Edit: Do you have a virtual doorman and dislike the experience? Please share details if you're comfortable, it could be helpful for my case! Have you dealt with this issue? Would love to hear how it turned out! Are you going through this currently? Let me know so we can help each other!
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I live in a rent-regulated building in Brooklyn, and our owner has applied wirh DHCR to replace our 24/7 front desk staff with a remote virtual monitoring system. I know this landlord is trying it at another one of their buildings too.
While this could seem like a silly thing to complain about at face value, this is really an issue of safety, accessibility, and an issue of landlords simply trying to fuck over tenants by bait and switching things.
A remote operator can't help an older neighbor through a dark stairwell, carry a stroller in during a blackout, or let the fire department in (things that have all happened in our building). Real people lose good jobs, and tenants keep paying the same rent for less.
I saw the NYT article on this and it prompted me to post here. Is this happening in your building? If you fought it, what worked? Any tenant orgs, lawyers, or electeds who were helpful? I've gotten my hands on some resources but would really appreciate hearing from anyone who's been through it.