Mayor de Blasio has increase funding for attorneys to fight evictions and signed legislation to bar criminal background checks for building employees, but this week he recognized that public housing tenants who commit crimes should be kicked out.
Never mind criminal histories, building owners would not even be able to screen prospective tenants by their FICO credit scores under legislation introduced in the City Council this week. Owners would not be allowed “To use or consider any credit score, consumer debt judgment, collection account or medical debt of a tenant or prospective tenant in the rental or lease of a housing accommodation.”
In other Council news, the Housing Committee held a hearing yesterday on legislation requiring at least one smoke detector in every apartment to be “photoelectric” by April 1st, presumably replacing the new ionization type installed as a result of legislation in 2013.
The State Division of Homes and Community Renewal has proposed a 9.6% Maximum Base Rent factor for 2016-17, reporting that operating expenses went up 7.81% and property taxes went up 10.37, offset by a 7.96% increase in commercial income (although 80 percent of buildings don’t have any). A hearing is scheduled next Thursday and copies of the full proposal can be requested from CHIP.
Although there is still no determination if the 421a program will exist after December 31st, the Furman Center has issued a report indicating that the legislative scheme worked out last Spring could provide deeper incentives and more housing than the old program…if labor costs aren’t increased. Unfortunately, if labor unions don’t agree, the Legislation sunsets altogether.