Some good news, some bad news . . .

Tenants groups including our Coalition and Housing Justice for All have made good progress over the past year, but we have more to do to preserve existing affordable housing and keep tenants safe.

At the State level:

• 😁 Frankensteining has been halted in its tracks. Under the State housing agency's DHCR regulations adopted November 8, 2023 and a state statute signed into law in December 2023,  Read the Fact Sheet. Now; 

• Any combined or divided apartments that include space that was rent-stabilized must be entirely rent-stabilized. 

• The new rent is either 
• the combined rents of the combined apartments or 
• the last rent is increased or decreased by the same percentage as the area was increased or decreased.  

So landlords have no more incentive to "Frankenstein" apartments -- and therefore less reason to warehouse empty rent-stabilized units. 

• 😟 Individual Apartment Improvement rent increases can now be higher than allowed by the historic 2019 Housing Stability & Tenant Protection Act. This may motivate some owners to harass long-term tenants out.  Read the IAI Fact Sheet.

• 😕 Good Cause Eviction will protect some market-rate tenants (those without any rent regulation or Mitchell-Lama or NYCHA or voucher protection).  Read a Fact Sheet by Met Council on Housing. 

At the City level: 

• 😃 Inspection of vacant units - WON!  Local Law 1 of 2024 allows tenants to prompt city inspection of neighboring vacant apartments and go to court if necessary to remove hazards.  The bill was passed with the strong support of sponsors Council Members Carlina Rivera, Gale Brewer and their colleagues. 

• Relocation of displaced tenants - pending: Under Intro 607  and Intro 608. the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) would have to relocate displaced tenants locally at their request, provide relocation specialists in the tenants' preferred languages, and depending on bill negotiations, perhaps involve HPD in more 7A proceedings.   This is thanks to the hard work of Council Members Shekar Krishnan and Jennifer Gutierrez and our Coalition members. 

Help us build on our successes and join us!  For information, contact Jodie Leidecker (jodiel@coopersquare.org) of the Cooper Square Committee.