Governor Signs Tenant Protection Law Proposed by DHCR

ALBANY, NY (10/14/2009)(readMedia)-- Governor David A. Paterson has signed legislation to strengthen tenant protection measures. The changes had been proposed in a Departmental bill from the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR).

Governor Paterson said: "I am pleased to have worked with the Legislature to ensure that DHCR can protect residents of rent regulated housing."

DHCR Commissioner Deborah VanAmerongen said: "It is vital for DHCR to have the ability to impose appropriate penalties for the most egregious violations of the rent regulation statutes."

The new law increases the penalties against landlords who harass tenants to cause them to vacate their apartments. The new law also increases penalties for violating an order of the DHCR Commissioner. Speaker Sheldon Silver carried the bill in the Assembly and Senator Jeff Klein in the Senate.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said: "This law will help put a stop to landlords trying to push tenants out of rent-stabilized and rent-controlled apartments through endless harassment. By sharply increasing penalties against landlords who violate the law, we are sending the message that harassing tenants is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. I thank Governor Paterson for standing up for the more than two million tenants living in rent-regulated apartments in our city."

Senator Jeff Klein said: "I thank Governor Paterson and Speaker Silver for their support and help in passing this vital legislation. Tenants need to be protected against unfair practices used by landlords who force people out of their homes. This legislation gives them that protection and peace of mind that they won't have to unexpectedly move out."

The penalty for violating an order of the Commissioner had been unchanged for 25 years, and the penalties for tenant harassment had not been updated since 1997.

The measure increases the penalties for tenant harassment by owners to $2,000 for a first offense and up to $10,000 for each subsequent offense. Previously, the penalty for tenant harassment had been $1000 for a first offense and $5,000 for subsequent offenses.

The penalties for violating an order of the Commissioner are now increased to $1,000 for a first offense and to $2000 for each subsequent offense. The previous penalties were $250 for a first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.