
The New York State Capitol building in Albany. Image credit: Matt H. Wade
Deal is retroactive to the programs’ expiration on June 15. On June 25, 2015 the New York State Legislature passed a bill extending rent-regulation protections for New York City. The laws had expired on June 15, and the Legislature temporarily extended its session to allow time for working on a longer-term solution. On March 11, the New York City Council passed an extension of the City’s rent-stabilization laws, as well as a package of resolutions calling for reform of rent-increase policies of regulated apartments, a total repeal of vacancy decontrol, and more.
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The New York State Capitol building in Albany. Image credit: Matt H. Wade
Framework of extension deal includes rent regulation, 421-a. On June 23, 2015 Governor Andrew Cuomo, joined by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, announced the framework of a deal on extending rent-regulation protections for New York City. The laws expired on June 15, and the Legislature temporarily extended its session until June 23 to allow time for working on a longer-term solution.
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Alliance for Tenant Power campaigns for rent regulation changes in Albany. Image Credit: Alliance for Power.
There are 1.1 million rent regulated apartments in New York City, housing approximately 2.5 million people. Rent regulation is the largest source of affordable housing for low-and moderate- income tenants, and is mostly concentrated in rapidly gentrifying communities with a majority population of people of color. It is a resource that we are rapidly losing to deregulation. (more…)

Mayor Adams makes the announcement about a lawsuit against an illegal short term rental operation. Image Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.
The lawsuit alleges the owner conducted around $2 million in illegal transactions for short term rentals over the span of four years. On Monday, July 12, Mayor Eric Adams and Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement (OSE), Christian J. Klossner, held a press conference to announce a lawsuit against an illegal short-term rental operation in Manhattan’s Turtle Bay neighborhood. The administration officials were joined by Rich Maroko, president of the Hotel Trades Council, Council Members Keith Powers and Gail Brewer, Assembly Member Richard Gottfried, and members of the coalition against illegal hotels. (more…)

Image Credit: New York Senate.
The law places limits on various mechanisms through which landlords of rent-regulated units can raise rent and provides many other protections for tenants. On June 14, 2019, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed into law the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019, which Cuomo called “the most sweeping, aggressive protections in state history.” The legislation extends and strengthens rent protections for tenants across the state and went into effect before the expiration of the existing rent regulations on June 15, 2019. The new legislation makes the rules permanent, repeals high-rent vacancy deregulation and vacancy and longevity bonuses, reforms rent increases for major capital improvements and individual apartment improvements, creates protections for tenants across the state, and allows communities outside of the City to opt into rent stabilization. Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins sponsored the bills with many co-sponsors in both the State Senate and State Assembly. (more…)