For Immediate Release | March 23 , 2011
(Albany, NY) – With rent regulation laws that protect affordable housing for over 2.5 million tenants in New York City and the surrounding counties (Westchester, Nassau, and Rockland) dangerously close to expiring, Senator Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) joined Senate and Assembly Democrats and housing advocates to urge Governor Andrew Cuomo to include tenant protections in this year’s State Budget.
Senator Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan), Ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee said, “In order to ensure that the millions of hardworking low- and middle-income New Yorkers living in rent regulated units are able to remain in their homes, we must extend rent regulation laws and close the loopholes that have plagued the rent regulation system for far too long. The expiration of these laws would deliver a double blow to our poorest seniors and the disabled because without rent regulation, there is no SCRIE or DRIE program. Governor Cuomo has argued against tax increases in his budget, but failing to fix the rent laws translates to the biggest tax increase of all on those least able to pay. There is no greater tax than putting renters in a position of not being able to afford to stay in their homes because of the government’s failure to act. We cannot allow the final negotiation of rent regulation to come down to the wire, there is simply too much at stake. We must deal with it now and the budget process is the best way to do that.”
Contact: Katie Kincaid | kincaid.nysenate@gmail.com | 646-784-0485
