Landlords: Mayor de Blasio ignoring our problems

Smaller property owners say building maintenance costs through the roof

From left: brownstones in New York and Bill de Blasio
From left: brownstones in New York and Bill de Blasio

The landlords of New York have a bone to pick with the mayor.

Tenant advocates are fairly happy with Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has been pushing for stricter rent regulation laws, according to the New York Times. Landlords, on the other hand, told the newspaper that the mayor is not paying adequate attention to their struggles.

Landlords — especially those who own smaller buildings — told the newspaper that they are having difficulties maintaining their properties. The reason? A rise in property taxes, fuel costs and other expenses. At the same time, the Rent Guidelines Board in June voted for a 1 percent rent increase for one-year leases and 2.75 percent for two-year leases, the lowest increase in multiple decades.

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“Politically, I’ve never seen a climate more dangerous than I’m facing now,” Jimmy Silber, co-president of landlord advocacy group Small Property Owners of New York, told the newspaper.

New York’s rent laws are up for renewal in the state senate, where Republicans won control on Tuesday night. [NYT] — Claire Moses