New York State lawmakers are reportedly on the brink of a housing deal that will go a long way toward ending the budget standoff.
While many politicians agree that the basic principles of the Good Cause Eviction legislation that's been proposed since 2019 are important to addressing the unprecedented housing crisis, they also clearly understand that compromises must be made.
For example: Not everyone needs to be protected from exorbitant rent hikes and eviction, according to our sage lawmakers. Here's the latest on who would be exempted from these new tenant protections, according to City & State:
Under the current potential language, the law would only apply to municipalities who proactively opt-in to it. New construction would be exempt from the tenant protections for 30 years, as would owner-occupied buildings with eight units or less. Landlords with a portfolio of 10 units or fewer would also receive exemption, along with apartments that are priced at 200 percent or more of the federally-determined fair-market rent.
Two of the sources also confirmed that landlords of non-rent-stabilized buildings would be able to raise rent by either 10 percent or 5 percent plus the consumer price index, a measure of inflation. If they raised the rent higher than that without explanation, it would constitute an unreasonable rent increase that a tenant could use to defend against an eviction.
Hell Gate applauds the practicality of these lawmakers, but more compromises may be necessary. Specifically, they may need to exempt more landlords and buildings from the watered-down rent regulations to secure victory (for the lawmakers, who want to finish the budget and move on).
Here's a short list of potential exemptions that we think are worthy of consideration:
- Buildings whose addresses are prime numbers.
- Haunted buildings.
- Buildings made of stone, brick, concrete, or steel, or featuring a roof.
- Buildings owned by landlords who made money last year but could really stand to make a little more money.
- Buildings that kind of look like churches.
- Buildings that people post pictures of on Twitter as examples of "brutalism."
- Buildings owned by landlords who installed a new microwave in the last 36 months (Magic Chef-quality or higher).
- Buildings with funny address numbers (420, 666, 69, 8008135, et cetera).
- Buildings with an FDA (front door amount) greater than 1.
- Cute buildings.
- Buildings with two or more virtual doormen.
- Buildings that are situated on blocks with three (3) or more buildings.
- Buildings that are sensitive and might be upset if they could learn that their earning potential would in any way be hampered by forces outside of the market.
- Buildings with gray floors.
- Buildings that were constructed during the acting career of Leonardo DiCaprio (beginning after "The Basketball Diaries").
- Buildings whose landlords are really nice guys.
- Santa's buildings (elf housing)
- Buildings owned by members of the New York state legislature.
- Buildings that they filmed 'Law & Order' in front of.
- Buildings that have 50 or more HPD violations, which clearly need rents for repairs.
