What's happening
This bill creates a new felony offense for property owners who intentionally or recklessly damage rent-regulated housing to force tenants out.
Why it matters
Targets landlord misconduct. By making it a felony for property owners or their agents to intentionally or recklessly damage rent-regulated housing, the bill directly addresses a tactic some landlords use to drive out protected tenants for higher-paying replacements.
Protects vulnerable tenants. Rent-regulated tenants, often with limited housing options, gain additional legal protection from harassment and forced displacement, which can help preserve affordable housing stock in high-demand areas.
Raises stakes for bad actors. The creation of a class D felony means landlords could face significant criminal penalties, not just civil fines, serving as a strong deterrent against deliberate neglect or sabotage of rent-regulated apartments.
Closes enforcement gaps. Existing laws may not clearly or strongly penalize the specific act of damaging property to undermine tenant stability; this bill aims to fill that gap and empower prosecutors to take meaningful action.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Criminalize Landlord Sabotage
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Make Tenant Harassment a Crime
In Senate Committee · Codes · Sponsor Martin Malavé Dilan
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2371
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 18, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. LENTOL, DAVILA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to establishing the crime of sabotage of rent regulated accommodations
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 241.10 to read as follows: § 241.10 Sabotage of rent regulated accommodation.
An owner is guilty of sabotage of a rent regulated accommodation when, with intent to cause a rent regulated tenant to vacate a housing accommodation, such owner, or agent under instruction or contract of the owner:
1. With intent to impair habitability of a housing accommodation, causes damage to such housing accommodation or ancillary utility or apparatus to such housing accommodation; or
2. Recklessly causes damage to such housing accommodation or ancillary utility or apparatus to such housing accommodation.
Sabotage of a rent regulated accommodation is a class D felony.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the amendment to article 241 of the penal law made by section one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such article and shall be deemed repealed therewith.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01370-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.