City Councilman Fernando Cabrera (Democrat from the West Bronx) is introducing legislation that would require landlords in the city to post a tenant "bill of rights" in the lobbies of all apartment buildings, according to an article today in the New York Daily News by Daniel Beekman.
"The short, simple list would help tenants demand repairs and fight wrongful eviction," the article said, adding that the legislation would also require landlords to attach the list to all leases and lease renewals.
The "bill of rights" would spell out 11 rights including those related to eviction, heat and hot water, roommates and subletting," the article continued, adding that the legislation would apply to buildings with three or more apartments.
Frank Ricci of the Rent Stabilization Board, a trade group that represents thousands of landlords and building managers, told The News that the proposed legislation was "not necessary" and "would be a duplication of existing law."
The article said that Mr. Cabrera said that leases use "mumbo jumbo" that few tenants understand, adding that Sally Dunford of the west Bronx Housing and Neighborhood Resource Center, called the bill of rights a great idea," adding that "housing rights can be confusing because some are enforced by the city and some by the states" and that the proposed bill of rights would include phone numbers for tenants to call.
"The short, simple list would help tenants demand repairs and fight wrongful eviction," the article said, adding that the legislation would also require landlords to attach the list to all leases and lease renewals.
The "bill of rights" would spell out 11 rights including those related to eviction, heat and hot water, roommates and subletting," the article continued, adding that the legislation would apply to buildings with three or more apartments.
Frank Ricci of the Rent Stabilization Board, a trade group that represents thousands of landlords and building managers, told The News that the proposed legislation was "not necessary" and "would be a duplication of existing law."
The article said that Mr. Cabrera said that leases use "mumbo jumbo" that few tenants understand, adding that Sally Dunford of the west Bronx Housing and Neighborhood Resource Center, called the bill of rights a great idea," adding that "housing rights can be confusing because some are enforced by the city and some by the states" and that the proposed bill of rights would include phone numbers for tenants to call.
Architecture Critic
Carter Horsley
Since 1997, Carter B. Horsley has been the editorial director of CityRealty. He began his journalistic career at The New York Times in 1961 where he spent 26 years as a reporter specializing in real estate & architectural news. In 1987, he became the architecture critic and real estate editor of The New York Post.
6sqft delivers the latest on real estate, architecture, and design, straight from New York City.
