Despite a significant showing of rent-regulated tenants from all five boroughs demonstrating in favor of a rent rollback, the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) has voted for increases as follows for leases starting or renewing on October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017:

One-year lease: 0%–2.0%

Two-year lease: 0.5%–3.5%

The tenant members of the RGB—Harvey Epstein and Sheila Garcia—eloquently expressed how tenants had consistently been providing landlords windfall profits during economic downturns. Also, given the housing crisis in the city and the city’s data showing landlords’ operating costs decreased, it was time to balance 46 years of RGB history by giving a rollback, they said.

For leases with preferential rents (lower than the maximum legal rent), these increases are added to the maximum legal rent. The preferential rent will continue to be determined by the owner.

The usual game played out at the meeting. The tenant members proposed a –4% to 0% increase for a one-year lease and –2% to 0% for a two-year lease. The proposal failed. Owner members proposed 4% for a one-year lease and 6.75% for a two-year lease, and the proposal failed. Finally, the chair proposed the ranges stated above. This passed, but with resounding no votes from the tenant members. The two owner members also voted no.

Tenants have the opportunity to testify in favor of a zero increase for both one and two years on Monday, June 20, 2016, at the Great Hall, Cooper Union, 7 East 7th Street (corner of Third Avenue), 2:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

The final vote will be held on Monday, June 27, at the Great Hall, Cooper Union, 7 East 7th Street (corner of Third Avenue) at 6:30 p.m.

Members of the public wishing to communicate their views to the RGB may do so via two methods:

1. Testify in person at hearings (three minutes maximum).

2. Submit your views in writing by addressing them to the Chair, or any Board member, c/o NYC Rent Guidelines Board, 1 Centre St., Suite 2210, New York, NY 10007, or by email to [email protected].

The STPCV TA will hold its annual members’ meeting on Saturday, May 14, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. in the auditorium of I.S. 104, 20th Street between First and Second Avenues. The first 30 minutes will be devoted to the announcement of the results of the election for open seats on the board of directors and other TA business.

A general meeting for all residents will start at approximately 1:30 p.m. Although only dues-paying members as of April 4, 2016, are entitled to cast ballots for the board, the entire meeting is open to all residents. Following a brief review of the TA’s activities for the past year, the general meeting will be joined by Rick Hayduk, Property Manager. He will update the community on initiatives already undertaken and will answer questions from the audience.  

We anticipate the meeting ending at 3:00 p.m.

The Board of Directors of the STPCV Tenants Association endorses six candidates for six open positions on the board. The election date is May 14, 2016.

The slate of candidates endorsed by the Board includes:

In accordance with the October 2015 agreement between Blackstone/Ivanhoe Cambridge and the City of New York to preserve 5,000 affordable units at Stuyvesant Town–Peter Cooper Village (PCVST) for the next 20 years, our landlord will solicit applications between March 1, 2016, and March 31, 2016, from eligible applicants who are interested in the affordable units.

If you’re at least 62 or disabled, you may be eligible for a rent freeze. The city sponsors two programs that freeze the rent of eligible tenants: the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) and the Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE).

The Nominating Committee of the Stuyvesant Town - Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association (the “TA”) is soliciting candidates for election to the Association’s Board of Directors. Six (6) Director positions are available. The election will take place May 14, 2016.

On Thursday, January 7, Blackstone announced that it had appointed Rick Hayduk as general manager for our community, effective January 1, 2016. Mr. Hayduk will be establishing a new management company during a transitional period with Compass Rock.

The city is looking to expand existing ferry service on the East River and citywide, including a ferry stop at 20th Street near the FDR Drive. Representatives of the NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC) will present the plan and answer questions at a Tenants Association meeting on Thursday, January 14.

No one can say 2015 was uneventful.

It was the year of the Big Ugly omnibus bill in Albany—but the rent laws were renewed. It was the year of a historic 0% increase for lease renewals.

The Mayor’s Office of Resiliency and Recovery has sent the following information to stakeholders:

The City of New York is making progress with the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project.  Starting this month, the City is conducting an environmental review to analyze the potential environmental and social impacts of proposed design alternatives for the project.