I’ve lived in Brooklyn all my life. I went to Brooklyn College and graduated with a science degree. Twenty-five years ago, I moved into my rent-stabilized apartment right across from the college. It’s a building where there is a wonderful sense of community; a place where everyone knows each other — we know our neighbors and our local business owners. Everyone lives like family.
But today, my community and my family are in danger of being displaced.
Since a new landlord acquired my building in 2008 aggressive tactics to displace long-standing tenants immediately started. And they haven’t stopped. Even though we are rent-stabilized like one million New York City families, the law is full of loopholes that promote this harassment.
The new landlord raised our rent by doing Major Capital Improvements (MCIs) that we have to pay for. We’ve been hit with three applications for MCI rent increases in just the last two years. Many people are not able to afford those increases.
The landlord ignores our essential repairs — a clear form of harassment as a way to get rid of the rest of us long-standing tenants. They’ve held onto my rent, falsely saying I didn’t pay and then taking me to court. They don’t even give us proper leases. They’re forcing us out of our homes.
On top of the harassment, landlords are exploiting existing loopholes in the rent laws to raise rents. One of the tricks is to offer new tenants preferential rents– a program where tenants pay significantly less than the real “legal” rent. After two or three years, at the time of lease renewal, the preferential rent is revoked by the landlords, so the tenant can’t afford the higher legal rent. As a result, tenants are forced to move out. As if that wasn’t enough, after the unit becomes vacant, the rent laws allow the landlord to add a 20% rent increase through a vacancy bonus – or what we call “eviction bonus” — just for pushing people out. And the cycle of harassment starts again.
With all this, tenants are fearful and afraid. There is a high turnover for not being able to afford living in the building. My own anxiety has increased to the point where I had to resort to medication. Our sense of community is being eroded.
To stop this cycle, we need to get rid of the weak rent laws that allow landlords to legally exploit and displace families, especially communities of color. Every elected official says they are trying to fight homelessness. Then why would you have laws that encourage displacement and homelessness?
We need to get rid of the “eviction bonus” and make sure preferential rents can’t be revoked. Governor Cuomo and our New York State Assembly and Senate have the power to make this happen. We won’t let them use Albany dysfunction as an excuse any longer. This April, they managed to quickly pass legislation that gives developers billions of dollars each year in 421a tax breaks. Now, it’s time to protect tenants!
As a tenant leader with the Flatbush Tenant Coalition, I am able to share my experiences with my neighbors and encourage them to learn their rights and get involved. We formed a tenant association in the building to educate tenants about their rights and motivate them to take a stand to end being victimized. Our tenant association has been pushing back and fighting these tactics, especially the MCIs.
We call on the Governor, and our New York State Assembly and Senate to pass bills A00954 S01593 into LAW. These bills end the “eviction bonus” and stop landlords from revoking preferential rents.
And we call on YOU, our fellow New Yorkers, to join us starting at 4:30 p.m., today Wednesday, June 14 in front of Gov. Cuomo’s office to tell him to Strengthen the Rent Laws that protect tenants NOW! We will be camping out there for three days because we refuse to get pushed out into the ocean or live in a tent city.
