A vote on the city’s rental council on Thursday marked the beginning of what could be the biggest increase in rents in a decade for nearly 1 million controlled-rent Big Apple apartments.
In a preliminary vote of 5-4, the board approved rent increases ranging from 2 to 4 percent for one-year leases and 4 to 6 percent for two-year leases.
If the board’s final vote falls within these ranges, it will be the biggest increase since 2013, when the board led by then-mayor Mike Bloomberg approved 4 percent increases for one-year contracts and 7.75 percent for two-year contracts.
The scope was not as great as some tenant advocates feared or landlords’ groups hoped – a report from the board estimated that landlords would need increases of up to 9 percent on two-year leases to make costs.
But the Legal Aid Society is still pushing for a “freeze on wholesale trade” when the board makes its final vote next month, the group said in a statement.
“We condemn the voting board for increasing the rents of some of our most vulnerable neighbors, people from low-income colored communities, especially when New Yorkers are still struggling financially from the pandemic and the local unemployment rate remains one of the highest in the country.” said Adrienne Holder, a civil lawyer.
In a preliminary vote, the city’s rental council approved rent increases ranging from 2 to 4 percent for one-year leases and 4 to 6 percent for two-year leases.
“Tonight’s vote ignores this blatant reality. However, the board can still vote to freeze in June, and we encourage members to listen to the cries of tenants, our customers mired in Hobson’s choice of groceries, medical supplies and other essentials, and rent payments.
A community housing improvement program, a group of homeowners, criticized the board for failing to meet the ranges in its own report and said the increases were needed not for profit but to keep pace with rising costs and maintenance.
“The apartment has costs. RGB spends a lot of time and energy calculating these costs, “said Jay Martin, the group’s chief executive.
Some condemned the decision, saying it was largely aimed at low-income colored communities. Steve Sanchez / Pacific Press / Shutterstock
“Yet, again, the Board ultimately rejected the data and proposed a range that did not cover the rising costs that their own reports anticipate.
Last year, the board agreed to a six-month rental freeze to allow for a pandemic recovery, with a 1.5% increase in one-year rents and a 2.5% increase in the second half of the year.
All board members have been appointed mayors, although Mayor Eric Adams has appointed only three of the nine members today. The remaining members were appointed by former mayor Bill de Blasio, during whose tenure the rents were frozen three times and remained at low single digits.
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