New York Times: Huge competition for affordable housing lotteries
New York Times: Ever-greater amenities in new luxury condos for the super-rich
Michael McKee
Treasurer
Tenants Political Action Committee
Keep Housing Affordable in NYC
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Heastie potential Silver successor.
Read about Heastie in Juan Gonzalez's NY Daily News article. Gonzalez suggests that Heastie distance himself from some of his principal advisors including Stanley Schlein, whose lobbying clients have included the Rent Stabilization Association, and the NY Yankees, according to the NY Observer.
It behooves all tenants to urge their Assembly Members to tell the next Assembly Speaker - whoever it may be - that we need repeal of vacancy deregulation along with renewal of the rent laws that expire in June 2015.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
421-a program could raise your rent
WNYC
""It's a terrible deal. We spend $1 billion a year and for that we get about 15,000 affordable units," said Tom Waters, a housing policy analyst with the Alliance for Tenant Power.
Assembly Speaker Silver's Departure Could End Up Raising Your Rent
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Excerpt:""It's a terrible deal. We spend $1 billion a year and for that we get about 15,000 affordable units," said Tom Waters, a housing policy analyst with the Alliance for Tenant Power.
But if you live in a rental, developers want you to know that ending this tax program will result in a reduction of available units, which could then increase the price of rentals."
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Avowed Tenant Champ Dethroned by [alleged] Developer Kickbacks
"Avowed Tenant Champ Dethroned by
Developer Kickbacks"
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Did Silver sell out tenants in 2011?
A Sheldon Silver Mystery: Did He Betray New York Renters?
in@propublica.org.
Excerpt: A little-scrutinized section of the criminal complaint alleges a luxury developer implicated in the Silver bribery scheme requested changes to the law. The changes were ultimately adopted.
The complaint has tenant advocates who lobbied on the bill, known as the Rent Act of 2011, wondering what really happened. For now, it's a mystery: U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara hasn't specified what change Silver made on behalf of a developer who was part of the alleged bribery scheme.
The Indypendent: Tenant Laws in Peril
Excerpt:
For both of the tenant-group coalitions working on the issue — the Alliance for Tenant Power and the Real Rent Reform Campaign — the top priority is repeal of the 1997 amendment that lets landlords decontrol vacant apartments if the rent can be raised to $2,500 a month or more.
That amendment has effectively created a two-tier housing system in the city, in which new arrivals face astronomical rents and no rights or security. If it’s not repealed, tenant advocates say, the supply of rent-stabilized apartments will eventually erode to a handful occupied by elderly and poor residents. Merely raising the threshold for deregulation — in 2011, the last time the laws were renewed, it was increased from $2,000 to $2,500 — would be as inadequate as putting a Band-Aid on a ruptured aorta, they say.
Assembly Dems give Silver til Tuesday to resign or risk vote
Michael McKee's articles for tenant advocates 1/27/2015
New York Times: Assembly Democrats give Silver until Tuesday to resign or risk vote to remove him as Speaker
New York Times: Assembly Democrats give Silver until Tuesday to resign or risk vote to remove him as Speaker
Monday, January 26, 2015
5 Dems to co-head NYS Assembly as Silver temporarily steps down
5 Democrats to Replace Speaker Sheldon Silver, stepping down temporarily.
NY Times: "In an unusual arrangement, Mr. Silver, 70, would not permanently quit his post. Instead, he would temporarily delegate his duties as speaker to a group of senior Assembly members."
NY Daily News Excerpt:
A source with direct knowledge of the deal says the chamber will be run jointly by five veteran Assembly Democrats — Majority Leader Joseph Morelle (D-Rochester), Herman “Denny” Farrell (D-Manhattan), Joseph Lentol (D-Brooklyn), Cathy Nolan (D-Queens) and Carl Heastie (D-Bronx).
Morelle and Farrell will head the chamber’s upcoming budget negotiations with Gov. Cuomo and the Senate, the source said.
NY Times: "In an unusual arrangement, Mr. Silver, 70, would not permanently quit his post. Instead, he would temporarily delegate his duties as speaker to a group of senior Assembly members."
NY Daily News Excerpt:
A source with direct knowledge of the deal says the chamber will be run jointly by five veteran Assembly Democrats — Majority Leader Joseph Morelle (D-Rochester), Herman “Denny” Farrell (D-Manhattan), Joseph Lentol (D-Brooklyn), Cathy Nolan (D-Queens) and Carl Heastie (D-Bronx).
Morelle and Farrell will head the chamber’s upcoming budget negotiations with Gov. Cuomo and the Senate, the source said.
Friday, January 23, 2015
NYS Speaker Sheldon Silver indicted for corruption - and how it could affect tenants
Sheldon Silver, NY Assembly Speaker, has been arrested by the federal government in part for "pressuring two real estate companies doing business with the state to hire a law firm that was regularly paying him bribes, the 35-page complaint charged." (NY Daily News). See the NY Times report, the Times' graphic explaining the charges, and the NY Observer article. Click here for the press conference video.
As a practical matter, tenants depend on Silver and Cuomo as the two Democrats of the "three men in a room" who actually determine which laws get passed each term. (The third is the speaker of the State Senate, GOP Dean Skelos.) The indictment shakes up the balance in Albany and severely weakens Silver. Silver has said many good things on tenant issues and has ensured basic renewal of the rent laws, if not the serious improvements that tenants need like the repeal of vacancy deregulation and a cap on MCI rent increases. The indictment, of course, alleges he's been collecting illegal money (evading even the very loose election law limits) from some big real estate companies for years.
Cuomo neglected to mention the rent laws
Excerpt from Gotham Gazette, Jan. 22, 2015:
While Cuomo did discuss investing $486 million in building new affordable housing for "vulnerable" New Yorkers, he did not discuss renewing the expiring rent laws that keep housing affordable for thousands of city residents. Tenants and tenant advocates are highly concerned about losing affordable units to destabilization.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Coming up - In case you missed the calendar (on the right).
Get involved and speak out on affordable housing issues:
Friday, Jan. 23, 2015 - 11 AM press conference on reforming the 421-a tax break for billionaire developers Steps of City Hall
Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015 - 10 AM Mitchell-Lama Residents Coalition and lobbying in the neighborhood, Musicians Union, 322 W. 48th St. (near 8th Ave.), ground floor Club Room,
Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015 - Reviewing Renewal: Queens Museum housing lectures, starting at noon
Monday, Jan. 26, 2015 - Real Rent Reform Membership Meeting, 99 Ft. Washington Ave. in Washington Heights
And see the calendar at the right for more activities!
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Tenants Legislative Program
Two powerful tenant coalitions - the Real Rent Reform Campaign and the
Alliance for Tenant Power have a single legislative platform:
- Repeal Vacancy Deregulation (see explanations below)
- Repeal the Statutory Vacancy Bonus
- Reform Preferential Rent Loophole
- Reform Major Capital Improvement Rent Increase System
- Adequate Protections for Former Mitchell-Lama & Section 8 Tenants
- Eliminate Illegal Fees
- Protect Rent Controlled Tenants
- End Source of Income Discrimination
- Reform the Individual Apartment Improvement rent increase systems
Friday, January 16, 2015
Can Mayor stop loss of affordable housing?
Bloomberg News: Uncertain role for de Blasio in rent law fight in Albany
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Cuomo nominates Bill Thompson to lead state housing finance agencies
Daily News: Cuomo nominate former NYC Comptroller Thompson to lead HFA/SONYMA
WNYC Radio: Public Advocate Tish James proposes beefing up building registrations
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Monday, January 5, 2015
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