Any number of vacant units harming neighbors is wrong

Let the tenants who suffer next to warehoused units tell 311 how many there are.  

At the June 6, 2023 hearing on Intro. 195, HPD said there were only  2,477 rent-stabilized units “that had been vacant and off-the-market for 12 months or more, were in need of repairs, and had a low legal rent” of less than $1,000."

Landlords have said there are roughly 30,000 such units (not necessarily renting for under $1,000, and not necessarily vacant for 12 months or more). 

While the City, State and various interest groups offer cherry-picked, speculative numbers, and carve out extremely finite definitions of what might count in this category, our member organizations continue to work with tenants on the ground who suffer from hazardous living conditions caused by vacant units. Intro. 195 heard in committee addresses our direct observations of, and experiences with, many warehoused apartments. We hope that accurate data can help us assess the reality of this situation, and help tenants living in partially occupied buildings suffering from neglect, rather than be used to serve political or profit driven motives.

Photo by Bill Alatriste for the NY City Council, used with permission