Public Employee Press

Editorial
Strengthen Rent Regulations

There is no issue more pressing for many New Yorkers than skyrocketing rents. According to the Daily News, there are 600,000 households in the city that are paying more than 50 percent of their gross income on rent and utilities. This housing crisis has forced vulnerable families onto the streets and into the overcrowded shelter system.

This sad state of affairs could become worse if the current rent regulations are allowed to expire on June 15.

"The landlords will be fighting to make sure the regulations are as weak as possible so they can increase the rents," said Delsenia Glover, from the Alliance for Tenant Power, at a recent rent stabilization meeting at DC 37.

The powerful real estate lobby would love to see the regulations expire on the city's 1 million rent-stabilized apartments. Once expired, apartments with a monthly rent of $2,500 would become decontrolled upon vacancy and the landlord could increase the rent even more and the tenants would lose any eviction protection. More than 300,000 apartments have been deregulated, according to Glover.

There is legislation in the New York State Assembly to extend the current regulations another four years The assembly bill would reduce the amount the landlord can increase the rent upon vacancy. Currently, when an apartment is vacated, a landlord can increase the rent by as much as 20 percent; the proposed bill would limit the hike to 7.5 percent.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who supports legislation strengthening the regulations, has called this issue a top priority for the Assembly. Strengthening rent regulations is a top priority for DC 37 activists as well. They will be traveling to Albany on June 9 with housing activists from around the city to demand fair rent regulations. If you wish to participate, buses will be departing from DC 37 at 7:30 a.m. on the lobby day.

"It is do or die this year," Glover said.

Mayor Bill de Blasio stands with the housing activists; it is time for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to take a stand as well.

We urge you to call your legislators to tell them to vote to protect tenants by approving the legislation. For more information about how you can be part of DC 37's fight to preserve the rent laws, call the Political Action Department at 212-815-1550.