CM James Criticizes Rent Guidelines Board for 2013 High Rate Increases

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
APRIL 2, 2013

Contact: Aja Worthy-Davis (212) 788-7081

Council Member Letitia James Criticizes Rent Guidelines Board for 2013 High Rate Increases

(New York, NY)— The Rent Guidelines Board (RGB), the panel that sets annual rent increases on rent-stabilized apartments throughout New York, has recommended larger increases for 2013 in comparison with 2012— between 3.25 and 6.25 percent for one-year leases, and 5 to 9.5 percent for two-year leases. In a 2012 report entitled “Rents Through The Roof”, New York City Comptroller John Liu stated that almost 50% of City households spend over 30% of their income on rent, compared with 26% of households nationwide. Federal benchmarks deem rent unaffordable when it costs 30% or more of the household income.

"It is deeply concerning that the Rent Guidelines Board consistently ignores tenant advocates who push for a 1-year rent freeze," said Council Member Letitia James. "The comparably small increases voted on in 2012 seemed to indicate that the RGB recognized that many low-and-middle-income New Yorkers were struggling. Apparently this year it’s business as usual."

In 2012, the RGB voted for increases that fell 50% below the previous year— between 1.75 and 4 percent for new one-year leases, and between 3.5 and 6.75 percent for two-year renewal leases.

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ATTENTION: NYC RGB Rent Increases

At its meeting on May 3, 2011, the NYC Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) adopted and proposed a range of renewal lease guidelines that will greatly impact many of New Yorkers.

The preliminary rent hike, approved on Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011 by the RGB is slated to be voted on next month. The board proposed changes to both one-year and two-year lease agreements. Increases for one-year leases will potentially fall between 3 and 5.75 percent, while two-year leases would go up between 6 and 9 percent.

Council Member James recently joined her colleagues on a trip to Albany to lobby State officials to strengthen and extend rent laws legislatively. The alternative would effectively allow low and middle-income New Yorkers to continue to flee this City and State due to progressively ballooning rental costs.

The RGB has scheduled two upcoming public hearings during which the public will be able to testify and weigh in on the adopted and proposed renewal lease guidelines. Details on the Brooklyn-based hearing is below—

Thursday, June 16, 2011
4:30PM
Kiltgord Auditorium
285 Jay Street in Downtown Brooklyn

Council Member James encourages you to attend and share your thoughts on a proposed rent hike.

CM James, Elected Officials Travel to Albany To Lobby Legislators on Strengthening, Extending Rent Laws

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
MAY 23, 2011

Contact Amyre Loomis at (718) 260-9191

Council Member James and Colleagues Travel to Albany Tuesday to Lobby Legislators on Strengthening and Extending Rent Laws: Tent Cities Also Setting Up Across New York to Show What NYC Will Be Like Without Stronger Rent Laws
Tenants Calling on Governor Cuomo and State Legislature to Take Action

(Brooklyn, NY) – “I stand with renters, housing advocates and colleagues in a unified front to protect rent stabilization laws; they must be preserved this year and each year…for the future of every resident in New York State,” said Council Member James as she and others prepare to visit Albany, as well as support tent cities planned for this week and next.

With the deadline to strengthen rent laws just three weeks away, tenants and advocates from across New York City are organizing a series of tent cities across New York to show what the City will be like if laws are not renewed and strengthened.

The tent cities are meant to clearly show what will happen if the Governor and Legislature fail to renew and strengthen these laws by repealing of vacancy destabilization. Tenants will be demonstrating how New York City could become “Cuomoville,” if the Governor does not make the strengthening of the rent laws a clear priority. Some 2.5 million tenants in New York City and the surrounding suburbs depend on these laws to prevent unfair rent increases and unlawful evictions. If laws are not renewed and strengthened, many tenants will be put out on the streets.

Tent City Schedule
Tuesday May 24, Brooklyn
Where: The plaza at Brooklyn Borough Hall (2, 3, 4, 5 to Borough Hall A, C, F, N, R to Jay St. – MetroTech)
When: Press conference at noon, vigil from 7 to 9 PM, and Tent City campout all night
For more info: jon_furlong@prattarea.org

Thursday May 26, Queens
Where: St. Mary Help of Christians Church, 70-31 48th Ave. (at 72nd St.), Woodside (E, F, M, R to Jackson)
When: Press conference 11 AM, 6-8 PM cultural events, Tent City vigil 8 PM
For more info: ericka.s@anhd.org

