New York City Council Votes to Affirm Rent Stabilization Efforts

The New York City Council recently voted to extend rent regulation laws in the city, which are an important system for protecting low-income tenants from sharp rent increases and promoting neighborhood stability. Judi Kende, vice president and New York market leader at Enterprise Community Partners, urges the New York State Legislature to strengthen rent laws and provide enough funds for enforcement efforts, with the goal of preventing affordable units from leaving the rent stabilization system and curbing tenant harassment. Outdated rent laws and loopholes have allowed thousands of affordable units to exit rent stabilization each year. Kende emphasizes the importance of using the 2019 legislation renewal period to update state laws, such as vacancy allowance and preferential rents, to reflect today’s housing market and allocate additional resources for enforcement.