Flatbush Tenant Coalition Coordinator Aga Trojniak On The Hemorrhaging Of Affordable Housing In Our Area & How To Stop It

This is a guest column written by Aga Trojniak, of the Flatbush Tenant Coalition, which works to organize tenants and advocate for tenants’ rights in such areas as Flatbush, East Flatbush, and Prospect-Lefferts Gardens.

Last week, YIMBY, a popular NYC real estate blog, predicted that in 2015 Flatbush will be one of the “new frontiers of gentrification.” Of course, Flatbush residents know the process is already well underway in our neighborhood. And we also know that affordable housing is rapidly disappearing and many of the families that have made our community what it is, especially low-to-moderate income, West Indian, immigrant families, are being pushed out of the neighborhood. These effects might seem unstoppable and inevitable. They are not.

Flatbush boasts some of the most beautiful Victorian homes in the country, but the vast majority of our community lives in rent stabilized apartments. These apartments are THE source of affordable housing in our neighborhood. Rents go up every year or two (depending on the lease), but the increases are limited and decided each year by the city Rent Guidelines Board. Historically, they’ve ranged anywhere from 1 percent to about 8 percent for a lease renewal.

Since the mid-90s Albany has repeatedly weakened the laws that govern rent-regulated apartments.  There are now huge loopholes that allow landlords to significantly raise the rent above the regular increases, especially in between tenants. For example, when an apartment becomes vacant, landlords can now increase the rent by 20 percent. And, on top of that, they can add to the monthly rent the cost of any renovations they make (or claim to make) in the apartment. No permission or proof is required. And once the rent reaches $2,500 (even if that’s only on paper), they can pull the apartment out of the rent regulation system altogether. Then, anything goes.

These loopholes create perverse incentives for landlords to get rid of long-term residents and turn over apartments again and again. Predatory equity corporations are now buying up rent regulated buildings in our neighborhood in bulk. They, and the smaller landlords who follow suit, harass longterm residents by withholding repairs, starting frivolous court cases, and more until families can’t take it any longer and leave, or are evicted in the chaos.

Of 59 community districts in NYC, Flatbush has the third highest blood lead levels in children, mostly from crumbling walls and ceilings.  We are in the top ten for serious housing code violations.

These tactics are how gentrification happens in our neighborhood. Between 2008 and 2011, Flatbush lost more than 3,500 rent regulated apartments this way.   It was the largest loss of rent regulated apartments of any community district in Brooklyn.

This June, New York Senate and Assembly members will have the last opportunity to stop this hemorrhaging of affordable housing when the rent regulation laws come up for renewal. They must strengthen the rent laws to protect our neighborhood, and NYC, before it is too late. Until then, we – homeowners, tenants, new & long-term residents – must ensure that stronger rent laws are their top legislative priority.

To learn more about the Flatbush Tenant Coalition, you can email the group at ftcoalition@gmail.com, call 718-635-2623, or visit their Facebook page.