Elections

Affordable housing and tenants rights are highly political issues. A change in administrations at the city, state or national level can have an enormous impact on rent regulations, funding for affordable housing programs, code enforcement, and access to justice. For this reason, Met Council urges tenants to get involved in elections - for local seats, as well as higher ones. To find out who represents you, go to the Who Represents You section of nypirg.org and type in your address.

In 2006, real estate interests based in New York City and the surrounding counties gave close to $10 million to candidates and political action committees. Almost all of that money went to Republicans - particularly to political action committees controlled by former State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno. The Senate Leader has orchestrated the weakening amendments to the rent laws since 1997 that made permanent vacancy decontrol, gutted the registration system, which is the keystone of the rent regulations, removed the brake on preferential rents, and made New York City rent regulated buildings a playing field for the predatory speculators that are destroying affordability in our moderate income neighborhoods.

To get involved directly in electoral contests, go to the Tenants Pac website to see who's been endorsed by this tenant-focused political action committee.

Clean Elections, Clean Money: The ONLY way to keep the real estate lobby off our rent laws is to win campaign finance reform for New York State. End the system that allows upstate senate candidates to run elections using NYC landlord money - and allows them to vote on issues that do not affect their constituents. Check out Citizens Action NYC.