Pro-tenant Housing Bills Continue to Languish

It’s an annual tradition in Albany as old as the budget being late. First, the Assembly passes a raft of housing bills aimed at strengthening New York’s rent laws and protecting tenant rights. Then the Senate ignores them and the bills die before ever getting out of the chamber’s housing committee.

In years past, the overwhelmingly Democratic Assembly could blame Republicans who made secret about their distaste for these laws. But last year, for the first time in more than 40 years, Democrats took control of the state senate and its committees. Assembly members and housing advocates thought there would finally be some action on these housing bills, which they believed would go a long way toward keeping the city’s housing affordable.

But with Bronx Senator Pedro Espada, Jr. in charge of the housing committee and receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in support from pro-landlord lobbyists, it hasn’t worked out exactly how they planned.

Last year Espada flip-flopped numerous times on his support for several housing bills passed by the Assembly and championed by affordable housing and tenant advocates. In the end, he didn’t address any of them.

This year, Espada has pushed an alternative bill he says will preserve hundreds of thousands of affordable housing units, but that advocates say is completely unrealistic and basically a gift to the city’s wealthiest landlords. Vito Lopez, the head of the Assembly’s housing committee, told the Village Voice that the bill was “not something I find acceptable.”

Bronx News Roundup, Feb. 18th

Sen. Pedro Espada’s new housing bill, which proposes to freeze the rents of qualifying New Yorkers who live in stabilized apartments, was met with a chilly reception from tenant advocates who say it’s really a pro-landlord bill in disguise. We were at the scene, and will have more on this later.

There’s a scheduling conflict at Yankee Stadium: the big boxing event that was reported yesterday is planned for June 5^th, the same day Yankee finance lawyer Jonathan Ballan booked the stadium for his son’s bar mitzvah.

The New York Times City Room blog has a story on Pete Nikolopoulos, the beloved owner of Pete's Cafe on East Fordham Road, who passed away on Feb. 2^nd.  BoogieDowner reported the story on Sunday.

A Bronx man was sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Burlington court for running a Vermont drug ring. Meanwhile, another Bronx man is being released from a New Jersey prison, where he was serving a sentence for kidnapping, because he did not get a speedy trial.

The New York Observer took a look at the buildings sales market in the outer boroughs and reports that there were $400 million of building sales activity in the Bronx in 2009.

Folks at the Bronx Zoo have created some more cute critter videos urging against proposed budget cuts to the state’s zoos, gardens and aquariums.

The Daily News has more on the report that ranks the Bronx as the least healthy place the live in New York State.

New from the Norwood News

The Norwood News is up online now. Here's a quick preview of our stories:

On Valentine's Day morning, a man who lived in the Norwood area his entire life was shot dead while getting into his car. No arrests have been made, but the man's companion and others say the victim was embroiled in a heated dispute with his landlord. Police said the man was not robbed.

Our in-depth look at Adolfo Carrion's performance as borough president, which we put on the blog last night. His 8th and final state of the borough address is tomorrow morning at 9:30 at Lehman College.

Our editorial on Adolfo.

Housing bills, including one that would repeal vacancy decontrol, are now in the hands of the Democratically-controlled Senate, giving hope to tenant advocates across the five boroughs and putting the spotlight on new senate housing chair Pedro Espada, Jr.

Riders and advocates made a final and passionate plea in the Bronx to stave off a slew of proposed transit cuts.

Eva Bornstein has led a dramatic turnaround at the Bronx's only performing arts center.

Despite failing to file financial disclosure forms, which could prevent her from receiving public financing, Council member Maria Baez says she's running for a third term in 14th District, which is now increasingly crowded with candidates.

Plus, our Inquiring Photographer asks residents how the economic downturn is affecting their lives...our expanded Neighborhood Notes guide to local programs and services...and our Out&About arts and entertainment calendar.