Lowest Rent Increase Since 1969 in Rent Stabilized apartements. in New York City

Yep you heard it right! Thanks New York Post again for keeping me posted. Welcome a New Age. The greed is going thanks to our awesome mayor. I love you Billy D!

This is the lowest rent increase since Rent Stabilization began in 1969.  A wonderful 1% for a one year lease and a  2.75% increase for a two year lease. That means that the rent has increased each and every year since 1969. Until NOW!

Landlords have gotten their way for over the last 40 years.

But the tide is a changing I can feel it in the wind.

Naturally the lawyers for the landlords (The Rent Stabilization Board which is pro Landlords) came out to the press to belly ache about the rising costs and their inability to make a living. Why then would anyone with a rational business sense WANT to be in the landlord business? If your loosing money and you can predict to loose more.. get out!

So this my friends makes me very happy, very very happy and shows a new  kind of leadership emerging in NYC. A leadership that cares about the quality of life in New York City.

I can bet'cha however, that this is just the beginning of a long fight. Landlords do not go down easily.

Phony Evictions? New York City? Charles Rangel and Mrs. Espaillat

Phony Evictions? New York City? You better believe it! Thank you New York Post for keeping me posted on my pet issue... evictions and housing court.

And thank you Mrs. Espaillat for bringing this issue to the forefront.
And thank you Mr. Rangel for having your team distribute phony eviction notices to tenants.


PHONY evictions notices are common practice with some News York City landlords. Conveniently, there a no numbers of statistics on how many of these occur each year because most of the victims are the elderly, immigrants and anyone who scares easily.

I have witnessed phony evictions distributed by hand when I used to live on 108th street in Spanish Harlem. Spanish Harlem is a predominately, Latin/ Mexican/Puerto Rican neighborhood.

When  the landlords smelt money they decided that gentrification was going to happen.  Their motto was, "Evict em? Raise those rents! Make more money! Move em out! Move em in! Raise the rent again!"

One of the terrible consequences of what I call landlord veraciousness or for lack of a better work  greed is that the local people became targets for evictions. Where I lived in Spanish Harlem most of the people knew limited English. Many landlords figured that since illegal eviction saved a shit load of legal fees it was definitely a strategy that was worth a shot.

 Many of those victimized came from countries with a corrupt legal system and official hand delivered papers in another language scared them shitless.

As gentrification took place I saw first hand families evicted or illegally locked out of their apartments sitting on the street with all of their possessions laying next to them or piled in a heap in the garbage. I also noticed that many of these illegal evictions took place at night usually the night before garbage pick-up as to not draw attention to the crimes taking place.  I was sickened by regularly witnessing  mothers and children shivering by dark doorsteps in the midst of winter in complete shock. These terrorized families had nowhere to go but the stoop of the place they once called home.

YES ILLEGAL EVICTIONS OCCUR AND THEY OCCUR A LOT!

If anything Rangel's behavior is  a symptom of a greater problem in the system.

If you or anyone you know has been illegally evicted please post a comment.

Rent Stabilization, and my hero Bill de Blasio !!!!!!

Over the last two days the New York post has published two articles directly related to housing in New York City. One on rent stabilization and rent increases the other on the ruling of Justice Stoller regarding tenants ability to rent their apartments in sites like Airbnb.

In the first article publish in the New York Post, on June 17th page 4, our wonderful mayor Bill de Blasio had the fortitude to suggest that  there be no rent increases this year for Rent Stabilized apartments. that is despite the overwhelming pressure of the Landlord lobby! 

I live in a rent stabilized apartment and have felt the economic crunch yet my rent keeps going up. Ultimately, It came down to cable of internet or rent. I picked rent.

Rent stabilized apartments however, are not free ride inManhattan They rent for a little below market value and in fact most rent stabilized tenants pay up to 80% of their income to keep their apartments. Most tenants live in fear of eviction for non-payment. A lost job, a slow year, a family illness can mean homelessness for some... including myself.

I have personally logged over 100 court appearances over a period of 5 years in Housing Court trying to keep a roof over my head.

 What I experienced in the New York Housing courts, was a combination of fear and terror. For me it was a thoroughly degrading and hostile experience except for  the courtroom of Judge Wendt in whose courtroom  I felt  safe and my rights protected. It was not the same for some of the other judges whose courtrooms seethed intimidation and questionable courtroom behavior.

Honorable Mayor De Blasio, it may be a good idea to look closer at the  Housing court system. I believe it is an institution that needs some attention. Personally, I would love to see some sort of formal committee given this mandate.

Next on the agenda?   May I suggest that we EXAMINE HOUSING COURT!