New York, NY – Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan), a life-long affordable housing and tenant advocate, railed against today’s decision by the New York City Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) setting rent increases at 4% and 7.75% for one-year and two-year rent-stabilized lease renewals, respectively.

“Find me a senior whose Social Security was increased by half as much this year, or any person for that matter whose salary was increased by that much, and then I’ll call this increase fair,” exclaimed Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal. “Despite its mission to achieve balance in its rent calculations, the RGB has proven once again today that its goal is to continue to enrich already-wealthy landlords at the expense of tenants.”

“New York City’s greatness is derived, in large part, from the fact that it is so diverse; that diversity includes not merely racial, ethnic and religious diversity, but also economic diversity,” said Assemblymember Rosenthal. “Preserving the precious units of remaining affordable housing in this City is the key to preserving that diversity, to ensuring that the working-class New Yorkers who built this City can continue to live here. When we refer to “affordable” housing here in New York, it should not be laced with irony. Unfortunately, the majority of the affordable housing we have left is far from affordable for the average person living on middle-income salary wage.”