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The REAL Rent Reform
Campaign
Repealing Vacancy
Decontrol:
The future of
rent-regulated housing in New York City depends on ending
vacancy decontrol.
“Vacancy decontrol” is a provision in the rent laws that allows
landlords to take apartments permanently out of rent regulation
upon vacancy if the legal rent can be brought to $2,000 a month.
The promise of limitless rent increases, and minimal tenant
rights (including no lease-renewal rights), provides a
tremendous incentive for landlords to push out long-time
tenants, including often by harassing tenants until they move
out, or bringing them to court on falsified grounds. Since
vacancy decontrol was enacted over a decade ago, an estimated
300,000 once-affordable apartments have become de-regulated. We
are at a critical moment in the tenants movement, and the future
of affordable housing in this city depends on our ability to
preserve the system of rent-regulation.
The REAL Rent Reform
Campaign:
What reforms do we
want? Repeal vacancy decontrol; Re-instate home rule for New
York City's Council and Mayor over rent and eviction rules; Save
affordable units in expiring Mitchell-Lama and Section 8
projects by putting them under rent stabilization and barring
market-rate rent increases; and reforming the rent guidelines
boards in NYC and the surrounding counties.
How do we win reform
of the rent laws? Get the New York State Legislature to pass
the four bills.
Tenants must go to their Democratic State Senators and
Assembly Members and ask them to support the
campaign platform. Go to
Who Represents Me? to
get contact information for your state reps.
Contact us to get involved. Email us at active at metcouncil.net
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