File #: Res 2082-2013    Version: * Name: Rent Guidelines Board to hold, annually, at least one public hearing in each of NYC’s 5 boroughs to allow for public testimony from tenants in these communities before determining the annual adjustment of rents.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Housing and Buildings
On agenda: 12/19/2013
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling upon the Rent Guidelines Board to hold, annually, at least one public hearing in each of New York City's five boroughs to allow for public testimony from tenants in these communities before determining the annual adjustment of rents.
Sponsors: Mathieu Eugene, Gale A. Brewer, Margaret S. Chin, Letitia James, G. Oliver Koppell, Donovan J. Richards, Deborah L. Rose
Council Member Sponsors: 7
Res. No. 2082
 
 
Resolution calling upon the Rent Guidelines Board to hold, annually, at least one public hearing in each of New York City's five boroughs to allow for public testimony from tenants in these communities before determining the annual adjustment of rents.
 
 
By Council Members Eugene, Brewer, Chin, James, Koppell, Richards and Rose
Whereas, According to the 2011 Housing and Vacancy Survey (HVS), 74.9 percent of New York City's total housing units are located in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island; and
 
Whereas, According to the 2011 HVS, approximately 45.4 percent of New York City's total rental stock is rent-stabilized; and
 
Whereas, Section 26-510(b) of the New York City Administrative Code authorizes the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) to determine the maximum level of annual rent adjustments for rent-stabilized apartments; and
 
      Whereas, The RGB is required to hold one or more public hearings for the purpose of taking testimony and collecting information before determining the annual adjustment of rents; and
 
      Whereas, Since 2005 the RGB has traditionally held one public hearing in Manhattan and a second public hearing in the Bronx, Brooklyn or Queens before determining the annual adjustment of rents; and
 
      Whereas, The RGB recently eliminated the second, outer-borough public hearing and held only one public hearing, in Manhattan, before deciding the adjustment of rents for the period of October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014; and
 
      Whereas, The voices of tenants of rent-stabilized apartments are critical to the RGB's annual rent-adjustment decision because any rent increase has a direct impact on their lives by affecting their housing cost and spending allocations; and
 
      Whereas, Holding a public hearing in each of New York City's five boroughs would help ensure that tenants of rent-stabilized apartments in all boroughs are heard by the RGB before it decides the annual adjustment of rents; now, therefore, be it
 
      Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Rent Guidelines Board to hold, annually, at least one public hearing in each of New York City's five boroughs to allow for public testimony from tenants in these communities before determining the annual adjustment of rents.
 
wcj
LS# 4866
Cr-11/18/2013 Sv-12/9/2013 10:38 AM