The largest landlord group has been considering a news conference on etiquette for real estate owners if a major rent stabilization law expires Sunday. Gov. George Pataki has proposed vacancy decontrol, which would allow landlords to charge market rates once tenants move or die. And the bottom line is that if the governor and Republicans continue to fight for vacancy decontrol, it will definitely lead to the end of the middle class in . . . About 2.7 million tenants live in about 1.1 million rent-regulated households, mostly in New York City and its suburbs, including Nassau County. The regulations dictate how much a landlord can charge and they allow tenants to transfer their apartments to relatives.
All sides say they favor a compromise on rent regulations, yet their scripts seem set in concrete.
Bruno, who announced in December he would fight to end rent stabilization, last week outlined a vacancy decontrol plan. He wants to limit succession rights to the immediate family, including spouses, parents and children. During disputes, tenants would have to place their monthly rent in escrow pending a court decision. He agrees with Pataki's proposal for criminal charges against landlords who try to harass tenants into leaving. Pataki also favors decontrol and escrow but wants to preserve the current succession rights.