New York City rent stabilized/control law

[aaaouch]

What is the name of your state? New York

As resident of New York City, in a rent stabilized apartment, I am interested in hearing from citizens on issues related to the Law on Rent Control that (I understand), is not going to be renewed by this coming June 2003

There is an estimated 2.5 millions people living in rent controlled apartments, and I believe that there should be some interest in this highly disturbing issue (the expiring terms of this Law)

Tks for all the input

aaaouch

 

[abezon]

This is what the New York Times letters to the editor page is for.

 

[aaaouch]

New York Times editorial page suggestion

This is what the New York Times letters to the editor page is for.

Thanks abezon for your hint...However, few things come to my mind:

1-how can I write something of such a big magnitude and expect this kind of Newspaper to publish it...cooperation needed here

2-not really sure that the "boss" in the New York Times are that "pro-tenants"...and, my efforts may get stonewalled..eventually

I would definitely consider that venue, if I could overcome these two blocking factors..

Thanks for the msg, though

 

[FarmerJ]

aaa I can tell you this much when a rental market looks like it is getting so called out of control ( too expensive ) the market really does correct it self , perhaps you should do a bit of net research on citys that had rent control and then got rid of it . aaa in this part of the country the minneapolis area had a very high rental market after a long stretch of being on the low side and after a number of months of continual climb the market really did correct it self . one thing I have heard from folks I chat with who live in NYC area . Is that those who are in rent controlled places stay for so many yrs it isnt funny and any one who is a new renter to a unit that has no control has to be subsidizing the long termers to make up for that difference . some citys too aaa are there own worst enemy in minneapolis for so many yrs the city council was hellbent on tearing down everything and any thing that they even helped create a housing shortage , they mindlessly refused to easily allow owners of units to get them repaired instead made it so expensive to repair some homes in the city that now there are some places in the city still that have 25% or more of the houses gone from blocks and yet nothing is rebuilt . so what im saying is in some places that so called good intention regulation actually helps strangle the thing it is supposed to regulate .

 

[aaaouch]

Thanks FarmerJ

I read your post and thank you

The unfortunate reality is...that...money is buying the very same basic principles which are at the foundation of any country...and we, in Contemporary America, on the issue of "MONEY IS ALL"...are simply going backward...I feel like we are neglecting world history and the teachings...in feudal times, in the middle-age, in the darkest times of history, THREE to TEN families were moving masses of millions of people, like puppets...and today Landlords (this third new generation...a real disgrace to what this Country is becoming...) are buying(stealing) out-playing-manipulating and abusing at will...the events in this City then, MADE over night millionaire in the real estate business...and you can imagine how:

1-city agencies are losing control on the inventory of real estate for tax purposes, regulation, enforcement and such

2-the "rebuilding" here is something that looks very similar to the WILD WEST era...and """ethics"""

Hard to believe that we have a Governor who refuse to have ANY say on rent control...and THAT says it all....

If we allow our Country to be in the hands of who CAN bribe higher...we have failed miserably as a FREE society, as a Democracy, as a GLOBAL POWER as we believe we are...and the average JOE should realise all this...it's so CLEAR and VISIBLE...

And I do believe that the luxury of a functional Country should NOT be taken for granted...our foundations are under heavy attacks by the inside...and the "outside" will not be a friend...has been proven way too many times...or...did the 09/11 tragedy teached us anything...? at times, I doubt

 

[gooberitiz]

Lets start by saying there are only 50,000 or less rent controlled apartment is all of NYC.

In order to have a cheap RC apt. you had to have signed a lease and moved in BEFORE june 1971 and still be living there today. an it can be handed down to your kids if they also live with you for 2 years before you die or move to a nursing home or florida. and the numbers go down each year since most kids dont want to live in new york city, or in an OLD OLD apartment, many of them ar so OLD they stil have the OLD wiring, and will blow fuses if you have the AC and a toaster on at the same time, kids dont want that type of living arrangments even for $300-400 a month rent, so they GLADLY pay $1500 a month so they can run 2 AC's the toaster microwave computers and more and nothing blows!!!

I think that rent stabilization is probably not going to be renewed in its present form. And if you think about it, the BEST time to eliminate it or weaken it is right in the middle of a BIG RECESSION in 2003.

The landlords will be stupid enough to demand weaker laws and guess what, who is left to pay the $2000 a month for a studio or 1 BR apartment anyway, in a recession? I think finally landlords will get royally screwed.

I also think that the very low rents will rise and the very high rents will drop, In fact you have 2 ways of look at it, no where else in the country do people live 30-40-50-60 years in the SAME apartment. But that also means fewer and fewer people move to free up apartments each month.

Thats why its a full time job to find a place to live in NYC.

So thats a start, what do you think aaaouch?

 

[FarmerJ]

Goob & aaa you realise that things like older wiring are often zoning issues . Example In minneapolis you can rent a unit that of 1,000 sq feet of living space not counting the bathroom . Where the unit only has 2 15 amp circuits (pre existing structures ) of course when any structure in mpls becomes condemned or fire or weather damaged more than 50 % then the city forces full code compliance and of course then all mechanicals must be brought up to code when the property is re built . Ill imagine that NYC has some sort of min code ( if you know what it is can you tell me ? ) one thing for sure that will happen is that many many of the LLs who delayed improvement to the properties are going to find them selfs having to do so . Also yeah some folks will panic about the loss of rent control . But folks like my friend dans father and mom who hung on to a apt in a very bad area for 47 yrs till they both were retired and finally came here to live . were part of the problem and yeah lots LLs will raise rents only to find that the market will only pay so much and then people start to refuse to rent places and then come the move in specials & enough improvements being done to begin to justifysome higher rents for some units . For the LLs who are more carefull about rent increases there tenants will see the rents increase over a period of time But along with those increases there will be some LLs who take advantage making repairs and improvements (nice ripple effect to the local economy too ). All I know for sure is seeing first hand what over regulation did to the minneapolis area housing mkt helping fuel the shortage of all affordable housing here and like i said the mkt does correct it self .

 

[gooberitiz]

belive it or not NYC still only requires a 15 amp service as a minimum in a studio apartment.and 2 15 amp in a 1 bedroom. thats why an ac and toaster blows a circuit.

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LLs will raise rents only to find thatthe market will only pay so much and then people start to refuse to rent places and then comethe move in specials & enough improvements being done to begin to justifysome higher rents for some units
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Also because of the way the law is structured, there is no incentive for a landlord to just paint and do minor repairs, its exactly the opposite the landlord can legally jack the rent up by buying LUXURY applainces, marble baths parquet floors mirrored closets, new hardwood floors.

and because of the people living like 47 years in an apartment there are 10-20-50 willing to pay the outrageous money for a really fixed up place in a crummy area.

and the only time i heard of people getting movin allowences and rent reductions was back in 90-91 when the big real estate crash hit the northeast.-----------

Persoanlly that is the biggest fault of rent controls here it allowed landlords to spend anything they wanted to improve the property, if you spent $20,000 you could legally jack the rent up $500 a month forever (1/40 of the total cost per month) so you see there is no limit to what the landlord can spend....

THAT is what has lost hundreds of thousand apartments from remaining affordable.