Yesterday, along with more than 200 tenants and students, we shut down the streets of Bushwick to call on New York State to pass Good Cause Eviction legislation this year.
Rents and evictions are through the roof, driving New Yorkers onto the streets and out of the state in record numbers. Without Good Cause legislation, unregulated tenants have been facing enormous rent burdens, with an estimated five million households in New York lacking guaranteed lease renewals. That is not right!
Our march stopped at the homes of two Brooklyn residents facing massive rent hikes and on the brink of eviction. As we made our way through the streets of Brooklyn, we called out Governor Hochul for excluding Good Cause legislation from the state budget. We also made it clear that we need the leaders of the Senate and Assembly to call a vote and deliver passage of these crucial tenant protections for our communities this year.
As our member, Carmen Leon from Brooklyn said: “I have lived in the same apartment for the last 26 years with my two daughters. Last year, my landlord informed me that he was going to raise my rent by $800. Tenants like me have no protections and landlords can raise our rent as much as they want. We deserve to be able to stay in our homes and not be at the mercy of bad landlords who raise our rents and force us out onto the streets.”
New York’s housing crisis has impacted tenants throughout the entire state, and we need bold action from our legislators to deliver for tenants before the end of the legislative session in June. It’s time to pass Good Cause Eviction legislation!
Thank you for being with us in the fight against the displacement of our members and communities.