Manhattan B.P. releases seven-point slate of reforms for rent laws and affordable housing

NEW YORK – Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer issued the following statement in response to a Daily News report indicating some upstate Republican legislators favor holding New York City’s rent laws hostage to win changes to the NY-SAFE Act:

“I was shocked and disturbed to read in today’s Daily News that some upstate Republican legislators are so obsessed with watering down our state’s gun laws, they are willing to hold a gun to New York City tenants’ heads by holding our rent laws hostage.

“There are roughly 285,000 rent-regulated apartments in Manhattan alone, and more than a million citywide. It is preposterous to threaten to throw these New Yorkers out on the street because elements of one party’s political base feel inconvenienced by a new law. On behalf of Manhattan’s 1.6 million residents, I call on Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan to reject this kind of hostage-taking and negotiate the renewal of our rent laws in good faith.”

Brewer recently issued a policy paper outlining her office’s priorities for changes in the rent laws currently under negotiation in Albany.

“We should be having a rational conversation about what we can fix and improve in our rent laws, but Albany’s grown-ups need to get this conversation back on track,” said Brewer. “My office has identified key reforms that can make a difference, and loopholes that need to be closed. That’s what the legislature should be talking about for the next few weeks – not more hostage-taking.” Read more…