BP DIAZ PRAISES RENT FREEZE
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is praising this evening’s vote of the Rent Guidelines Board, which voted to freeze rents for rent stabilized tenants with one-year leases and to approve a two percent increase for tenants with two-year leases.
“Tonight’s vote of the Rent Guidelines Board is historic, and will provide meaningful relief for over one million tenants in this City. For too long, the people have seen their rents, and their cost of living, continue to rise while their paychecks did not follow suit. This rent freeze is a tremendous step in the right direction for the people of this city,” said Borough President Diaz.
Borough President Diaz added that his office was willing to help landlords keep their own costs down as well, and invited interested property owners to reach out to his office for information on the “The Bronx Clean Energy and Housing Initiative.”
The program, which is being spearheaded by Borough President Diaz, endeavors to partner government funding with private dollars to provide green retrofits to older residential buildings in The Bronx.
“Tonight’s vote is only a piece in the puzzle of affordable. Through programs like ‘The Bronx Clean Energy and Housing Initiative,’ we can green our existing housing stock, keep energy costs low for property owners while simultaneously keeping rents affordable for tenants,” said Borough President Diaz. “My office is ready to work with Bronx property owners on the critical issue of affordability, and I encourage all interested parties to reach out to my office to discuss this innovative program.”
Borough President Diaz’s testimony earlier this month before the Rent Guidelines Board can be found at http://on.nyc.gov/1LEHuGO.
Council Member Andrew Cohen applauds the decision made last night by the Rent Guidelines Board, which voted to freeze the rent for tenants living in rent stabilized apartments with one-year leases and approved a two percent increase for tenants with two-year leases.
“The decision made last night by the Rent Guidelines Board was a historic moment and will help millions of New Yorkers to continue to live in their homes. Tenants living throughout the City have worried for too long that the cost of living would exceed their budget. This rent freeze has provided a sense of relief to these residents and will prove to be the right step forward for people living in the City on fixed incomes,” said Council Member Cohen.
State Senator Adriano Espaillat - "While I believe a rent role back is appropriate, the Rent Guidelines Board's historic decision to freeze rents will help keep New York affordable for over two million tenants," said State Senator Adriano Espaillat , the Ranking Member of the Senate's Housing Committee. Making sure working and middle class New Yorkers have a home in this city is paramount to its future. Tenants are being asked to pay an ever increasing percentage of their income towards rent, while landlords have increased their profits due to relatively flat operating costs."
Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, Deputy Leader and Chair of the Council's Housing and Buildings Committee, - "Today is a win for the tenants of New York. As Chair of the Council's Housing and Buildings Committee, I am thrilled that the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) has for the first time in its history voted to freeze rent for 1.2 million rent stabilized tenants. Tonight's vote sends a clear message that the City of New York is determined to provide relief for its residents, unlike Governor Cuomo and Albany who recently enacted detrimental rent laws that could eliminate approximately 90,000 affordable housing units due to deregulation over the next four years-- units that do not just provide an affordable price point for tenants, but offer protections against arbitrary evictions as well. Separately, due to Albany's inability to close unresolved loopholes with preferential rent, approximately 27% of tenants could see their rent go up by thousands of dollars, regardless of tonight's RGB decision and without advance notice.
"Even though Governor Cuomo completely and thoroughly let New York City tenants down, we've found solace tonight from one of the most unlikely of places: the RGB. Throughout the RGB's history, the Board has always asked what the annual increase should be, not whether an increase was needed at all. This year was different, so for that I thank them. As we move forward, I will continue to work with advocates and elected officials to solve our affordable housing crisis so that New York City can become a place for all to thrive."
Assemblyman Victor Pichardo - “For the first time in its 46-year history, the Rent Guidelines Board voted in favor of a rent freeze for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments with one-year leases. This historic move will help provide meaningful relief to the more than 1.2 million tenants whose leases expire this year. Combined with the extension and enhancement of rent regulations that I helped fight for, this freeze is another step in strengthening tenants’ rights and helping renters stay in their homes while keeping more of their hard-earned money
“I believe that every New Yorker deserves to have the economic security to take care of themselves and their family. Unfortunately, too many of my Bronx neighbors struggle to make ends meet because their incomes have not kept pace with rising housing costs, and that’s unacceptable. As a steadfast tenant advocate, I will continue fighting to not only make housing more affordable, but to raise the minimum wage so that families have the opportunity to better their lives and no longer have to choose between paying their bills and putting food on the table.”
