Public Hearing on Rent Control Apartments

[Anchor:Martha]
Thank you Mohammad. Yang?

[Anchor:Yang]
Alright, Martha. Economic concerns are also driving city landlords to ask for big increases for rent stabilized apartments. Both the landlords and tenants got air their arguments at a hearing today and Claire Obusan was there 

[TAKE PKG]
Fifteen to twenty percent – that’s how much landlords are asking the board to increase rents for one year leases. And that’s just for rent-stabilized apartments.

 “This board did authorize double digit increase during the last oil crisis,” said Jack Freund from Rent Stabilization Association. “So it’s certainly not unreasonable and not unrealistic in the present context.”

Landlords say they have no choice because they’re a victim of higher operating costs.

 “Everybody knows when they fill up their gas tank that oil prices are rising,” said Freund. “So property owners not only have rising oil prices, they have rising real estate taxes, water and sewage rates. They have rising costs of all sorts.”

 “We just ask the Board to be fair, hope that they will be fair,” said Christopher Athineos from Small Property Owners of New York. “And I think that most people who are reasonable will understand that everyone is in this together.”

But many tenants say that any hike would be unfair, especially during a possible recession.

 “Fifteen to twenty years or so,” said tenant Anita Rom. “They’ve gotten higher increases than what they’ve deserved. So let them eat it a little bit.”

And some tenants are more vocal in expressing their frustration.

 “To make many people homeless, that’s not using any sense. We’ve been worried…”

[TAKE LIVE NAME: Claire]
(***CLAIRE***)
The board will have its final vote on June 19th. And between now and then, there will be four more public hearings. And based on previous years, it’s likely these meetings will become more heated as the deadline approaches. Yang?

[TAKE STUDIO]
[Anchor:Yang]
(***YANG***)

How will the Board’s decision affect tenants who don’t live in rent-stabilized apartments?

[TAKE LIVE
NAME: Claire]
(***CLAIRE***)
Well, rent stabilized and unregulated apartments are part of two different markets. But some landlords may look to the Board’s decision as a barometer to justify any rent increases they may charge their own tenants. Thank you, Claire.

[Anchor:Yang]
(***YANG***)
The City health department today reported measles infections are at their highest levels since 2001.  New York reported 22 cases — the majority occurred in Brooklyn, and almost none of sufferers were vaccinated. Most cases are linked to overseas travel. 

~ by supermann on May 2, 2008.