[Photo via our friends at MoRUS]
Tenants once again plead with the Rent Guidelines Board to approve a first-ever rent freeze (Daily News)
Can a rent freeze beat back New York's predatory Wall Street landlords? (Moyers & Company)
Updated
"In a surprising act of independence, the board voted 5-4 to raise rents on nearly 1 million rent-stabilized apartments by 1 percent for new one-year leases and 2.75 percent for two-year leases." (New York Post)
4 comments:
Bloomberg had the moment when it made sense to not have an increase when we had no inflation back in 2008, but he had to give it to the real estate interests. While I would love to see no increase for my 6th street shithole (we've had no gas now for 3 weeks, they've now told us it will be 6 weeks to complete repairs), this would only be viable if the City of NY is not increasing taxes, water etc. We know the cost of fuel is going up big time this year. I must be picking up some subliminal messages when I try to sleep to defend an increase.
Well, at least the increase is minor (1% for a 1-year lease, 3% for a 2-year lease); I'm most concerned as to whether they're going to continue charging the "poor tax" of an additional $20 a month for all tenants paying less than $1000 a month rent.
For anyone pooh-poohing this amount as trivial, consider that the only people with a rent that small to begin with are the poorest of the poor: $20 is a big percentage of the rent in question. I realize the poor landlords are taking a real hit by allowing any tenant to pay such a paltry sum to begin with, but this increase is seen by some as unconstitutional and in 2010 was struck down by one judge.
Great a action to start the summer...
Does this mean there will be a big increase the next time they meet?
And will this lead to more apts leaving and moving to market rate?
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