Tenant Town Hall, June 2: Stop Excessive Rent Hikes for Tenants Paying Market-Rate Rents

If you’re paying a preferential rent—less than the maximum legal rent—you can get hit with a HUGE increase when it’s time to renew your lease: hundreds of dollars more a month—all the way up to the legal rent.

The Real Rent Reform (R3) coalition is asking legislators to sign on as sponsors of existing bills limiting renewal increases to preferential rents if they haven’t already. Can the bills get passed before the session ends on June 16? Only if the State Senate cooperates.

But we’re keeping up the pressure. Sure, the rent laws got renewed last year, but tenants need much more relief.

Our big ask: Get rid of the preferential rent loophole. Make rent increases affordable.

You’re welcome to join the members of the TA board of directors heading north on June 2, but if you can’t, here’s how you can help.

Tell us your story:

• Did you face a humongous rent increase when it was time to renew?
• Do you know someone who did?
• Did you have to make serious changes to your lifestyle?
• Are you forced to move out, disrupting your life and leaving a community you wanted to put down roots in?

We’ll present your story at the meeting (no names mentioned!) to bolster the case for this legislation. You can fill out the form at stpcvta.org/contact_us or PM us on our Facebook page. Or tell your story at #PreferentialScam

And finally, why the Bronx? That’s where Carl Heastie, Democratic Speaker of the Assembly is from, and the meeting is four blocks from his district. The Bronx is also home turf to State Senator Jeff Klein, leader of the Democrats who vote with the Republicans and against the interests of tenants.

Citywide Tenant Town Hall, June 2, 6 p.m.–9 p.m.
2448 White Plains Road in the True Witness Shiloh Apostolic Church. Take the 2 train to Allerton Avenue and walk one block.