[midwood-reps] Assemblymember Bichotte's Statement on Rent Regulations

[Rodneyse Bichotte via Reps-announce]

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>> Assemblymember Bichotte engages in civil disobedience and is arrested along with other NYC elected officials to protest weak rent laws which hurt tenants
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>> Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte 
>> Stands up to Protect Tenants
>> Rent Regulation 101
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>> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
>> June 6, 2015
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>> Contact:
>> Rona Taylor 
>> rtaylor.bfa at gmail.com  
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>> Brooklyn: This past Wednesday Assemblymember Bichotte along with her city and state elected officials were arrested in front of Governor's Cuomo's office in Albany for fighting for the rights of New York City tenants and stronger rent laws. After being released, the Assemblymember joined First Lady Chirlane McCray in her district to educate people about the rent laws, which are due to expire June 15th, just nine days away.
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>> A Call to Action!
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>> Please join Flatbush Tenant Coalition and many advocates on Tuesday, June 9th and get on a bus to go to Albany. Call on our Governor and senate majority to vote on stronger rent laws. It is our last chance to be heard. See below for the flyer.
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>> Assembly member Bichotte joins First Lady Chirlane McCray, Councilmember Jumanne D. Williams and Assemblymember Nick Perry to speak to the media 
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>> New York City Electeds are locked in step together
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>> Assemblymemeber Bichotte standing in solidarity with the Flatbush Tenant Coalition 
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>> NYC elected officials blocking the entrance to Governor Cuomo's office
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>> Councilmember Jumaane D. Williams, leader of the rally, gets arrested
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>> An Overview of Rent Regulations and Their Impact
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>>  New York City is in the worst affordability crisis the city has ever seen. 
>> Not only have we lost hundreds of thousands of affordable rent-regulated units, tenants living in rent-regulated units are increasingly unable to afford to pay the rent.
>>       I believe that 2015 has to be the year to stop the loss of affordable housing. This crisis disproportionately affects those who are struggling to pay their rent, many of whom have lived in their neighborhoods for decades. The rent laws will come to an end in June 2015 so this is the time to strengthen the rent laws to preserve much needed affordable housing in low income communities and communities of color. We must act to repeal vacancy deregulation, and close the loopholes that make this precious affordable housing resource unaffordable.
>>       The practice of speculative targeting of affordable housing has decimated affordable housing in our community. This practice
>> would not be possible without loopholes in the rent laws and the rent regulated apartments, which convert to market-rate apartments through vacancy deregulation. Loopholes in the rent laws such as the vacancy bonus, individual apartment improvement increases, major capital improvement increases and preferential rents create economic incentives to harass tenants out of their long-term homes. Speculation of affordable housing thrives in an environment with weak rent laws. We must strengthen them so tenants are able to feel secure in their homes and stay in their communities.
>>       Vacancy deregulation is how our city has lost over 100,000 affordable regulated units in the past twenty years. As a result of vacancy deregulation and coop conversions, rent-regulated apartments in New York City are concentrated in Upper Manhattan, the West Bronx, western Queens, and central Brooklyn. Additionally, vacancy deregulation increases landlords' incentive to harass tenants through decreased services as a method of forcing long-term tenants out of their regulated apartments. Our district has been one of the worst hit losing over 11,000 units of affordable housing in just the past three years.
>>       It is unacceptable that 80% of poor renters in rent-regulated apartments pay more than 50% of their income in rent, a drastic increase from 64% in 2005. For 80 percent of poor New Yorkers who pay over half of their income towards rent, residual income per household member is $4.40 daily. Those poor New Yorkers have $4.40 a day per household member to pay for all other needs including food, transportation, medical, and school-related costs.
>>       Rent-regulated apartments are the largest source of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income tenants, but are being lost due to rapid gentrification. There are 1.1 million units of rent-regulated housing and 2.5 million tenants who live in rent-regulated housing. Overall, 445,000 low-income families live in rent-regulated housing.
>>        Between 2000 and 2012, the number of units in New York City renting for less than $1000 declined by over 400,000. Overall, from 2002 to 2011, there has been a 39% loss in rental apartments that low-income households can afford. The loss of affordable housing cannot continue. 
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>> I will be a voice and put forth every possible effort to stop the loss of affordable housing in our district and New York City as a whole.
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>> Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte represents the 42nd Assembly District in the New York State Assembly representing Brooklyn communities of Ditmas Park, Flatbush, East Flatbush and Midwood. Assemblymember Bichotte has been appointed Chair of the Oversight of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) Subcommittee. She currently serves on the following committees: Housing, Government Operations, Economic Development, Small Businesses, Banks and Social Services.  
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>> As the current Assemblymember and District Leader, Rodneyse Bichotte has been outspoken advocate on issues concerning immigration, unemployment, education reform, health care access, senior citizen centers, affordable housing, women's and LGBTQ rights, as well as other issues affecting the quality of life in the community.
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>> Learn more about 
>> Rodneyse Bichotte by visiting her website at www.rodneysebichotte.com or http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Rodneyse-Bichotte 
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>> Rodneyse Bichotte | PO Box 340604 | Brooklyn | NY | 11234
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