R3 | REAL RENT REFORM CAMPAIGN

c/o Met Council on Housing | 339 Lafayette Street, #301 | New York, NY 10012

MEMORANDUM IN OPPOSITION
June 17, 2015
S5971

Senator Young

Rules Committee

AN ACT to amend the real property tax law, in relation to tax abatements for dwelling
units occupied by certain persons residing in rent-controlled or rent regulated
properties, and providing state aid to cities affected by such tax abatements; and to
amend chapter 576 of the laws of 1974 amending the emergency housing rent control
law relating to the control of and stabilization of rent in certain cases, in relation to
extending the provisions thereof
Beware of New York State Senate Republicans bearing gifts.
Only two days after passing S5953, a one-house anti-tenant bill that does not pass the
laugh test, and callously allowing the state rent and coop laws to expire in order to
enhance the leverage they are exercising on behalf of landlords, the Senate
Republicans are once again posturing with this bill, instead of engaging in serious
negotiations with the Assembly and Governor.
On the surface, the heart of this bill would seem to be a benefit to rent-burdened
tenants in rent-stabilized or rent-controlled apartments, by freezing their rents if their
rent consumes more than half their household incomes. But 50% of income is way
above the 30% federal hardship level. And by failing to close all of the loopholes that
cause rents to be driven up, this bill would ensure that more and more tenants would
face unbearable rent burdens.
But without repealing Vacancy Deregulation and other loopholes in the current rent
laws, this bill would in fact continue the steady phaseout of all rent-regulated housing
in New York City and Nassau, Westchester and Rockland Counties. Therefore, it is
impossible to consider the benevolence seemingly expressed in this bill as a serious
effort, when the clear goal of the Senate Republicans is to help the real estate lobby
end all rent and eviction protections in New York State.
Plus the stingy ten percent reimbursement by the state to localities seems to doom the
measure to failure. As it is, many municipalities in the three ETPA counties have not
opted into the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption program and/or the Disability

realrentreform.org | 212-979-6238 x 203

REAL
RENT
REFORM

R3

R3 | REAL RENT REFORM CAMPAIGN

c/o Met Council on Housing | 339 Lafayette Street, #301 | New York, NY 10012

Rent Increase Exemption program, or they have enacted SCRIE and/or DRIE at lower
income eligibility levels than the state authorizes, because they cannot afford the lost
tax revenue.
The bill is also badly drafted in that it seeks to extend the Emergency Tenant
Protection Act of 1974 for four years, until 2019, but does not renew state rent control,
the New York City coop/condo conversion law, or the three-county coop/condo
conversion law, all of which expired Monday night at midnight along with the ETPA.
The Real Rent Reform Campaign urges all fair-minded Senators to oppose this
insincere legislation.

realrentreform.org | 212-979-6238 x 203

REAL
RENT
REFORM

R3