In the New York City delegation, the RSA has made its biggest contributions to GOP senators like Serphin Maltese, John Marchi and Bob DiCarlo, who was recently defeated by pro-tenant Democrat Vincent Gentile. But Strasburg is himself a Democrat, and he maintains close ties with his old boss, Speaker Vallone, as well as many councilmembers and Borough President Ferrer. Drafted By Landlords Ferrer is publicly pro-rent regulation and so is Ramirez. Yet the money appears to have had some effect on an issue that may prove central to the coming battle. Under the measure, tenants would have to deposit back rent in a special escrow account before their cases are heard in Housing Court.
Property owners hail the bill as a way of preventing frivolous rent strikes.
Tenant advocates argue it will punish any tenant who withholds rent-even if they need the money to pay for repairs that bad landlords refuse to do. I have landlords in my district who are real horror stories. But despite the fact that the Bronx has some of the poorest tenants and some of the city's worst housing stock, Ramirez didn't find much other resistance. In June, South Bronx Assemblymember Gloria Davis introduced the bill under her name and it was immediately cosponsored by most of the Bronx delegation, including Ramirez, Carmen Arroyo, Peter Rivera, Steve Kauffman, Aurelia Greene and then-assemblyman Pedro Espada, Sr. If the bill's introduction had a practical benefit for landlords, it is also another political wedge weapon in RSA's arsenal.