Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 28, 2000

Release #-113-00

CONTACT: Sunny Mindel/Edward Skyler (212)788-2958


MAYOR GIULIANI SIGNS BILL THAT EXTENDS RENT STABILIZATION LAWS

-Remarks By Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani At Public Hearing On Local Laws-

The bill before me today, Introductory Number 669-A, sponsored by Speaker Vallone and Council Member Spigner, extends the laws with regard to rent stabilization and rent control for an additional three years, and makes certain amendments to such laws.

Pursuant to State and City law, every three years the City is required to determine whether an emergency continues to exist with regard to the City's housing stock. On behalf of the City, the United States Census Bureau, in conjunction with the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, conducts the NYC Housing and Vacancy Survey. The 1999 Survey has determined the City's overall vacancy rate to be 3.19 percent, well below the 5% threshold that would require rent regulations to be terminated. Therefore, according to the survey, a housing emergency continues to exist within the City.

Rent control and rent stabilization laws are set to expire in New York City on March 31, 2000. Based on the findings of the Housing and Vacancy Survey, Introductory Number 669-A would extend the tenant protection laws until April 1, 2003.

This bill would also require an owner to provide certified written notice to the first tenant of a unit that becomes exempt from the provisions of the rent stabilization law or rent control law. The notice must provide the new tenant with information about the last regulated rent, the reason the unit is not subject to rent regulation, a calculation of how the rent has been derived, a statement that the last legal regulated rent or the maximum rent may be verified with the State's Division of Housing and Community Renewal, and the telephone number of that agency.

With regard to the 1999 Housing and Vacancy Survey, it should be noted that the report reflects some positive changes in the City's housing conditions over the past three years. For example, the inventory of residential units has increased by 44,000 units since 1996 and physical housing and neighborhood conditions in the City have improved greatly since 1996.

The 1999 dilapidation rate was just one percent, the lowest ever in the 34-year period since the first Survey in 1965. In addition, the proportion of renter-occupied units with no maintenance deficiencies increased from 42.1% in 1996 to 45.5% in 1999, while the proportion of renter-occupied units with no heating breakdowns rose from 80.4% to 83.7% over the same period.

I commend the Department of Housing Preservation and Development for its initiatives aimed at halting and reversing the deterioration and abandonment of the existing housing stock and generating new housing opportunities over the period of 1996 through 1999. Through HPD's successful new construction and rehabilitation efforts, we have created 9,617 new units that low and moderate income households can afford. In addition, 11,740 new units were constructed through HPD's tax incentive programs. During this same period, HPD repaired and rehabilitated another 15,263 units.

Still more needs to be done to continue to address the housing needs of
New Yorkers, and my Administration will continue to work aggressively to meet
these needs.

Because the 1999 Housing and Vacancy Survey shows a continuing critical shortage of rental housing in New York City, the standards for continuing rent control and rent stabilization in the City have been met. Accordingly, it is my intent to sign Intro. 669-A into law, extending rent control and rent stabilization for an additional three years.

For the reasons previously stated, I will now sign the bill.

 

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