Category Archives: Uncategorized

Legislative Cart Before Research Horse

Governor Cuomo introduced budget legislation (see page 415) this week calling for ending high rent/high income decontrol, repealing preferential rent provisions, and limiting major capital improvement charges “based on a report” to be prepared by the Division of Housing and Community Renewal … Continue reading

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Missing the train

North Brooklyn landlords gave up between $6 million and $26 million in rent increases since the announcement in 2016 of an L train shutdown,  according to a StreetEasy analysis. Rents along the train line fell 1.5% while rents on new leases in … Continue reading

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100 Days, Really?

Governor Cuomo said “all” of his 100-day legislative goals would be included in his State Budget proposal, presumably including ending luxury decontrol and other rent rule changes even though normally they wouldn’t be dealt with before the law sunsets in June. The … Continue reading

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Shutdown Fallout

The federal government shutdown over border-wall funding could mean late or reduced Section 8 voucher payments in January. The HUD program isn’t funded after the first of the year, but may use unspent authority from prior periods to fulfill obligations temporarily. The … Continue reading

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100 Days

Governor Cuomo’s “100 Day” goals, announced Monday, include “ending vacancy decontrol, repealing preferential rent and limiting capital improvement charges.”   Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is also targetingpreferential rents, but wants to offset the loss with a tax break … Continue reading

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Wholesale Legislation

The New York City Council Housing Committee held hearings, Thursday, on 37 bills aimed at increasing penalties for violations by building owners, discouraging tenant buy-outs, and making it harder to get building permits. CHIP and ABO, along with industry partners, opposed most … Continue reading

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Who? What?

The programmers behind tenant complaint websites heatseek.org andjustfix.nyc have launched Who Owns What to help tenants identify all the properties owned by a single entity despite multiple LLCs. Using public records and relying on office addresses, it may be more reliable at finding agents than … Continue reading

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Council Doubles Down

More than a dozen bills increasing the penalties for false statements onbuilding permit applications, increasing public availability of information about overcharges, requiring that tenants get copies of notices of violations, increasing DOB inspections, and other provisions affecting apartment operators were introduced in the New … Continue reading

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Sold Out

Subsidized housing developers sold out private housing owners this week, joining with tenant activists to petition the State Legislature to end luxury decontrol and eliminate preferential rents—regulations that don’t matter to their programs. Members of the New York State Affordable Housing Association … Continue reading

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Feeling Blue

Tuesday’s blue wave in New York could lead to a battle on rent regulations, with the Governor’s office confirming that he wanted to “advance additional tenant protections, including the elimination of vacancy decontrol and limiting rent increases for building and apartment improvements.” The voters … Continue reading

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