Rent Regulated Housing
The exponential increase in market-rate rents has led to rampant and systematic landlord harassment of rent-regulated tenants in order to replace them with market-rate tenants, thereby fueling gentrification and displacement.
This harassment can include threatening tenants with legal action or eviction; deprivation of services such as heat, hot water, and repairs; frivolous lawsuits against tenants who do not have the means or knowledge to fight a suit; verbal and other psychological abuse; and exploitation of loopholes in rent laws to evict tenants.
In recent years, GOLES and other groups have identified “Predatory Equity” as one of the main drivers of this cycle of harassment and displacement. Landlords, many of whom own portfolios with dozens of rent-regulated apartments all over the city, borrow massive sums to purchase new buildings. Repayment of the large amounts of debt incurred to acquire these buildings requires higher incomes from buildings than the existing rent rolls produce, which is a testament to the landlord’s plans to displace existing rent-regulated tenants in order to to realize much higher rents from their apartments.
GOLES organizes individuals and tenant associations to fight harassment, and works in coalition with tenants and groups all over New York City to take on predatory landlords and press for policy changes that protect tenants from these abuses.
For more information on how to get involved in our organizing efforts to protect tenants and preserve the affordable housing stock, contact Michelle at michelle@goles.org or call 212-533-2541 ext 21.
