Advocates push to reinstate 15% rent reduction plan

KINGSTON, N.Y. >> The battle between tenant activists and a landlords’ group rages on with a challenge to a judge’s ruling against a city’s 15% rent reduction plan, which was the first such measure in the state.

Activist groups For the Many along with Citizens Action and other individuals have filed a socalled “Notice of Appeal” in the Appellate Division of the state Supreme Court.

The groups are officially notifying that they plan to appeal a February decision by state Supreme Court Justice David Gandin’s ruling that Kingston’s Rent Guidelines Board cannot order landlords to decrease rents by 15%. The judge did rule that Kingston’s vacancy survey was done properly and that a city declaration of a housing emergency could stay in effect, which keeps rent control in place.

Additionally, Gandin ruled that the rent control board must create new guidelines for a maximum rate of rent increases.

A joint statement from both For the Many and Citizen Action of New York said the original decision was being appealed “because Kingston tenants are under attack.”

“As Good Cause Eviction laws are struck down across the state, we can’t allow Kingston’s historic 15% rent reduction to suffer the same fate,” the groups said. “We are confident that the appellate court will set the record straight and side with workingclass Kingston tenants who desperately need relief.”

The Hudson Valley Property Owners Association, which has said the survey was extremely flawed and has objected to measures taken against landlords, said they will continue the fight for property owner rights.

“As we said following last month’s ruling, we agree with the court’s finding that the Kingston Rent Guidelines Board’s rent rollback attempt was illegal but are disappointed with the failure to strike down what we still maintain is a flawed vacancy survey,” said the Association’s Executive Director Rich Lanzarone in a statement on Thursday. “We are preparing our appeal, and now that the tenants intend to do the same, we will see them in court.”