be detailed.

RSA: Our General Counsel, who did all this work, reviewed every Housing Court filing resulting in eviction from Jan. 2022 to June 2022 in all five boroughs, and also eviction data publicly available through April 2023. This may be the only non-governmental analysis of its kind, likely because this is very difficult to compile and analyze. 

Research findings are these:

• 75% decrease in evictions citywide in 2022 as compared to 2019.
• 48% decrease in evictions citywide from January to April 2023 as compared to 2019.
• The average duration of cases resulting in eviction January to June 2022: nearly two years (20.4 months).
• Average rent arrears of $10,889.62 at the commencement of a case accumulated to $37,516.95 in arrears due at the time of resolution for cases resulting in eviction Jan-June 2022.
• From January to June 2022, 54% of evictions were defaults in which the tenant never appeared, even post-eviction. These were likely already empty apartments that required the owner to get a judgment to reclaim possession.

BKLYN SPACE: So then what should policymakers and advocates be looking at? Housing Court filings or the numbers RSA is presenting?

RSA: For sure not just filings. Filings will always be a bigger number and always tell a skewed story because filings are just the start of a very lengthy process which, at every step of the way, has opportunities for tenants and owners to settle and reach an accommodation. Many filings are abandoned with no further action taken by landlords as arrears are resolved shortly after the tenant is served with papers, which is why Housing Court cases are so important as when parties productively engage with each other. The number that’s more telling is what RSA is talking about — real evictions. And those are way down. 

Nonpayment proceedings are designed to get owners and tenants into the courtroom to settle disputes and, as indicated by the real number of evictions, effectively achieves its purpose. Remember, rent is income for buildings needed to pay bills. Rent is income to pay property taxes, heating, insurance, maintenance, building staff and to comply with city mandates. Everybody benefits when Housing Court works, which is why RSA will continue to track this data.

BKLYN SPACE: Data helps inform policy, right? What policies are supported by this data? What does going forward look like, from the perspective of building owners?

RSA: Three suggestions. The first a bit involved, the other two more straightforward. 

First — The Housing Court should be working more effectively, considering that the City of New York allocates millions of dollars to its “Right to Counsel” program to provide tenants with legal representation in the Housing Courts. This budget item is regularly increased, but Legal Aid – the beneficiary of most of these funds – claims it does not have adequate numbers of attorneys, which it attributes to a backlog of cases waiting to be heard. Moreover, a report issued by the Office of Court Administration (OCA) in August 2023 recommends that one full-time experienced attorney should only be assigned 48 cases per year. 

Instead of false cries of an eviction crisis, elected officials should amend the law that provides the Assigned Counsel Plan (also referred to as 18B Panel attorneys) to allow the Housing Court to hire and compensate private attorneys as it long has in the Criminal and Family Courts for criminal and family legal proceedings. While legal services for housing issues aren’t currently covered under this program, the stroke of a pen could enable the creation of an 18B Panel for tenant-owner matters. These private attorneys, who would be screened for experience in Housing Court matters, would supplement the work currently being done by Legal Aid and other long-established non-profit legal assistance providers. Housing Court works when it works, so let’s get it working! More gets done and more gets settled when tenants have lawyers. 

BKLYN SPACE: And the other two?

RSA: The New York State Legislature needs to increase the minimum level of judges, court attorneys, clerks, and other support staff, to ensure that the Housing Court catches up with the case backlog and operates at an efficient level moving forward. Reports issued before the pandemic by OCA and the New York City Bar Association have already called for the number of housing court judges in all of New York City to be increased from 50 (a level it has remained at for over 25 years) to 60, and that was in 2018-2019, prior to pandemic. 

And last, but certainly not least, the City should restore NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) “satellite” offices in Housing Court, which existed prior to COVID. HRA is an important source and coordinator of assistance for tenants in economic distress. Other agencies should also be regularly present in the courthouse. Direct access to agency staff in the courthouse while all parties are present would both speed up and increase efficiency of application for, and delivery of, needed aid. 

Without social service providers and agencies present in the courthouses, tenants must make multiple appearances on separate days in housing court, at a legal service provider’s office, and at social service agencies – all of which present difficult scheduling challenges. Housing all of these services in Housing Courts, where judges can appoint qualified 18B counsel on the spot and connect tenants with an in-house HRA office to apply for assistance all on the same day, would be an enormous benefit to tenants and owners. 

