The top Democrats in the state Legislature on Thursday sought to present a united front on renewing and strengthening the state’s rent control laws as the negotiations enter the final weeks.
In a joint statement, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said the are in favor of the end goal: “the strongest rent package ever.”
“Now that both legislative houses have concluded our hearings on New York’s rent laws, the Senate and Assembly majorities agree that in 2019 we will enact the strongest rent package ever – one that protects tenants and makes New York more affordable for all its residents,” the said in the statement.
“It is clear landlords have had an unfair advantage for many years and that equity must be restored. Both the Senate and Assembly majorities share a deep commitment to helping New Yorkers stay in their homes. United, we will advance a historic package of tenant protections that encompasses the principles of the nine bills that tenants have long waited for, and deserve, as well as other critical housing protections.”
Both chambers held separate public hearings on the issue in recent weeks. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said this week in a radio interview he would be supportive of allowing upstate communities to opt in to a version of rent control, expanding the issue outside of the New York City area.