May 12, 2009: State Senators and housing advocates kicked off a major campaign to pass strong rent laws in Albany today.
At an event today sponsored by Housing Here and Now, Real Rent Reform, the Association for Housing and Neighborhood Development and the Working Families Party, several senators spoke to a large audience of tenant advocates, pledging their support and promising success in this year’s session.
Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, is sponsoring one of the prime bills (S.2237) advocates want passed, which would repeal vacancy decontrol and prohibit landlords from raising rents, under certain circumstances, when a tenant moves out. “[Affordable housing] made the difference in my life,” she said. “I stand before you today understanding affordable housing is the prime reason why people are able to succeed.”