BKLYN SPACE: Looking at this from the tenant perspective and considering what tenant lawyers and activists are saying, aren’t their concerns also valid? Yours is just one perspective here. 

RSA: Disagreements, whether ideological or in the courts or in the legislature, have their place. Some activists insist that “rent is theft,” which is a pretty radical position that ignores foundational economic realities but makes for catchy protest signs. Annual deliberations at the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB), which sets increases for stabilized leases citywide, are always contentious. The City Council and State Legislature are always debating legislation that impacts housing. 

But on this point — saying that something critical and immediate is happening in the courts when it’s not — that sort of misrepresentation clouds the ability to have reasonable disagreements at the RGB, in legislatures, and in the public space. That’s why this data we’re talking about is so important.

BKLYN SPACE: Our full title is BROOKLYN SPACE – For Living, Working and Investing. We have a rapidly growing readership in a broad cross-section of people who recognize the value of space in making this city work. We hope this is a good place to have this conversation. Any last remarks or thoughts RSA would like to share?

RSA: Rhetoric is easy. The work of providing affordable housing in New York City is hard. The Housing Court is where problems are solved. Owners are in the business of providing housing and collecting rent to meet bills, not evicting people. We need to be talking about policy, not politics. Tenants and owners alike need Housing Court to work. There is no eviction crisis and no coming eviction tsunami. Instead, what we have is a proven decrease in evictions and policy suggestions to help keep it that way. 

Mostly, we’re thankful for the opportunity to have this talk in your newsletter. Thank you. 

BKLYN SPACE: We’ll be sure to pass along feedback we get. 

RSA: Looking forward to it.

In a relaxed environment, these student-led, question and answer sessions provide you with encouragement and support while permitting you to come and go as needed. Remember, all ASC services are free!

Please check with individual departments for up-to-date drop-in group help/study session offerings. Additional information will be available shortly after the start of each semester.

They say that there's no sense in crying over spilled milk. But what do they know? Crying can get you another glass of milk if you do it loud enough. Plus, crying may serve a real physiologic purpose, according to a study published recently in Emotion, meaning the journal and not in an Emo-kind of way.

For the study, three researchers from the University of Queensland (Leah S. Sharman, Genevieve A. Dingle, and Eric J. Vanman) and one from Tilberg University (Ad J. J. M. Vingerhoets) recruited 197 female undergraduate students. They said that they choose all women rather than including men because pilot testing of sad videos had revealed that more women than men cried or at least more women revealed that they were crying. This did not account for the men who cried inside or used some bro-language or high fives to hide the crying.

The research team then showed each of the study participants either a video that are supposed to make them feel sad (sad videos) or a video that was not supposed to elicit any emotion (neutral videos) like something from a documentary or a ted talk. Each video lasted for close to 18 minutes. After the video, the researchers noted whether or not each participant had cried while watching the video. Ultimately, 65 participants watched the neutral video, 71 watched the sad video and cried during it, and 61 watched the sad video and did not cry. Presumably, no one cried during the neutral video. But then again, actor Bryce Dallas Howard was able to cry when Conan O'Brien talked about Home Depot in this Conan clip:

Then, each participant underwent a Cold Pressor Stress Test (CPT), which involved placing the participant's left hand, up to the wrist, in cold 0° to 5°C water. Unless you are the Iceman or Killer Frost, this is supposed to be painful. The research team measured how long each participant could stay in this position until pulling her hand out of the water. During the study, the research team continuously measured each participant's heart rate and respiratory rate and periodically measured cortisol levels from saliva samples. Cortisol is a stress-hormone that's produced by the body.

Also, at four points during the study, participants answered questions from the Positive and Negative Affect Scale short form (PANAS). These questions asked the degree to which the participant was experiencing ten different emotions and to rank each on a five-point scale that ranged from a one (very slightly or not at all) to a five (extremely).

When it came to cortisol levels and how long the participants could keep their hands submerged in the cold water, the study ended up finding not much difference between the neutral video watchers, the sad video non-criers, and the sad video criers. So if you are about to dunk yourself in cold water or take a cold shower, it may not help to cry first.

