Res. No. 502
Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to enact A. 9899/S. 6890, an act to amend the general business law, in relation to vacancies and illegal use and occupancy relating to cooperative or condominium conversion plans.
By Council Members Brewer, Cabrera, James, Lappin, Palma and Rodriguez
Whereas, Some landlords have been converting permanent residential apartments, before or during the process of a planned cooperative or condominium conversion, to illegal hotel use, exacerbating the severe shortage of affordable rental housing in the City of New York; and
Whereas, This practice is putting pressure on an already tight rental market; and
Whereas, The loss of those affordable units to illegal hotel use often results in the displacement of low and middle-income New Yorkers, severely disrupting the life of the communities where those units are located; and
Whereas, According to the 2008 New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey (HVS), the citywide vacancy rate for rental apartments was only 2.88 percent; and
Whereas, Illegal hotel use may also jeopardize the health, safety and quiet enjoyment of the homes of regular tenants; and
Whereas, The City has seen recent losses in affordable housing due to withdrawals from the Mitchell-Lama and project-based Section 8 programs, and the loss of rent-regulated housing; and
Whereas, Funding for the construction of new affordable housing has not kept pace with New York City's needs; and
Whereas, Affordable housing programs keep neighborhoods economically diverse and vibrant by allowing low to middle-income New Yorkers to reside and in many cases remain lifelong residents of the City; and
Whereas, The City must ensure that the affordable housing stock is not further depleted by the illegal use of apartments as hotels, either before or during the approval process of a conversion to a cooperative or condominium; and
Whereas, The enactment of A. 9899/S.6890 would help the New York State Attorney General and potentially the City begin effective enforcement against any illegal hotel use in buildings awaiting approval of a conversion to a cooperative or condominium and help end the illegal conversion of affordable rental housing to hotel use; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature to enact A. 9899/S. 6890, an act to the general business law, in relation to vacancies and illegal use and occupancy relating to cooperative or condominium conversion plans.
LS# 780
BJG
10/18/2010