Join The Flatbush Tenant Coalition & Rally For Stronger Rent Laws Next Tuesday, June 9
Next Tuesday, June 9, you can join the Flatbush Tenant Coalition as neighbors travel to Albany to rally for stronger rent laws — which are up for renewal on June 15.
The trip is free and includes a bus ride to Albany, breakfast and lunch — all you have to do is register now with the FTC and meet your fellow neighbors at the FTC’s office (1616 Newkirk Avenue) at 6:30am Tuesday to begin the trek to our state capitol.
To save a seat for yourself, please email Aga Trojniak at ftcoalition@gmail.com or call 718-635-2623.
Our neighbors will be part of what is expected to be a huge turnout in Albany that day, as tenant groups from across the city and state will congregate to call on lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to strengthen the rent laws that have a direct impact on thousands of our neighbors — and the approximately 2.5 million New Yorkers living in rent-regulated units.
There are numerous issues at stake with these laws, and leaders with the Flatbush Tenant Coalition have repeatedly said that diluted rent laws have caused Flatbush to lose thousands of rent-regulated apartments in recent years (for example, the FTC has cited that Flatbush lost 3,500 rent-regulated units between 2008 and 2011).
With the current rent laws, landlords are able to charge a market rate on rent-regulated units once the rent hits $2,500 and the current tenant vacates the apartment — which, tenant organizers and other neighbors have said, can result in landlords illegally pushing rent-regulated tenants from their homes, including by not conducting necessary repairs to fix everything from ceilings that have caved in to longstanding electrical problems.
Additionally, Aga Trojniak at the FTC noted that eviction court cases have more than quadrupled in our area between 2012 and 2014 as landlords attempt to push people from units to pave the way for individuals who can shell out more for rent.
The FTC wrote in a recent email that:
A third of all families in the neighborhood pay more than 50% of their income towards rent, struggling to feed their children, pay medical bills, and afford other basic necessities. And we’re in the top 10 for serious housing code violations (out of 59 NYC neighborhoods), as unscrupulous landlords intentionally neglect their buildings to drive out more families and get sky-high rents in return.
To see an extensive list of what neighbors would like to see happen with the rent laws, you can go here.
What do you want to see happen with the rent laws? If you live in a rent-regulated apartment, what has your experience been like?