Rent ‘Freeze’ Coming Soon to Newburgh, New York?
Newburgh, NY could be the next city in New York to introduce rent stabilization for tenants.
If you are a renter in the City of Newburgh, you are well aware that rent at some properties has skyrocketed over the last few years. Rent and available housing in Newburgh have reportedly gotten so bad recently that the city conducted a vacancy study to try and figure out how bad it really is.
Rent is Out of Control in Newburgh, NY
The city of Newburgh's recent vacancy study revealed staggering numbers as it showed that the city currently has a 3.93% vacancy rate for eligible properties according to a press release from the For the Many group. The 3.9% result clears the way for Newburgh to declare a housing emergency and opt into rent stabilization as it falls below the 5% threshold put in place in the "Under the Emergency Tenant Protection Act (EPTA) of 1974."
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Newburgh Vacancy Study
The vacancy study was conducted thanks to the advocacy of For the Many, Mid-Hudson Valley DSA, and Newburgh City Councilmembers Giselle Martinez and Anthony Grice. It surveyed 68 properties and 738 units across Newburgh that were built before 1974 and have 6 or more units. Newburgh’s two largest ETPA properties are Chadwick Gardens (379 Powell Avenue/2 Chadwick, 162 units), and Voisins Apartments (51 Leroy Place, 78 units) and these along with others would be eligible for rent stabilization.
What Does This Mean for Renters in Newburgh?
For now, it's in the hands of the Newburgh City Council and if they vote to declare a housing emergency and opt into rent stabilization, it will mean that landlords of eligible properties would temporarily be prohibited from raising rents or evicting tenants without good cause. If the City Council does vote in favor of rent stabilization, Newburgh could become the second city in New York, north of Rockland County to opt in.
The city council has set a tentative date for a public hearing to discuss the subject of rent stabilization. The hearing is scheduled for December 11th.
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