Tuesday May 31, Manhattan
Where: Holy Apostle Church, W. 28th St. & 9th Ave, Chelsea (1 to 28th St at 7th Ave.), (A, C, E to 34th St. at 8th Ave.)
When: Tent City gathering at 10 AM Tuesday, campout all night
For more info: kayla@rcn.com

Wednesday June 1, City Hall
Where: Gather at Broadway and E. 10th St., march to City Hall
When: March starts at 8pm, Tent City gathering to begin at 9 PM
For more info: www.blessednightout.org

Thursday June 2, Washington Heights
Where: Ft. Washington Collegiate Church, 181st St at Ft. Wash. Avenue (A to 181st Street)
When: Tent City gathering begins at 10 AM
For more info: andresmares@mirabalcenter.org

For additional information please call: Mary Tek, Rent Regulation Organizer, Tenants & Neighbors, (212) 608-4320 x 316.

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Team Tish: Some Recent Photos

It's been a long time since we did a recent pictures post, so here we go. Let's join Council Member James on some wild-ish adventures throughout the 35th:

CM James joins seniors in August 2009 to discuss changes within the NYC Department for the Aging.

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CM James is joined by Comptroller Bill Thompson and CM David Weprin at a rally to protest unfair rent increases on October 1, 2009 at City Hall.

CM Diana Reyna and Comptroller Bill Thompson stand behind real rent stabilization.

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CM James is joined by Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn (DDDB) and (Brooklyn's own) actor John Turturro at DDDB's "Walk Don't Destroy" Fundraiser on October 17, 2009.

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We don't even know...but it's cool.

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CM James and Nancy Romer of the Brooklyn Food Coalition work a table at October 24, 2009's Fort Greene Food Conference.

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CM James joins tenants and activists on October 29, 2009 to speak out against conditions at Dermot properties, and lack of affordable housing throughout the district.

*Photo courtesy of Stefano Giovannini

CM James, Tenants Speak Out About Conditions at Dermot Property

**For Immediate Release**

October 29, 2009

CONTACTS: Elana Shneyer - (646) 245-2935, Elana_shneyer@prattarea.org,
Amyre Loomis - (718) 260-9191, aloomis@council.nyc.gov

Tenants in Predatory Equity Buildings Speak out about poor conditions, harassment and the loss of affordable housing- immediately following forum on Poverty, Housing, Hunger and Homelessness

Brooklyn, NY- Council Member Letitia James and tenants from Brooklyn apartment buildings owned by the predatory equity company Dermot gathered outside of Trinity Church Parish Hall Thursday (October 29, 2009) evening to call attention to the rapid loss of affordable housing throughout NYC.

“Where are we supposed to go? Where is the housing for us? All I see in our neighborhood is new high rise, luxury condos being built. My building has lost nearly 1/3 of the rent stabilized apartments and more are being pressured to leave. Where can we live?” asked Linda Foster, a resident of 43 years at 266 Washington Avenue in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

Tenants spoke about their landlord in particular, Dermot, and the harassment they’ve experienced, lack of repairs, poor communication with management and pressure to vacate their rent stabilized apartments.

“The apartments where older tenants live are not being maintained well. The repairs are unprofessional and messy,” said Michael Melville a 17 year resident of 260 St. James Place.

Tenants also spoke to the larger political climate that has affected, and basically created these unfortunate situations.

“This is a human rights issue. It’s not just about tenants in our building, in buildings owned by Dermot - it’s about people losing their homes, where they’ve lived all their lives. It’s not just an apartment to us, it’s our home; it’s our community. Why are they taking away our home for their own greed,” said Kim Longsworth, a 36 year resident of 266 Washington Avenue. “We need a mayor who will take the needs of all New Yorkers into account.”

“A number of the tenants concerns could be resolved if the management would agree to meet with the tenants,” said Jon Furlong, a Community Organizer at Pratt Area Community Council. “But, Dermot even refused City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s request for a meeting. They view people’s homes as a money making investment and have no regard for tenants’ rights. This is another sad example of corporate greed.”

Dermot purchased a number of rent stabilized buildings in Central Brooklyn over the past three years at prices way above the previous sale price. They have explicitly told tenants they want to make a profit on the building. Dermot is only one of a number of predatory equity landlords that have purchased rent regulated buildings at high purchase prices and then tried to aggressively raise rents by pushing out tenants.

“Since Dermot has taken over management of apartment buildings in my district, my office has learned about a series of transgressions on their part. Tenants have expressed that they feel Dermot plans to rid their buildings of rent stabilized apartments. Dermot has failed to communicate their intent to ensure that their tenants remain in place,” said Council Member James. “I am also holding Dermot responsible and accountable for completing all repairs in their buildings, and for providing quality housing, period,” she said.

