Rent board approves increases

The Rent Guidelines Board approved increases for rent-stabilized units yesterday, authorizing an increase of 3 percent on one-year leases and 6 percent on two-year leases. According to the Times, after a motion for a rent freeze that was put forward by a tenant representative on the board was struck down, dozens of tenants walked out in protest. In the weeks leading up to the meeting, a number of elected officials joined the call for a rent freeze, including City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Comptroller William Thompson. The board has never approved a rent freeze since it was established in 1969. “This is a severe recession,” said Ronald Languedoc, the board member who put forward the motion for a rent freeze, adding, “This is not the year to have a rent increase.”

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