Majority Leader Annabi, Long Time Tenant Advocate, Lauds Strengthening Of Tenant Protection In The State: New Measures Consistent With Her Past Advocacy for Tenants
Yonkers, NY — City Council Majority Leader Sandy Annabi (D – Dist. 2) today lauded changes made this week which strengthen the State’s tenant protection laws. Governor Patterson signed the legislation, completing the necessary legislative cycle. The changes had been proposed in a Departmental bill from the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR).
The Bills (A.2002 / S.2493) strengthen tenant protection by increasing penalties against owners who harass tenants in order to vacate their apartments or violate an order of the DHCR Commissioner. Penalties for tenant harassment by owners are now $2,000 for a first offense (up from $1000) and up to $10,000 for each subsequent offense (up from $5,000). Penalties for violating an order of the Commissioner are now increased to $1,000 for a first offense (up from$250) and to $2000 for each subsequent offense (up from $1,000).
“Since there continues to be a shortage of affordable housing in Yonkers for people on fixed incomes, I have fought diligently on behalf of the residents, working with other concerned legislators and organizations to keep rent control laws intact and improve upon them. The work of our State Legislature and approval by the Governor this week should be applauded and considered significant steps in the continuing struggle for tenant rights,” said Annabi.
Annabi’s support of the new measures is part of her long time commitment to decent and safe housing, which includes: introduction of “Safe Housing” legislation in Yonkers; leading the City Council in support of no or minimized rent increases by the Rent Board; resident organization and lobbying for extension of the Emergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974; lobbying for funding for Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (who frequently are the only legal assistance available to tenants faced with loss of federal subsidies, dissolution of Mitchell-Lama status or loss of ETPA status); lobbying for funding for the CLUSTER Housing Resource Center; fighting to keep HUD contracts for 50 St. Andrew’s Place; and many other individual housing cases.
Westchester County Legislator Jose Alvarado has done nothing for the Yonkers community since he’s been in office. He takes credit for what, doing nothing for the people or the community. He’s part of the machine in Westchester County Government, they do nothing and act like they’re doing something while they take photo opts while mingling with other politicians, all these politicians do is stand around in nice suits and dictate to the news media. Jose Alvarado is a waste of taxpayer dollars, said a close source.
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Good for you for calling out Alvarado as a do nothing party hack. The man can barely complete a sentence. “Yes man” would be a promotion for Alvarado. As it is now, he’s looking to make” butt boy.”
Fortunately he’s got a sleazy lawyer -Wilson Soto- who knows how to commit vote fraud with impunity.
The voters of Yonkers, conservative or independent or liberal, need to elect Annabi to send a strong message to the Yonkers machine.