Tenants, Advocates, Homeless New Yorkers and Elected Officials Spoke on the Expansion of Rent Stabilization through the REST Act and Additional Funding for Rental Assistance
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, May 5th, 2026
MEDIA CONTACT: K Agbebiyi, kagbebiyi@housingjusticeforall.org, press@housingjusticeforall.org, 770-605-9251
NEW YORK — Today, Housing Justice for All led a rally and press conference in Albany with housing chairs Senator Brian Kavanagh and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, REST Act co-sponsor Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha, tenants, advocates, and other elected leaders to demand the expansion of rent stabilization Upstate and additional rental assistance to confront the housing crisis. Tenants and homeless New Yorkers urged Governor Kathy Hochul and state leaders to fight the real estate lobby and the Trump administration’s continued attacks on affordable housing. Tenants make up half the state with 9.2 million residents renting their homes. The state should take action to ensure all New Yorkers have a safe and stable home.
Housing Justice for All called for state leaders to empower communities to adopt rent stabilization and expand these protections statewide by passing the Rent Emergency Stabilization for Tenants (REST) Act (Kavanagh S4659/Shrestha A4877). Additionally, tenants continued their fight for full funding of the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP) and advocated for the protection of the 2019 rent laws that have kept 2.4 million New Yorkers in their homes.
The REST Act makes rent affordable upstate by making it easier for municipalities to adopt rent stabilization and decide who is covered. Rent stabilization protects tenants from excessive rent hikes by setting reasonable annual limits on rent increases. The REST Act also clears legal barriers and shields cities from landlord lawsuits designed to bankrupt communities protecting tenants.
“Tenants deserve safe and secure housing that doesn’t cost them the majority of their paycheck. New York must expand and protect rent stabilization across the state and fully fund the Housing Access Voucher Program,” said Sumathy Kumar, Executive Director of Housing Justice for All. “The cost of rent impacts every aspect of our lives. By making rent more affordable, New York leaders can grant millions of tenants more economic stability and the ability to build brighter futures.”
“New York’s housing crisis is not confined to the five boroughs. Rising costs are impacting the 9.2 million New Yorkers who rent their homes in every corner of the state,” said Senator Brian Kavanagh, Chair of the Senate Committee on Housing, Construction, and Community Development, and sponsor of the REST Act. “Fifty-two years after the Emergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974 prescribed a very particular way of determining a housing emergency that worked at the time, housing markets, housing stock, and the way that local governments collect and use data have changed. The REST Act would give localities the tools they need to adopt rent stabilization in a way that reflects the realities of their communities. We must also address the immediate needs of the far too many New Yorkers who are experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity because of unaffordable rents. Fully funding the Housing Access Voucher Program at $250 million is the most direct and effective way to prevent evictions and provide the housing stability that families need to thrive. Every New Yorker deserves a stable, affordable place to call home.”
“Deep funding cuts by the Trump administration could soon push thousands of families around our state into homelessness,” said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Housing. “Our final budget must fully fund the Housing Access Voucher Program at $250 million to ensure these families, and the many others battling homelessness, can access state-funded vouchers to connect them to safe and affordable housing. But our work to expand access to affordable housing cannot stop there. We must also pass the REST Act this session to finally unlock the ability for localities to opt in to rent stabilization and provide their residents with a fighting chance to stay in their communities during the state’s affordability crisis.”
“Rent stabilization is a tool to stabilize our neighborhoods and keep our residents safe,” said Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha, “Without stable homes, families can’t keep their kids in schools, stay near their families, get a job or be good at it, seek educational opportunities, participate in civic life, and so on. The reality is too many of my constituents are struggling to pay rent, which has doubled over the last few years, while wages have not kept pace, while landlords have been fighting to preserve their ability to hike rents and kick people out of their homes at will. We must pass my bill the REST Act this year to give localities the power to preserve affordable housing.”
“Across New York, rent is not simply rising—it is uprooting families, destabilizing neighborhoods, and breaking the promise that working people can build a life in their communities. The REST Act is a local control bill rooted in a basic truth: communities facing a housing crisis should not be blocked by outdated laws, costly studies, or lawsuits designed to protect inaction,” said State Senator Robert Jackson. “By clearing the path for municipalities to adopt rent stabilization, we give tenants stability, families breathing room, and neighborhoods a fair chance to endure. Housing should be a foundation for dignity, not a source of fear. I stand with tenants across this state to pass the REST Act and fully fund housing vouchers, because stability should not depend on your ZIP code—and housing justice cannot wait.”
Assemblymember MaryJane Shimsky said, “Housing security is the foundation of strong communities—and our residents deserve a system that helps them find, and stay in, housing they can afford. By passing the REST Act, fully funding HAVP at $250 million, and expanding rent stabilization statewide, New York can take meaningful steps to reduce evictions and rein in skyrocketing rents. With the costs of health care, food, gas, and so many other essentials on the rise, it is critical that we take action now to make rent affordable for more New Yorkers and ensure every tenant has a fair chance to stay in their home.”
