From NYC Council Member Christine Quinn

Good news for NYC tenants!

Yesterday the City and State announced a major plan to save or restore Section 8 vouchers for more than 6,000 families across the five boroughs.

Last December, the NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) was forced to withdraw its offer of Section 8 vouchers for roughly 2,500 approved families as a result of a major shortfall in its Section 8 budget.  Vouchers for an additional 4,000 families were also at risk of being terminated.

Upon learning of this problem, the NYC Council held two hearings, entered into discussions with NYCHA and the NYC Dept. of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD), and has now committed to providing $7 million so that these low-income New Yorkers won't end up on the street.

The full plan includes:

• using $23 million in HPD Section 8 reserves;
• transferring 750 vouchers from the NYS Division of Housing & Community Renewal (DHCR) to HPD;
• using federal HOME program funding to fund additional vouchers; and 
• allocating Council capital funding to replace the shifted HOME funds. 

This plan will restore or save all 6,500 vouchers.

We would like to thank Senator Charles Schumer, Governor David Paterson, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, NYCHA Chairman John Rhea, HPD Commissioner Rafael Cestero, DHCR Commissioner Brian Lawlor, and U.S. Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan for working with us to resolve this critical housing issue.  Because of the steps that we're collectively taking today, thousands of New Yorkers will soon receive the vouchers they need to remain safe and sheltered.

And in another major victory for NYC tenants, last week the NYS Supreme Court's Appellate Division upheld Justice Emily Jane Goodman's decision earlier this year striking down the Rent Guidelines Board's (RGB) 2008 supplemental increase.

In June 2008, the RGB approved rent increases of 4.5 and 8.5 percent for 1- and 2-year renewal increases respectively.  The board also approved a $45 to $85 supplemental increase on tenants who've lived in their apartment for 6 years or more and pay less than $1,000 in rent.  As a result, these tenants were forced to pay a higher increase than what's legally allowed under current RGB guidelines.  

The NYC Council has long denounced this supplemental increase as a "poor tax" on working and middle-class New Yorkers, and we were proud to work with the Legal Aid Society and Legal Services of New York to help take this unjust burden off of tenants.  

We join tenants and advocates across the five boroughs in applauding the Appellate Division for recognizing that the RGB had exceeded its authority under city and state housing laws when it attempted to unfairly penalize tenants for living in their homes too long.  

You can read more about these two victories and how they will benefit tenants by clicking on the links below:

Deal Restores Public Housing Subsidies

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/01/nyregion/01vouchers.html?scp=1&sq=section%208&st=cse 

Court Rules rent hikes are illegal, refunds possible for tenants

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/06/23/2010-06-23_court_rules_rent_hikes_illegal_refunds_possible.html 

Thanks for allowing us to share this good news with you before the holiday.  If you would like to become more involved in tenant issues, share your ideas with us, or let us know about a tenant event in your community, please contact Carlos Carino in the Council's Community Outreach Unit at (212) 788-9121.  You can also e-mail us directly at speakerquinn@council.nyc.gov.  

Best,

Christine C. Quinn

Speaker

NYC Council

Erik Martin Dilan

Chair, Housing & Buildings Committee

NYC Council

Rosie Mendez

Chair, Public Housing Committee

NYC Council 

Annabel Palma

Chair, General Welfare Committee 

NYC Council