Res 0087-2014

By Council Members Williams, Gentile, Mendez, Rosenthal and Reynoso Whereas, New York City continues to face a housing crisis with the latest Housing and Vacancy Survey conducted by the U.S Bureau of the Census revealing a vacancy rate of only 3.12 percent; and Whereas, In 1971, the "Urstadt Law" enacted by the New York State Legislature removed New York City's authority to enact more stringent or restrictive rent regulation provisions; and Whereas, There are over one million apartments covered by rent regulations in New York City, which represents most of the city's affordable rental housing stock and roughly half of the City's rental units; and Whereas, The New York City Rent Guidelines Board recently reported that 9,499 rent-stabilized units were deregulated in 2012 with about 249,355 rent stabilized units deregulated between 1994 and 2012 because of rent amounts, coop/condo conversions, the expiration of applicable tax benefits, and other property conversions; and Whereas, More New Yorkers are paying at or over 30% of their income towards rent which creates a financial hardship for low and middle-income tenants and has forced many low and middle-income tenants to relocate, live in substandard housing conditions or unable to keep up with living expenses; and Whereas, The housing market in New York City is unlike other communities in New York State, and New York City's local government is in the best position to comprehend and address the areas housing problems; and Whereas, The Urstadt Law prevents New York City from strengthening the rent regulation laws to address the city's current housing crisis which affects millions of tenants; and Whereas, A8393-2013 and S1492-2013 would give New York City the ability to regulate and control residential rents, evictions, the classification of housing accommodations and the enforcement of relevant local laws; and Whereas, It is in the best interest for the City of New York for the Urstadt Law to be repealed so that the city can manage its rental housing stock; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on New York State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign A8393-2013 and S1492-2013, which would repeal the Urstadt law. JLC LS 418/2014 2/3/14 6:30 PM