Landlords to run 700 ads against proposed rent freeze

Owners gear up for fight as Rent Guidelines Board prepares for public hearings on plan

From left: Rent Stabilization Association President Joseph Strasburg, a tenant rally in New York and Mayor Bill de Blasio
From left: Rent Stabilization Association President Joseph Strasburg, a tenant rally in New York and Mayor Bill de Blasio

New York’s landlords are fighting against a rent freeze.

The Rent Stabilization Association, an organization that represents 25,000 landlords in New York City, launched a six figure-campaign to prevent the Rent Guidelines Board from going through on installing a rent freeze.

It would be the first rent freeze on rent stabilized apartments in the city’s history. The plan is supported by Mayor Bill de Blasio, who campaigned on the issue. The first of five public hearings on the matter was scheduled for Thursday.

The Rent Stabilization Association has paid for more than 700 ads to air, more than 40 per day, on radio and television.

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Joseph Strasburg, the association’s president, said his organization launched the campaign to improve the reputation of landlords of affordable housing.

“People think all landlords are rich, but over 70 percent of our members are small-property owners who provide affordable housing for the majority of the population,” Strasburg said.  [NYDN] – Claire Moses