But here's a difference that the study found. Are you ready? Take a deep breath. The difference was breathing rates. While watching the videos, the non-criers tended to have elevations in their breathing rates, whereas, by contrast, the criers tended to maintain their initial breathing rates. In other words, tearing up could have helped participants better control their breathing rates. This provides further evidence that crying may help you better regulate arousal, serving as an emotional release.

Another interesting finding was that right before crying, participants tended to experience decreases in their heart rates, seemingly in anticipation of the crying. Once the crying began, their heart rates then tended to creep back up but not above where their heart rates had been before everything began. This may be further evidence that crying has a beneficial regulatory effect on your physiology.

So perhaps next time you start crying you can tell people that you are regulating your physiology. You've probably heard of people saying that they had a good cry and feel better after they've let the tears flow. It can be important to find reasonable ways to periodically release your emotions. Otherwise, you may end up bottling everything up like a hot air balloon that can explode when you least expect it.

Moreover, crying can be a way of communicating. It's really the only way that babies can express their needs before they learn how to say things like "why you throwing shade on me," or "I'm not Gucci." Crying can help communicate to others that you need more sympathy, comfort, or help. Of course, this can be misused. You don't want to cry every time your order at a restaurant doesn't come out right. And of course, there is the whole concept of crocodile tears: people crying to get something when they don't really mean it.

Crying can also be a way of communicating with yourself. Even when you cry alone, you may be telling yourself about your own state because, like many people, you could be terrible at reading your own emotions and situation. Tears could be your body's way of saying, "hey, take a break," or "something's not right," or "take care of yourself." Tearing up can then be a way of your body literally crying out to you.

Your body is a complex system. Crying can be complex. Your tears can flow when you are very sad, very angry, or even very happy. Better understanding what causes us to cry and what happens as a result could help us better handle our emotions and stress.

A new study suggests getting that cute dog in one's more mature years might be a good idea after all. 

Researchers from the Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, found that pet ownership can be associated with slower rates of developing dementia. 

The study, published on Tuesday in JAMA Network Open, determined that owning a pet made a difference in verbal memory and fluency among adults who lived alone.

NEW STUDY SHOWS THE EFFECT OWNING PETS HAS ON OWNERS' BRAINS

The study's author, professor Ciyong Lu, said in the study that slower rates of declining verbal memory and fluency were seen in those who lived alone — but not in those who lived with others.

"Pet ownership offset the associations between living alone and declining rates [of] verbal memory and verbal fluency," he said. 

The research involved more than 7,900 participants over the age of 50, with roughly 35% of them owning pets and 27% of them living alone.

In the study, Lu said that those living alone with a pet showed slower rates of developing signs of dementia.

DOG OWNER GOOD NEWS: PETTING YOUR DOG MAY LEAD TO STRONGER MEMORY AND BETTER PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS

"These findings suggest that pet ownership may be associated with slower cognitive decline among older adults living alone," he said.

"Contrary to living alone," the authors also wrote, "pet ownership (for example, raising dogs and cats) is related to reduced loneliness, an important risk factor for dementia and cognitive decline."

Lu said that clinical trials will be necessary in order to confirm the study's findings.

Currently, more than 55 million people worldwide have dementia — with nearly 10 million new cases each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 

EATING ONE POPULAR FRUIT COULD HELP REDUCE YOUR CHANCES OF DEVELOPING DEMENTIA, STUDY FINDS

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, which is currently the 7th leading cause of death, the WHO also notes. 

Early symptoms of dementia include forgetfulness, being confused, losing track of time, misjudging distances, feeling anxious, personality changes, inappropriate behavior and more.

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There is currently no cure for dementia or for someone developing signs of dementia, but the WHO suggests that staying active and continuing to stimulate the brain may help.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Lu for further comment. 

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.

Fact checked by Nick Blackmer

• New research found that light therapy may be useful in reducing sleep issues and psychobehavioral symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

• Experts note that people doing light therapy should aim for 2–3 sessions per week, with each session ranging from 10–30 minutes.

• More research is needed for clinical certainty regarding light therapy and Alzheimer’s disease, though it could be a valuable, complementary approach to treating the condition in years to come.

Light therapy could be a useful tool to ease Alzheimer’s symptoms, a new study finds.

