Since 1994, he said, more than 238,000 rent regulated apartments have been removed from the system, “leaving middle class New Yorkers with fewer affordable options.”
Simply extending the current law with no changes would reduce the number of rent regulated stock over the next few years by more than 130,000 apartments. Cuomo has not said exactly how he would expand the rent regulation laws.
Assembly Democrats are looking to raise the deregulation threshold to $300,000 annual income for two straight years and $3,000 monthly rent, up from $175,000 annual income and $2,000 monthly rent.
The Senate GOP majority, backed with hefty campaign contributions from landlords and the real estate industry, stands in the way of an extension. Sen. Martin Golden, one of only two New York City Republicans left in the Senate, acknowledges “there’s a lot in my chamber who want to see it go away.” Senate Housing Committee Chairman Catharine Young has proposed making it easier for landlords to deregulate apartments housing higher-income earners.
Golden, though, left open the notion that he would support not just an extension, but an expansion of the law, though not as far as the Assembly Dems want to go.
“I think it is a starting place for the negotiations from the other side,” he said. “I’m sure there will be some number. It is not going to be $3,000 and it is not going to be $1,500 or $1,000. It’s somewhere in between.”
[Updated] Said Austin Shafran, spokesman for the Senate Democratic Conference: “Talk is cheap and more empty promises from Sen. Golden will not prevent 2.5 million New York City residents from losing their homes if the GOP allows rent regulations to expire. How can anyone believe Marty Golden on rent regulations when he's left New York City residents a string of broken promises? He abandoned the city on OTB, microstamping, and school aid, proving time and again that he chooses his conservative Republican colleagues over the people of the city he's supposed to represent."
Update 2: Vito Lopez, chairman of the Assembly Housing Committee, sent along this statement on Cuomo's video: "The Assembly has made strengthening New York's rent laws a priority and passed a comprehensive bill last month. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans have instead focused on giveaways to landlords and policies to undercut rent protections, which would have devastating consequences for middle and low income New Yorkers who will be squeezed out of their neighborhoods and communities. The clock is ticking – New York's rent laws are set to expire on June 15 and families are counting on the state legislature. Working with Governor Cuomo, we are confident that we can provide hard working families with the protections they deserve. That is why we are pleased that Governor Cuomo is providing strong leadership to renew and strengthen our rent laws. Our goal – first and always – should be to ensure that working families, children and senior citizens can afford to remain in their homes and in their communities."
Simply extending the current law with no changes would reduce the number of rent regulated stock over the next few years by more than 130,000 apartments. Cuomo has not said exactly how he would expand the rent regulation laws.
Assembly Democrats are looking to raise the deregulation threshold to $300,000 annual income for two straight years and $3,000 monthly rent, up from $175,000 annual income and $2,000 monthly rent.
The Senate GOP majority, backed with hefty campaign contributions from landlords and the real estate industry, stands in the way of an extension. Sen. Martin Golden, one of only two New York City Republicans left in the Senate, acknowledges “there’s a lot in my chamber who want to see it go away.” Senate Housing Committee Chairman Catharine Young has proposed making it easier for landlords to deregulate apartments housing higher-income earners.
Golden, though, left open the notion that he would support not just an extension, but an expansion of the law, though not as far as the Assembly Dems want to go.
[Updated] Said Austin Shafran, spokesman for the Senate Democratic Conference: “Talk is cheap and more empty promises from Sen. Golden will not prevent 2.5 million New York City residents from losing their homes if the GOP allows rent regulations to expire. How can anyone believe Marty Golden on rent regulations when he's left New York City residents a string of broken promises? He abandoned the city on OTB, microstamping, and school aid, proving time and again that he chooses his conservative Republican colleagues over the people of the city he's supposed to represent."
Update 2: Vito Lopez, chairman of the Assembly Housing Committee, sent along this statement on Cuomo's video: "The Assembly has made strengthening New York's rent laws a priority and passed a comprehensive bill last month. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans have instead focused on giveaways to landlords and policies to undercut rent protections, which would have devastating consequences for middle and low income New Yorkers who will be squeezed out of their neighborhoods and communities. The clock is ticking – New York's rent laws are set to expire on June 15 and families are counting on the state legislature. Working with Governor Cuomo, we are confident that we can provide hard working families with the protections they deserve. That is why we are pleased that Governor Cuomo is providing strong leadership to renew and strengthen our rent laws. Our goal – first and always – should be to ensure that working families, children and senior citizens can afford to remain in their homes and in their communities."
