Relates to unlawful tenancies under the emergency tenant protection act of 1974

4 Co-sponsors

• Jesse Hamilton
• Brad Hoylman-Sigal
• Bill Perkins
• José M. Serrano

Title of bill

An act to amend the emergency tenant protection act of nineteen seventy-four and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to leasing to business and other entities

Purpose or general idea of bill

To require that the primary resident of a rent-regulated unit be a natural person.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 amends the Emergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974, adding a new section 5-b, requiring that a Rent Stabilized unit be occupied as a primary residence by a natural person. If the tenant is a corporate or other entity, the occupant must be a natural person who is a current or retired employee of the entity.

Section 2 amends the Emergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974 § 12 (a) (3) (i), authorizing the commissioner to impose civil penalties on Parties that violate section 1 of this act.

Section 3 amends the Administrative Code of the City of New York § 26-512, adding a new subdivision g, prohibiting a landlord from knowingly renting a rent-regulated unit to a person or entity that is not using the accommodation as a primary residence.

Section 4 amends the Administrative Code of the City of New York 26-516 Subdivision g authorizing the commissioner to impose civil penalties on parties that violate section 3 of this act.

Section 5 is a severability clause Section 6 is the effective date

Justification

There is a growing problem of landlords renting apartments to companies that in turn rent them out to transients (tourists, short-stay occupants) as illegal hotel rooms. This bill would require that rent regulated apartments be used for residential purposes.

The purpose of rent regulation is to protect the stock of affordable housing for permanent residential purposes. The practices this bill would end undermine the affordable housing market.

Current law allows a landlord to evict a tenant from a rent-regulated apartment if it is not the tenant's primary residence. But a landlord is currently not barred from renting a rent-regulated apartment for non-primary residence.

Prior legislative history

2014-2015: S2829A 2013-2014: S1774 2011-2012: S.406 2010: S.8283/A.9832-B The provisions of this bill were part of A.6013 of 2009.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect after sixty days.