Government
Kingston Made Rent Law History Two Years Ago. That Was the Easy Part.
Emma Whitford and Sam Mellins |
For tenants in the first upstate city to adopt rent stabilization, benefiting from the law’s basic protections is an uphill battle.
Economy
NYC Stabilized Tenants Face Another Round of Rent Hikes
Emma Whitford |
In a swerve from precedent, the Rent Guidelines Board’s two tenant members dismissed Tuesday’s preliminary vote as a sham, casting a vote of no confidence in both the board and Mayor Eric Adams.
Government
Hochul’s Housing Approach Stirs Questions About Tenant Protections, Developer Incentives
Chris Janaro and Emma Whitford |
After failing to pass her ambitious Housing Compact proposal last year, Gov. Kathy Hochul is using a lighter touch on housing—but state and city lawmakers have expressed hope for a potential compromise to both increase the development of affordable homes and protect tenants.
CITY VIEWS: OPINIONS and ANALYSIS
Opinion: Four Bills Awaiting Hochul’s Signature Would Ease NY’s Housing Crisis
Sue Susman and Edward Ratliff |
“A crucial part of solving the housing crisis is retaining the rent-stabilized housing stock that exists. By signing S2980, S2943, S1684 and S995, Gov. Hochul would keep more rent stabilized apartments available at honest rents by landlords known to their tenants, and enable more municipalities to decide whether they want the same.”
Government
As State Housing Package Implodes, Two Tenant-Friendly Bills Still Simmering
Emma Whitford |
While Albany leaders failed to pass a comprehensive package of housing legislation this week, some advocates and high-ranking lawmakers have been working on a pair of bills they say could strengthen protections for tenants across New York City’s stock of roughly 1 million rent stabilized apartments.
Economy
NYC’s Stabilized Tenants Stare Down Further Rent Hikes, Recalling Bloomberg Era
Emma Whitford |
The Rent Guidelines Board Tuesday voted in favor of rent hikes between 2 to 5 percent for a one-year lease and 4 to 7 percent for two-year leases. A final vote won’t happen until June, but the preliminary numbers have historically set the goalposts: annual adjustments have fallen within these ranges since 2004, when the board began using them.
Housing and Homelessness
Empty Rent-Stabilized Units in NYC Decreased This Year, as ‘Warehousing’ Debate Rages
David Brand |
The latest vacancy data now mirrors pre-COVID figures following a “pandemic-height outlier,” according to New York State’s affordable housing agency. The number of empty apartments also matches the vacancy rate prior to landmark 2019 tenant protections that landlords blamed for the spike in empty units last year.
Housing and Homelessness
Bronx Tenants Still Locked Out of Homes 18 Months After Fire
David Brand |
Tenants say they fear the property owners are waging a war of attrition, waiting the renters out until they give up, move on and forfeit the rent-regulated apartments.
CITY WIRE: THE BLOG
NYC's Housing Crunch is Part of National Crisis
Jarrett Murphy |
A new report finds renters are being priced out of housing across the country—not because of a lack of supply, but because of the inadequacy of our incomes.
CITY VIEWS: OPINIONS and ANALYSIS
Arguments Against Rent Regs are Vacant of Facts
Peter Moskos |
Some say New York could relieve high rents by removing rent regulations. And other people say the world is flat.
