To become a member, please read and agree to abide to the Code of Conduct below.
Code of Conduct
Please read and confirm you will abide by our Code of Conduct as a member of Open New York.
We ask that all would-be members confirm they will abide by our Code of Conduct at the bottom of this page before paying their membership dues.
Why have a code of conduct?
We aim to advocate effectively for abundant homes and lower rent for both our current and potential neighbors. Our membership reflects a diverse set of ideologies, and we come together to advocate for the housing needs of all New Yorkers. To do that, we need to create a supportive, safe, and welcoming environment for all who are interested in joining our movement. We create this code of conduct not because we anticipate bad behavior, but because we believe that articulating our values and obligations to one another reinforces respect among our community and because having a code provides us with clear avenues to correct our culture should it ever stray from that course. To our members, we commit to enforce and evolve this code as our membership grows.
Accordingly, all Open New York members are expected to show respect and courtesy to each other in all interactions, whether at happy hours, general meetings, working groups, in our Slack, or any other contexts.
Scope
Members are held to the standards outlined in this code of conduct when interacting at meetings, working groups, social events, and online on Slack. This code of conduct also applies when members are publicly representing Open New York through including their ONY membership status on Twitter or other social media, or when attending public meetings and hearings to advocate on behalf of the organization.
Unacceptable Behavior
Unacceptable behavior encompasses both abusive behavior and unwelcoming behavior.
If we witness or receive a report about unacceptable behavior, we will contact the member involved to explain why their behavior was unacceptable, and proceed with disciplinary action as outlined in the Reporting and Disciplinary Process.
Abusive Behavior
- Harassment including offensive comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, neuro(a)typicality, body size, race, age, or religion, as well as sexual images in public spaces, intimidation, stalking, following, nonconsensual photography or recording, non-consensual physical contact, and unwelcome sexual or romantic attention.
- Threatening someone physically or verbally. For example, threatening to publicize sensitive information about someone’s personal life (i.e. doxxing).
- Assault or battery. Threats of or carrying out physical violence is unacceptable.
Unwelcoming Behavior
- Subtle-isms and small mistakes made in conversation are not code of conduct violations. (For example, calling a female politician “bossy” or “aggressive” while praising male politicians for “leadership qualities”.) However, repeating something after it has been pointed out to you, or antagonizing or arguing with someone who has pointed out your subtle-ism is considered unwelcoming behavior, and is not allowed.
- Attacks on political tendencies: Our members subscribe to a diverse set of political ideologies. Thus, we will not tolerate using political names as slurs, i.e. calling someone a “socialist” or “libertarian” in a demeaning way. This also includes denigrations like “lolbertarian”, “libtard”, “champagne socialist”. Our mission is to grow the pro-housing movement, not segment it.
- Disparaging behavior towards other members: Deliberately attempting to make others feel bad, name-calling, singling out others for derision or exclusion.
- Not “Letting It Go”: Ignoring a request to end a conversation or interaction (in person or online). Often we have heated debates on topics that are near and dear to us. If you find yourself in a heated debate, remember it’s okay to end the conversation. If your conversation partner has asked you to stop, do not keep engaging with them about it.
- Misgendering through deliberate use of incorrect pronouns and/or deadnaming.
- Unwelcome comments regarding a person’s lifestyle choices and practices, including those related to food, health, parenting, romantic and/or sexual relationships, drugs, and employment.
- Questioning or challenging someone’s stated self-identity or chosen labels.
Norms for having good discussions
Debate around political ideology, practice, and strategy is encouraged in our spaces. We’ve collected a few guidelines to encourage healthy debate. We understand that at times, discussions can get heated, and while violating these norms is not considered a full Code of Conduct violation, adhering to these guidelines is important to maintain a healthy culture, and will help ensure that a Code of Conduct violation does not occur.
- Check your negativity at the door - sharing in disappointment when we don't get the outcomes that we want has its place, but be mindful of how the ways you share in that disappointment can affect others. We want to make sure that we're sustaining and fueling each other's activism without creating burnout. Activism is challenging and burnout is a real problem that we need to be mindful of. This includes the impact that we have on others in the community.
- Open New York staff develop the organization’s official policy platform taking into account discussion and feedback from members. Member leaders have an additional level of access to staff and input on the organization's direction. We welcome a diverse set of opinions in our membership and encourage active discussion and questions in our Slack and at events, but choosing to be a member assumes buy-in to our overarching mission, strategy, and platform. We understand that some people may have differing views on details of our platform at times, but as a member it is important to recognize our role as a collective organization and be conscious not to use Slack or ONY events to weaken support for the parts you may be less aligned with.
- Criticizing the qualifications or integrity of our staff is unacceptable. This is their full time job and members do not have a role in assessing their job performance. If you have concerns about staff, please communicate them privately with the Board.
- When sharing a link or social media post on Slack, contextualize it by sharing what prompted you to share it. Since we're working on lots of different projects and New York City land use politics can be complicated, we want to make sure everyone is able to jump into our discussions.
- Read the backscroll in our Slack conversations before jumping in.
- Be mindful of your body language and be inclusive.
- Be aware that not all people are equally comfortable contributing to spaces with lots of people like our meetings, both in-person and virtual, and our Slack. In particular, marginalized folks may be used to being ignored, silenced, or criticized just for speaking up. Take care to hold space for their voices and participation.
- Avoid interrupting.
- Disagree respectfully without attacking the person.
- Avoid well actually-ism and nitpicking (e.g. the capitalization of Affordable versus affordable when the discussion is focused on another topic could be an example of nitpicking that derails a conversation).
- Allow people to walk away from a disagreement. Do not continue in DMs or physically block them from leaving a conversation or otherwise badger them.
- Be solution oriented.
- Don’t be dismissive of ideas, what’s obvious to you may not be obvious to somebody else.
- No ganging up or personal attacks on people, including those who are not in the group.
- Be mindful about sharing non-relevant information about people (e.g. “I knew him in college and he was a total loner”).
- Avoid denigrating groups, political or otherwise, particularly those that are not well represented in our community.
- Don’t engage in ad hominem attacks.
- If you see others breaking these norms, intervene in the conversation to ensure that bystanders understand we do not find this acceptable as a group.
Last updated on June 23, 2024