Photo: Mayor de Blasio this week said stronger rent laws will lead to more affordable apartments. File Photo
Mayor Bill de Blasio this week called for stronger rent laws that he said will stem the loss of affordable apartments to deregulation.
More than 35,000 affordable apartments have left rent regulation since it was last extended in 2011, according to the Mayor’s Office. De Blasio called for the reforms to protect rent-stabilized apartments, including ending vacancy decontrol, eliminating the vacancy bonus and making improvement surcharges temporary.
According to the administration, the city’s rent-stabilized apartments provide affordable homes for more than 1.4 million low-income tenants, and more than 700,000 moderate- and middle-income residents.
“Together, they make up the bedrock of New York City’s diverse neighborhoods. But this vital housing reservoir is fast drying up, as bad actors force tenants from their homes and a hot real estate market puts more and more pressure on rents. If nothing is done to strengthen rent laws before they expire on June 15, tens of thousands more apartments will be converted to market rents in the years ahead and entire neighborhoods could be rendered unaffordable,” de Blasio’s office said.
The mayor’s proposed rent-regulation reforms include the elimination of vacancy decontrol; eliminating the 20 percent increase in monthly rent when tenants vacate an apartment; and calling for the current permanent rent increases for building-wide or individual apartments to be made temporary. Costs from increased services or improvements to individual apartments would be spread over 10 years, while building-wide or system improvements could be spread over seven years. Long-term rent would be unaffected, and would reset after the fixed period.
“This is a vital priority for New York City,” de Blasio said on Tuesday. “Our working families and our neighborhoods are depending on stronger rent laws. Rent is the number one expense for New Yorkers. Unless we change the status quo, tens of thousands of hardworking families will be pushed out of their homes. This has to be a city for everyone. It cannot just be a city of luxury apartments out of everyday New Yorkers’ reach.”
The administration also said that the city will provide free legal representation for tenants in up to 15 neighborhoods and is launching a new Tenant Harassment Prevention Task Force with state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to combat illegal practices that push tenants out of their apartments.
“Affordable housing is essential to the health and welfare of our communities. It is a cornerstone of public health,” said Jill Furillo, executive director of the New York State Nurses Association. “Stronger rent laws that protect affordability, such as those proposed by Mayor de Blasio, serve to maintain New York City’s vibrance and vitality.”
By Forum Staff
