Rent Stabilization
What makes rent stabilized apartments important?
Landlords can only raise the rent by a pre-determined level set by local rent boards and with limited exceptions.
When should landlords make repairs?
Repairs should be made quickly and when needed
What is NYCHA?
NYCHA stands for the New York City Housing Authority, which provides housing for low- and moderate-income residents throughout the five boroughs of New York City.
What is Janet’s star sign?
Sagittarius
Can rent-stabilized apartments become deregulated if the monthly rent, or a tenant’s income, exceeds certain financial thresholds?
Previously, rent-stabilized apartments would revert to being market-rate once their rents hit $2,774 and the tenants’ income exceeded $200,000 for two consecutive years. The new laws eliminate that provision, so rent-stabilized apartments will remain so regardless of their rent level and the tenants’ income.
How can you tell if you are living in a rent stabilized apartment?
Generally, if the building has 6 or more units and is built before 1974.
List 3 things that a landlord must provide for his/her/their tenants
Acceptable responses:
Heating
Hot/cold water
Security
Good lighting
What are the Queensbridge Houses?
Queensbridge Houses is the current development where CAAAV is organizing; it is the largest public housing development in North America.
What is Fawziyah’s star sign?
Leo
When do rent regulation laws expire?
Rent regulation laws are now permanent, after 40 years of state rent laws expiring every four to eight years and then being temporarily extended.
What rights do you have if you live in a rent stabilized apartment?
Tenants cannot be evicted or denied the right to renew their lease, except for non-payment of rent, breaking terms of the lease, or being a nuisance
What should you do when your rights are violated and your landlord harass you?
You should organize with other renters and/or sue your landlord, both of which are part of your rights as a renter.
Where was the first NYCHA development located?
The Lower East Side
What is Amanda’s star sign?
Sagittarius
What are the consequences of unlawful evictions by landlords?
Illegal evictions are now misdemeanors punishable by civil penalties between $1,000 and $10,000 per violation.
Who decides how much the rent can increase for rent-stabilized apartments?
If the building is rent stabilized, all renewal leases are governed by the lease renewal percentages enacted yearly by the Rent Guidelines Board.
What time of the year should you have hot water and heat throughout the year?
Hot water year round, and heat between October through June.
What agency does NYCHA receive federal funding from?
Department of Housing and Urban Development
What is Kristin’s star sign?
Scorpio
How early do landlords need to notify tenants (of non-regulated apartments) if they will be increasing their rent?
Landlords must give at least 30 days’ notice to tenants if they intend to raise the rent of a unit by more than 5 percent. The longer a tenant has been in place, the more notice a landlord must give of a large rent increase: 60 days’ notice for a tenancy or lease of one to two years, and 90 days’ notice to a tenant who has lived in a unit for at least two years or has a lease of at least that length.
Can you pass on your rent stabilized apartment? If so, who is eligible to receive it?
Yes; you can pass your rent stabilized apartment on if you move or die. Family members (includes spouses/partners, in-laws, adoptions, and others with a family-like relationship) who have lived with you for more than 2 years are eligible.
Do renter’s rights still apply to you even if your immigration status is unknown?
YES
How many housing development does NYCHA have across New York City?
328
What is Thomas’s star sign?
Capricorn
Are judges allowed to postpone evictions? What factors are considered?
If a tenant has been evicted, judges are now permitted to postpone that eviction for up to one year (up from six months) if the tenant can’t find somewhere similar nearby to live. Housing courts also must consider how an eviction will affect the tenants’ health and well-being, including the school attendance of children who live in the unit.