‘ Explosive’ crisis
Cuomo warning on rent
Calling it the “most explosive” issue facing the Legislature, Gov. Cuomo warned Sunday that the expiration of rent regulations in New York City could leave “hundreds of thousands of tenants” facing dramatic increases or even eviction.
Cuomo had urged state Senate leaders to come up with an acceptable plan before Monday’s 11: 59 p. m. deadline, and warned that, although the regulations would likely be extended, anything could happen while they are expired.
“If the rent regulations expire in New York City, there are hundreds of thousands of tenants who could theoretically see their rents rise dramatically or who could potentially face eviction,” Cuomo warned. “So this is cause for a lot of concern.”
He warned landlords not to try any funny business if the law lapses: “If you do try to exploit the system, I believe that in and of itself that will be actionable as harassment of tenants,” he said.
The governor and other Democrats blamed Senate Republicans for the uncertainty, with Cuomo calling the Senate’s rent plan “unacceptable” and adding that “it poses new hurdles for tenants and it reduces tenant protections.”
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie joined Cuomo in criticizing the Republicanled Senate.
“Two weeks ago, the Assembly passed a comprehensive bill to renew and strengthen rent regulations,” Heastie said. “Only the Senate is standing in the way.”
Heastie and other Assembly Democrats traveled to Albany on Sunday for a Democratic caucus session before tackling the rent laws Monday.
Mayor de Blasio said he was cautiously optimistic about Cuomo’s leadership.
“The governor has taken a good position in the sense that he made it clear we need to expand and strengthen rent regulation, but the proof’s going to be in the pudding,” de Blasio said. Senate Republicans fired back. “Any extension of the rent program must include meaningful and systemic reforms which eliminate the abuses that exist, and create a better path to affordable housing in New York City,” state Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan said.
Meanwhile, the Rent Stabilization Association, which represents 25,000 owners of the 1 million rentstabilized apartments in the city, said Cuomo and de Blasio were using “scare tactics” to make landlords look bad.