“Housing security is the foundation of strong communities—and our residents deserve a system that helps them find, and stay in, housing they can afford. By passing the REST Act, fully funding HAVP at $250 million, and expanding rent stabilization statewide, New York can take meaningful steps to reduce evictions and rein in skyrocketing rents. With the costs of health care, food, gas, and so many other essentials on the rise, it is critical that we take action now to make rent affordable for more New Yorkers and ensure every tenant has a fair chance to stay in their home.”
Assemblymember Emily Gallagher said, “For New York City renters like me, rent stabilization has been a lifeline that has allowed me to maintain my foothold in the community I love. All across the state, people are seeing their costs rise uncontrollably, while their wages stagnate. The REST Act will protect and expand rent stabilization for New Yorkers around the state. It is the number one thing we can do to expand affordability, protect people, and ensure they can continue to live and contribute here. We must pass it this session.
“There is a housing crisis in New York state, and it’s on us to fix it. Governor Hochul must fully fund the Housing Access Voucher Program at $250 million. For 0.1% of our total state budget, we can save approximately 20,000 households from homelessness,” said Assemblymember Diana Moreno. “The legislature must pass the REST Act to make it easier for other municipalities to opt-in to rent stabilization and enable them to expand the number of regulated units. Tenants need a rent freeze, not just in New York City, but all across New York State.”
Assemblymember Brian Cunningham said, “The tenants in my district cannot afford to wait as more families are pushed out of the neighborhoods they’ve called home for generations. We are being priced out as rent continues to rise faster than families can keep up. If passed, the REST Act will empower local communities to set fair, predictable limits on rent increases so tenants can stay rooted, plan their lives, and remain in the neighborhoods they help sustain. This is what New Yorkers have been asking for, and I am proud to support this legislation.”
“Rent stabilization has been a lifeline to so many working families across New York City, it’s time to strengthen it and ensure it can be extended to all New Yorkers” said Assemblymember Grace Lee. “With families being priced out of our state, we need to preserve our affordable housing stock and ensure working New Yorkers can afford to live here. The REST act helps us do just that. Thank you to Senator Kavanagh and Assemblymember Shrestha for their leadership on this legislation.”
“Making sure we have money for the Housing Access Voucher Program lifts all ships, making sure both tenants and landlords are able to pay their bills and make ends meet,” said Assemblymember Dana Levenberg. “The REST act makes it possible for municipalities in my district in Westchester and Putnam to have the option to ensure sustainable rents for tenants. Affordability must be a number one priority when it comes to housing and these common sense actions would go a long way toward that goal.”
“We have the tools at the state level to take immediate action to lower housing costs for New Yorkers as we work to expand the overall housing supply. No one should have to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table, yet that’s the reality for far too many families. I’m proud to stand with my colleagues and the Working Families Party in supporting these initiatives to confront the affordability crisis and ensure every New Yorker can feel secure in their home,” said Senator Peter Harckman
“As we move towards finalizing the state budget, we must include real relief for everyone who is rent burdened or struggling to find affordable housing. The Housing Access Voucher Program must be included and fully funded,” said Assemblymember Pamela Hunter. “Syracuse residents have faced some of the highest rates in rental increases in the state and need immediate relief. Vouchers will help household budgets as we work to increase the availability of affordable housing.”
“The reality is there are far too many people struggling when they don’t have to be — and we have a chance to get it right this session by funding HAVP and passing REST. I am extremely proud to stand with my colleagues, the Working Families Party, and Housing Justice for All here — and am even more grateful to my colleagues Linda Rosenthal, Sarahana Shrestha, and Senator Kavanagh for their sustained leadership,” said Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi, Chair, Committee on Children & Families.
Housing affordability has become a defining issue for voters – statewide polling shows an overwhelming majority of voters, 68%, would be more likely to support a candidate who backs rent stabilization.
Right now, outdated state law makes it expensive and difficult for communities to adopt rent stabilization – and when they try, landlords sue to overturn the protection. Cities like Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Albany, Newburgh, and Nyack have all been blocked from protecting their tenants.
The REST Act would clear away legal barriers and shield cities from frivolous landlord lawsuits. The bill would also expand tenant protections by bringing buildings built in the last 15 years into rent stabilization and giving localities control over which building sizes are covered.
The Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 has kept over 2.4 million New Yorkers in their homes by strengthening rent stabilization and protecting tenants from harassment. New York leaders must reject real estate attacks designed to raise rents and increase landlord profits.
Additionally, as the Trump administration attacks affordable housing and makes cuts to essential social programs such as Section 8 that help tenants keep their homes, New York should fully fund and implement HAVP. HAVP is a statewide rental assistance program for low-income New Yorkers who are currently homeless, behind on rent, or facing loss of housing. New York passed a $50 million pilot program in the 2025 state budget.
###
Housing Justice for All is a statewide coalition of more than 80 organizations representing tenants and homeless New Yorkers, united in our fight for housing as a human right.