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Photo Captions:

1: Tenant Kim Longsworth shares her story of harassment since management of her building was taken over by the Dermot company.

2: The Dermot company, owners the building where Joe Pressley resides (center); he says Dermot is not completing necessary repairs since purchasing the property.

3. Council Member James vows to keep fighting for affordable housing on behalf tenants residing in the 35th Council District.

NYC Tenants Rally To Protest Unfair Rent Hikes; 10/1; City Hall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Jon Furlong with PACC- (718) 522-2613 x25
Amyre Loomis with NYCC- (718) 260-9191

Tenants rally at City Hall to protest unfair rent hikes

Bloomberg’s sham rent board slams tenants once again

On Thursday, October 1, tenants from all over New York City will gather at City Hall at 1:00 pm to protest the rent increases that go into effect that day that will impact over one million rent stabilized households.

Numerous elected officials will attend, including Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, City Comptroller William Thompson, and City Council Member Letitia James. In addition, several of the pro-tenant candidates who won in the September 15 Democratic primary will be present.

Despite high unemployment, and the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, Bloomberg’s rent board is still rewarding landlords with huge, unnecessary rent increases. This is the case, even though data from the City Department of Finance shows that owners of rent-stabilized properties have seen their net operating incomes go up to an average of 38 percent, meaning they spend 62 cents of every dollar of income on operating and maintaining their buildings, leaving 38 cents for debt service and profit.

The rent increases were voted in June by the New York City Rent Guidelines Board, whose nine members are appointed by the Mayor, and the board is stacked with a majority opposed to rent regulation. Despite promises by Mayor Bloomberg that the rent increases would be “a lot lower this year because costs have gone down,” the board voted to increase rents by 3 and 6 percent for one-year and two-year lease renewals.

For the second year, the board also voted to maintain the “poor tax,” a minimum $30 or $60 increase for tenants who have lived in their apartments for six or more years. Thus, a tenant paying $600 per month will be hit with effective rent increases of 5 percent for a one-year renewal or 10 percent for two years.

The October 1 rally is sponsored by the Real Rent Reform Campaign (R³), a coalition working to strengthen rent and eviction protection laws in New York City and suburban counties. The R³ Campaign has proposed legislation to restructure the rent board process.



What: Tenants rally to protest unfair rent increases

When: Thursday, October 1, 2009, 1:00 pm

Where: Steps of City Hall, lower Manhattan





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ATTENTION: BK Task Force on Housing Court Presents Information Session; 7/28; BK Housing Court; 2PM

Brooklyn Task Force On Housing Court

Video Screening--

“Preparing For A Non-Payment Case”
AND
“How To Tell If You Are A Rent Stabilized Tenant”

WHEN: Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
2PM- 4PM
WHERE: Brooklyn Housing Court
141 Livingston Street
8th Floor, Room 801

For any questions: contact Norma at 212-962-4795 or normaaviles@cwtfhc.org.

Oppose Unjust Rent Increase!

We are writing to inform you of the Real Rent Reform Campaign’s (RRRC) rally on the steps of City Hall to take place on October 1, 2008 at 12:00 noon.

The RRRC strongly opposes the rent increases approved by the Rent Guidelines Board that will take effect on October 1, 2008. These new guidelines will grant "landlords who don’t charge their tenants for heating" the right to "hike the rents 4.5 percent on a one-year leave and 8.5 percent on a two-year lease" for stabilized apartment dwellers. [1]

For tenants that do pay for heat, rent increases would fall between 4-8%. "New Yorkers with smaller rents, like $450 a month, would pay a flat increase of $45 a month."[1]

The rent increases that are to become effective on October 1st will be the largest rent increases since 1989. The City approved rent increases of 3% on one-year leases and 5.75% on two-year leases, and 4.25% on one-year leases and 7.25% on two-year leases, in 2007 and 2006, respectively. [2]

As New York’s renters continue to struggle to pay rents that absorb the bulk of their salaries, it seems unfair to place the highest rent increases in almost two decades on the backs of stabilized rent dwellers.

Please join us in opposing this unjust rent increase.

Thanks,
teamtish
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1 WNBC. Rent Stabilized Apartments Get Rent Hikes. 20 June 2008. http://www.wnbc.com/news/16658708/detail.html
2 Seifman, David. New York Post. Rent Boost Adds to ‘Hike" Cost of Living. 27 June 2007. http://www.nypost.com/seven/06272007/news/regionalnews/rent_boost_adds_to__hike_cost_of_living_regionalnews_david_seifman.htm