Slumlord bill hurts our plan – City Hall

A CITY COUNCIL push to protect tenants from slumlords has run into opposition from an unlikely source: Mayor de Blasio.

At a Housing Committee hearing Monday, a chorus of de Blasio minions blasted Council bills that would broaden existing tenant protections.

The bills, they contended, would slow down his push for more affordable housing by adding redundant bureaucracy, increasing costs for builders, and further burden already stressed city inspectors.

Currently, landlords in certain designated districts must sign a “no harassment” certification before obtaining a permit to build or rehabilitate property.

The Council would expand that “no harassment” policy citywide, an expansion that officials say would be extremely difficult to enforce and obstruct the de Blasio administration’s push for more affordable housing.

Greg B. Smith