Housing News
2009 Rent Guidelines Board Vote
On June 23, the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) determined what the 2009 rent increases would be for rent regulated apartments in New York City. Their decision affects approximately one million households.
The approved rent increases were 3% for one year renewal leases and 6% for two year renewal leases. The RGB also approved a "longevity tax,” a minimum rent increase of $30 for one year renewal leases and $60 for two year renewal leases in the case of tenants who have been living in their apartments for six years or longer.
In apartments where heat is neither provided nor required to be provided, the approved increases were 2.5% for one year renewal lease and 5% for two year renewal leases, with a minimum increase of $25 for one year renewal leases and $50 for two year renewal leases in the case of tenants who have been living in their apartments for six years or longer.
The RGB passed these increases despite the fact that in the weeks leading up to the final vote, tenants had organized a series of actions calling for a rent freeze and also presented extremely compelling testimony at the public hearings about the hardships that any increase- especially a “longevity tax”- would cause them in this economic climate.
On the evening of the vote, the tenants who attended the meeting covered their mouths with tape, symbolizing their belief that the RGB is biased in favor of landlords and does not listen to tenants’ concerns, and walked out of the meeting in protest when the motion for a rent freeze was rejected.
The increases are effective October 1, 2009.
T&N Statement on Change in State Senate Leadership - June 8, 2009
Tenants & Neighbors is deeply concerned by the news that the Republicans have made a power grab to regain control of the New York State Senate. After waiting for the Democrats to regain control of the State Senate for nearly four decades, the tenant movement had hoped to be able to pass important reforms to New York’s rent laws this legislative session, including the repeal of vacancy decontrol, a provision in the rent laws is resulting the loss of approximately 20,000 units of affordable housing every year. The developments in the Senate will almost certainly harm tenants' efforts to ensure that this bill, as well as many other important pro-tenant bills, comes to the floor for a vote this legislative session.
The legislators who have orchestrated this revolt are putting tenants’ rights and affordable housing in jeopardy. We had been counting on our elected officials to enact the reforms tenants so desperately need this legislative session, and if the Republicans have lawfully regained control of the State Senate, tenants may be forced to wait at least another year and a half. During this time, we may very well witness the deregulation of at least another 30,000 units of rent regulated housing, Mitchell-Lama and Section 8 tenants will remain without many needed protections, and the unjust rent guidelines board system will continue to run roughshod over tenants. "This is unacceptable. Our elected officials cannot betray the tenant constituents who have been counting on them to do the right thing.” said Maggie Russell-Ciardi, Executive Director of the New York State Tenants & Neighbors Coalition.
Click here to see the R3/Housing Here and Now press advisory, "Tenant Movement Blasts Senate Coup; Pushes Forward with Agenda."