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Opposition to 75%-88% Rent Increases for Westview & Island House on RI

August 14, 2008




This week I testified against the proposed rent determinations for Island House and Westview that would increase rents by as much as 75-88% in these buildings.

The owners of Westview and Island House have applied to the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal for permission to raise rents by as much as 75% (at Island House) and 88% (at Westview). DHCR holds hearings to give the public an opportunity to comment on the proposals. Originally these hearings were to have taken place in June, but as I blogged about then, I was able to convince DHCR to grant a 60 day extension to give tenant associations ample time to prepare for these hearings. This week I testified at two hearings (one for Island House and the other for Westview) on behalf of tenants on Roosevelt Island. Click here to go to the Publications section of this website where my testimony can be accessed.

Any rent increase like the ones proposed would be a disaster – it would drive out long-term residents and would essentially mean the end of affordable housing for much of Roosevelt Island.

Roosevelt Island was conceived as a planned community, offering affordable homes for a diverse mix of working New Yorkers. Driving up rents at two of the Island’s remaining Mitchell-Lama buildings is a betrayal of that mission and of the families who have long called the Island home. The owners’ request is especially obscene because they have failed to do their part. The owners have not tried to cut their own costs and when they were given rent increases in the past, they didn’t do with that money what they were supposed to in terms of improvements to the buildings.

Why should we trust them again?

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Written by Micah · Filed Under Blogroll, Community, Roosevelt Island 

Comments

One Response to “Opposition to 75%-88% Rent Increases for Westview & Island House on RI”

  1. Jean M. Shea on September 9th, 2008 12:10 pm

    Dear Micah,

    Thank you for your tireless work on our behalf here in Westview.

    My twin sister, Janet and I have lived here in Westview for just 26 years now.

    Any rent increase would be a real hardship, I am still not re-employed after being terminated from Sloan-Kettering last March.

    This entire Island needs to band together to fight all the building-specific agendas, we used to be like that years ago.

    Thank you again.

    Jean M. Shea

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