Reader comments at The New York Sun - Council Could Benefit on Rent As It Seeks Control of Board

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Council Could Benefit on Rent As It Seeks Control of Board

Submitted by Travis, Aug 11, 2008 16:18

The mayors have been rigging the rent guidelines board for years now — stacking with developers. I think it's great that some sort of approval process be put in place. With regards to "The Market" that landlord groups always tout, it's not a sound argument — as the "market" is rigged too. The last mayor's report I read (and you know they fudged it as best they could) indicated over 300,000 vacant apartments with 65,000 of those rent stabilized. Property taxes on vacancies, I believe, are next to nothing — so there's no motivation to rent.

Also, they use a bogus "Housing Crisis" to justify public subsidies on construction and 20-year tax abatements of 40%. Also, we are plagued with one story scaffolding everywhere. No work is being done, but as I understand it, landlords get more property tax abatements yet no one's rent goes down. Combined with zero enforcement on anything from the city and a write-your-own receipt for deductions — real estate is a sweet deal in NYC. I haven't seen the rent guidelines board ever give out less then 7% increases each year regardless of any of these factors or the fact that wages have fallen below 1972 levels.

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Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
Affordable housing will never be accomplished if the city council who don't sit in on the hearings and want to... [MORE]	property owner	Aug 19, 2008 13:23
Why would anyone think rent regulation in NY is helping the poor, when income has nothing to do with the... [MORE]	Philip M.	Aug 18, 2008 15:51
If you were a resident of any other city in the country you could live anywhere you wanted but only... [MORE]	sid miller	Aug 15, 2008 18:40
Vote for Republicans and deregulated all rent control and rent stabilization. It's time, enough taking advantages of others by these... [MORE]	Suzie	Aug 15, 2008 15:40
I agree with Michael's comment above and I agree with the idea that Ms. Quinn wants to to propose to... [MORE]	mzj	Aug 14, 2008 17:51
Speaker Quinn should not be given more control of anything but less control. Thank God for term limits. [MORE]	Roxanne	Aug 11, 2008 23:42
You have my vote on this! Plus its time to change some of the "caps" that were put on the... [MORE]	John Doe	Aug 11, 2008 20:44
Before they rush to gain control over the Rent Guidelines Board, members of the City Council ought to visit the... [MORE]	michael	Aug 11, 2008 20:31
The mayors have been rigging the rent guidelines board for years now — stacking with developers. I think it's great...	Travis	Aug 11, 2008 16:18
Sounds like a great idea. Rent and greedy landlords in this city are out of control. City Council, you got... [MORE]	Rtis	Aug 11, 2008 14:41
It's absolutely crazy that Ms. Quinn has a stabilized apartment while at the same time she expects recent college grads... [MORE]	Douglas	Aug 11, 2008 11:14

Reader comment on:Council Could Benefit on Rent As It Seeks Control of Board

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Comment on Council Could Benefit on Rent As It Seeks Control of Board

Reader comment on:
Council Could Benefit on Rent As It Seeks Control of Board