A community based organization’s report on the importance of strengthening rent laws – many of which are set to expire this year – and that have a huge effect on housing for they city’s new immigrants, drew strong support from Red Hook/Sunset Park City Councilman Carlos Menchaca.This report also includes various policy proposals to strengthen the rent laws and preserve affordability for New York’s immigrant communities. Top priorities identified in the report include the need to end vacancy deregulation (through which apartments become deregulated once rents rise above $2,500 per month), eliminating the “vacancy bonus” (through which landlords can precipitously raise rents in rent-regulated apartments once a tenant moves out), and repealing provisions that enable landlords to raise rents to unaffordable levels following capital and individual apartment improvements.
“As Chair of the Immigration Committee, I commend Make the Road New York for highlighting how immigrant communities are unduly burdened by loopholes in our system of rent regulation,” said Menchaca.
“In the interest of preserving housing affordability in New York City and promoting equity for our immigrant communities we must put an end to vacancy decontrol, vacancy bonuses and take all necessary measures to keep every stabilized unit in the system regulated. I stand strong with the many partners in the council and the administration, as we advocate for these long-needed changes,” the lawmaker added.
While Menchaca and others in City government advocate to keep or strengthen existing rent laws, it is under state jurisdiction to renew, strengthen or allow the existing laws to sunset next month.
