"After years of historically steep increases, this vote to freeze the rent and help keep New Yorkers in their homes is welcome and overdue relief for over a million tenants. I applaud the board’s decision and the advocates who have worked relentlessly to reach this moment of respite.
“It’s hard to look at the money the real estate industry spent trying to prevent this basic relief and take their doomsday predictions seriously, especially when freezes have happened twice in the last decade. Some property owners, particularly of smaller buildings, have legitimate concerns about rising costs – the solution cannot be to demand more money from tenants who simply do not have it. Instead, government on all levels should work to strengthen programs aimed at maintaining housing quality and providing property owners with support when needed.
“A rent freeze is vital, but it’s not the singular cure for the housing affordability crisis in our city. Moving forward in this year and beyond, we need to use every tool available to build and preserve income-targeted affordable housing, meeting the needs of the moment while protecting against evictions and displacement. We can’t let up in the work for housing justice – the rent may be frozen, but we have to continue to bring the heat.”
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