The REST Act would help Upstate Cities Adopt Rent Stabilization and Expand Tenant Protections
Senator Kavanagh, Assemblymembers Rosenthal, Shrestha, Tenants, Advocates, and Homeless New Yorkers Held a Press Conference Calling for the Expansion of Options for Localities to Adopt Rent Stabilization through the REST Act
ALBANY, NY — This afternoon, the State Assembly Committee on Housing passed the Rent Emergency Stabilization for Tenants (REST) Act (S4659A/A04877A). The REST Act would empower Upstate communities to use publicly available data to adopt rent stabilization, expand tenant protections and keep more New Yorkers in their homes. The REST Act will also go to the Codes Committee today, and momentum is building to pass this session as lawmakers seek to address the housing affordability crisis upstate.
“Rent stabilization is proven to reduce displacement and homelessness while also giving immediate relief to rent-burdened tenants. Lawmakers know that housing affordability is a top issue for New Yorkers across the state, and the REST Act is an immediate step they can take to empower municipalities to make rents affordable in their communities,” said Housing Justice for All Executive Director Sumathy Kumar.
Earlier today, Senate Housing Chair Brian Kavanagh, Assembly Housing Chair Linda Rosenthal, Assembly Member Sarahana Shrestha, and elected officials held a press conference highlighting the urgent need to address the housing affordability crisis around the state and give localities the tools they need to protect their communities through the REST Act. The REST Act would provide localities with an alternative method to opt in to rent stabilization, allow them to include more of their housing, and ensure that they can take decisive action that reflects the realities of their communities.
“Rent stabilization is a proven tool to keep our constituents housed, which is why in 2019 the state passed the ETPA laws to allow localities outside of New York City to opt into rent stabilization. However, this law was tailored to the specifics of New York City, as a result of which, localities who want to opt in have not been able to, effectively making rent stabilization inaccessible to much of the state. The REST Act would make it so that local governments are adequately empowered to stabilize rents for their constituents, and to do so in a way that considers the differences of the housing stock across the state,” said Assembly Member Sarahana Shrestha, cosponsor of the REST Act.
“If not for rent stabilization, countless hardworking families would have been priced out of New York City long ago,” said Assembly Member Linda B. Rosenthal, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Housing. “Market rate rents have skyrocketed in recent years around the state, but communities outside of New York City have been unable to opt in to rent stabilization because of the costly and protracted vacancy studies current law requires. The REST Act, which advanced out of the Assembly Committee on Housing today, will finally give localities the flexibility they need to opt in to this system to keep people in their communities and preserve affordable housing for years to come.”
“The housing affordability crisis is the number one thing making our state unlivable for working people. For millions of NYC residents, access to a rent stabilized apartment is the difference between their ability to live a dignified life and remain in the City long-term or not. All New Yorkers deserve these same protections. I am proud to support the REST Act, and we must get it done this session,” said Assembly Member Emily Gallagher.
“Too many New Yorkers are living one rent increase away from displacement, one eviction notice away from losing the communities they helped build. The REST Act reminds us that housing policy is not abstract; it shapes whether families can remain rooted, whether neighborhoods can preserve their character, and whether working people can live with dignity in the very cities they sustain” said State Senator Robert Jackson. “Local communities should not be forced to watch a crisis deepen while the law ties their hands. The REST Act is about restoring the power to protect people before displacement becomes irreversible, because housing must be treated not as a privilege for the fortunate, but as a public good essential to the life of a just society.”
“The affordability crisis is impacting communities across New York State, and localities need more tools to protect tenants from skyrocketing rents and displacement. The REST Act (A4877-C | S4659-C) would empower municipalities outside of New York City to opt into rent stabilization more easily and respond to the housing emergencies their residents are already experiencing in real time. Housing is a human right, and tenants across our state deserve stability, dignity, and the ability to remain in the communities they call home. I’m proud to support this legislation to strengthen protections for working families and help keep New Yorkers housed,” said Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas.
“Housing is a human right, and at a time when too many New Yorkers are being priced out of their homes and communities, we must act with urgency to protect tenants from skyrocketing rents and displacement. The REST Act provides localities with an essential tool to stabilize rents during periods of severe housing emergencies and help keep working families, seniors, and longtime residents in the communities they call home. I am proud to stand with tenants, advocates, and my colleagues in support of this critical legislation to advance housing stability and affordability across New York State,” said Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright.
“Rent stabilization is one of the only housing protections that makes it possible for working families to stay in New York City. As market-rate rents continue to skyrocket, rent-stabilized apartments remain one of the few sources of affordable housing. The REST Act helps preserve and expand access to affordable housing by making it easier for localities outside New York City to opt into rent stabilization and to protect tenants from displacement,”said Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon.
“Affordability continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing working families across the 110th Assembly district, and housing costs are at the center of it. Unlike the European nations, New York State has been unwilling to raise the necessary revenue to build and invest in public housing. While we do not have the political courage to do this, in the meantime, the REST Act is one of the best ways we can lower housing costs because it would not cost the state a cent. The REST Act would allow municipalities to opt into the creation of a local board tasked to set fair limits on rent increases based on inflation and maintenance costs. It is also important to note that, as with Good Cause Eviction, local governments have the option to adopt this measure; there are no mandates despite what the real estate industry claims. I am a proud cosponsor of this commonsense legislation and I will continue to advocate for legislation that will lower housing costs for my constituents,” said Assembly Member Phil Steck.
“Hudson Valley tenants are demanding rent stabilization, as they have been for years. New Yorkers across the state need real, tangible protections from rent hikes so they can maintain a sense of security and stability during a volatile time,” said Xaver Kandler, Political Director at For the Many. “The REST Act protects tenants by finally fulfilling the promise of the 2019 rent laws, so the many communities that need rent stabilization can finally opt in.”
With the current economic crisis, tenants are struggling to stay afloat with rising costs of living. Rent stabilization and affordable rent allows New Yorkers to actually build their lives: start a family, put down roots, go back to school, start a business. The REST Act, sponsored by Senate Housing Chair Brian Kavanagh and Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha, would help protect communities across New York by expanding options for localities to adopt rent stabilization. Rent stabilization protects tenants from excessive rent hikes by setting reasonable annual limits on rent increases.
Right now, outdated state law makes it expensive and difficult for communities to adopt rent stabilization. Current law also limits rent stabilization to buildings built before 1974, more than half a century ago, and to buildings with 6 or more units. The bill would expand protections by permitting buildings built in the last 15 years and buildings with 4 or more units to be included in rent stabilization and expanding the range of rental housing that can be covered. The REST Act would also clear away legal barriers and shield cities from frivolous landlord lawsuits.
Ahead of this year’s midterm elections, 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.