State Senator Hiram Monserrate, whose felony battery trial is set for September, is broadly expected to take over the Senate’s Housing Committee this fall. Our favorite Pedro Espada Jr. ran the committee until the June debacle which bestowed upon him the illustrious title of Majority Leader. Monserrate’s leadership means some strange new friendships for tenant and housing advocacy groups. Advocates, who are pushing the repeal of vacancy decontrol, may need Monserrate’s help.
So what is vacancy decontrol, and why does it matter for young Dems in NYC? Vacancy decontrol is the common name for legislation which allows landlords to begin charging market rate for rent controlled apartments that become vacant. This affects young Manhattanites, because they are effectively barred from the rent-controlled market. Over 100,000 apartments, including many that young people will move into, are affected by the law on an annual basis. Vacancy decontrol also means that when rent on a rent-controlled apartment reaches $2,000, the apartment is automatically eligible for decontrol. This cap is extremely low in the context of Manhattan’s rental market. Unsurprisingly the repeal of vacancy decontrol has strong support from downstate lawmakers; the city’s Public Advocate has also addressed the need to pass the legislation.
Legislation repealing vacancy decontrol has already passed in the Assembly. However, it typically dies in the Senate. This year, in the face of a budget crisis, Senate leaders promised to put the pending legislation first on the this fall’s agenda. Monserrate has also claimed he supports such housing programs. But his leadership of the housing committee may not even survive until voting time. If Monserrate is convicted on September 14th, he will be removed from the Senate.
Whose next to control our rent future? Only in New York!