Previous research has found that 90% of people living with Alzheimer’s experience psychobehavioral symptoms, and 70% of people living with Alzheimer’s experience sleep disorders.

“These often disruptive symptoms are the primary reasons for placement in a care facility, and for increases in caregiver burden and distress,” Claire Sexton, DPhil, senior director of scientific programs and outreach at the Alzheimer’s Association, told Health.

“Until we can stop or prevent the disease, it is essential that we effectively treat Alzheimer’s in those living with it, and Excellerate quality of life for the person and family,” she said.

New research, a meta-analysis of 15 randomized controlled trials published earlier this month in PLOS One, found that photobiomodulation—a type of light therapy—can Excellerate the sleep and psychobehavioral symptoms in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

The study was small, but a variety of therapy options were analyzed. Sexton explained that the size implies that the results can’t be translated into recommendations for individuals.

Rather, the work emphasizes the need for further research, as well as shared and standardized protocols going forward.

“It is very important that the Alzheimer’s/dementia research field addresses and effectively treats the challenging symptoms and behaviors common to people living with Alzheimer’s, in addition to treating the cognitive symptoms, changing the course of the disease, and eventually preventing Alzheimer’s and all other dementias,” she said.

Here’s how light therapy may help those with Alzheimer’s disease.

Light Therapy’s Range of Benefits May Directly Ease Alzheimer’s Symptoms

There are a variety of light therapy options, but the new study focused specifically on photobiomodulation to see how it impacted people with Alzheimer’s.

Photobiomodulation is the use of light (typically using red light) for modulating cell function, Dale Bredesen, MD, a neuroscience researcher, neurodegenerative disease expert, and author of The End of Alzheimer’s, told Health.

“It has a wide range of effects, from reducing pain to increasing healing, reducing inflammation, improving sleep, and enhancing cognition,” he said.

During light therapy, the light is absorbed by cells and provides energy support, he explained. This also increases blood flow.

According to the study, light therapy can help people fall asleep faster, reduce nocturnal insomnia, increase total sleep time, and improve sleep quality. It also can Excellerate cognitive function, enhance quality of life, and reduce caregiver burden in people with Alzheimer’s.

Some of these physical benefits could be due to the effect that light therapy has on melatonin, Bredesen explained, which is directly tied to sleep. Meanwhile, improvements in behavior could be tied to the fact that light therapy reduces inflammation and improves blood flow, he said.

“Light therapy...also influences serotonin and dopamine levels, contributing to improved mood and cognitive function,” Logan DuBose, MD, a geriatrics specialist and co-founder of Olera, a dementia care group, told Health.

He explained that the combined impact on neurotransmitters makes light therapy a valuable intervention for enhancing sleep quality and psycho-social well-being.

For light therapy to be useful, Bredesen explained that people usually need two to three sessions of therapy per week—ideally 10 to 30 minutes per session. Most often, light therapy is used in the evening, though if people are particularly struggling with waking up, they may prefer to do it in the morning, he said.

“Light therapy can Excellerate sleep patterns, reduce night-time restlessness, and address mood-related symptoms and sundowning, fostering better overall psycho-social well-being,” said DuBose.

He explained that, additionally, light therapy’s influence on circadian rhythms has been associated with cognitive benefits.

Consequently, DuBose said that light therapy could potentially preserve cognitive function and slow cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer’s.

This, ultimately, could enhance the overall quality of life for those affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

But, More Light Therapy Research Is a Must

While the results of the study are encouraging, more research is needed for any clinical certainty on how light therapy impacts Alzheimer’s.

It is possible that this non-invasive treatment option could become an important tool for managing some symptoms associated with the disease, but it is too early to recommend it as a protocol for treatment.

“The results [of this study] suggest that the combined evidence, though modest in scale, is encouraging but preliminary, and justifies further research in larger, more representative study populations,” Sexton said.

She explained that if additional research indicates that light therapy can be used for Alzheimer’s, it would be a valuable non-pharmacological intervention that’s safe, non-invasive, and perhaps more cost-efficient than other options.

While light therapy research is still in its infancy, it may be a complementary approach to Alzheimer’s alongside other treatments in the future.

If you have any questions or concerns about light therapy or how it could impact your health circumstance, consult a trusted healthcare professional.

Related: What Is Red Light Therapy?

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