The rental ripoff hearings kick off on Thursday.
Though posters for the hearings suggested more of a public brawl in an auditorium, they will be one-on-one sessions between tenants and city officials.
This format was inspired by “The Mayor is Listening” event that Mayor Zohran Mamdani held at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria in December, said Cea Weaver, director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants. The idea is to make a more direct connection with tenants than run-of-the-mill hearings, which Weaver said “all kind of feel the same.”
“It doesn’t really feel like people giving testimony again and again are being listened to,” she said.
Reporters will be able to listen in on some of these meetings, in cases where the person testifying has agreed to be observed. It’s not yet clear how full a picture we’ll get based on these limitations — but we’ll let you know.
Weaver, a longtime tenants advocate, said she is hoping to learn more about tenants’ experiences with non-rent-related fees. While a tenant might not hesitate to call 311 to report a leak or lack of hot water, they might not have the same muscle memory to report a random washing machine fee, for instance.
When asked about reactions from landlords and other critics of the hearings, Weaver said the goal is to address unsafe conditions in housing and ensure landlords are responsive to “customers.”
“We don’t want the city to be involved in every housing conditions issue,” she said. “Right now, we’re involved in too many.”
When asked if she expected to hear landlord testimony, she said she wasn’t sure, but noted that they wouldn’t be turned away (so long as they registered ahead of time, that is). Developer Humberto Lopes, who posted videos calling on property owners to withhold property tax payments in response to the hearings, says he plans to be at Thursday’s event. (If you are also planning to attend, come find my colleagues and me.)
The hearings are expected to shape the administration’s housing plan, to be released sometime in the spring.
“I think that the mayor has made it clear to tenants that the city of New York is on their side,” Weaver said.
The hearings are focused on housing that is under the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Weaver specified that this doesn’t mean NYCHA tenants were denied registration or the opportunity to testify.
Landlord groups have criticized the pageantry of the hearings and what they see as a villainization of property owners. New York Apartment Association’s Kenny Burgos said the city should instead focus on reforms that help owners make critical repairs and maintain their buildings.
“The real rental ripoff in housing is a system that pulls rent money away from repairs and building operations through excessive taxes and unfunded mandates,” Burgos said in a statement. “Blaming owners without reform, will only harm tenants and the remaining affordable housing stock.”
Roughly 300 people are expected to testify during the one-on-one sessions on Thursday.
What we’re thinking about: Are you planning to attend any of the rental ripoff hearings? Send a note to kathryn@therealdeal.com.
A thing we’ve learned: The governor tweaked her J-51 proposal to fix a technical error that excluded any project completed on June 30, 2026, from either the current or new program. The governor’s 30-day amendments to her executive budget included a change to ensure that work completed on that date, along with work completed after, would qualify for the new break.
Elsewhere in New York…
— Protestors descended on Albany on Wednesday in a bid to pressure the governor to “tax the rich.” Gothamist reports that more than 1,000 people rallied at the state Capitol, but Gov. Kathy Hochul hasn’t changed her mind about raising taxes on New York’s wealthiest nor on corporations. Rally organizers hoped that upwards of 10,000 people would show up in support of Wednesday’s event.
— State Attorney General Letitia James on Wednesday sued video game developer Valve for allegedly promoting illegal gambling, Reuters reports. The complaint points to Valve’s use of “loot boxes” in its games, which encourage players to spend real money for the chance to win virtual prizes. “Valve’s loot boxes are particularly pernicious because they are popular among children and adolescents,” the complaint alleges.
Closing Time
Residential: The top residential deal recorded Wednesday was $10 million for a 4,175-square-foot condominium unit at 150 East 72nd Street in Lenox Hill. Wendy Arriz with Sotheby’s International Realty had the listing.
Commercial: The top commercial deal recorded was $10.8 million for a 12,100-square-foot, eight-unit investment property at 49 East 78th Street on the Upper East Side.
New to the Market: The highest price for a residential property hitting the market was $8 million for a pre-war co-op at 1010 Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side. Lisa Lippman and Scott Moore with Brown Harris Stevens have the listing.
Breaking Ground: The largest new building permit filed was for a proposed 274,215-square-foot, 100 percent affordable housing project with 28 stories at 20 Fifth Street in Gowanus. Lissa So with Marvel Architects filed the permit on behalf of Sally Gilliland with The Hudson Companies.
— Matthew Elo