Over 100 residents gathered in the Bronx on June 12 to advocate for a rent freeze prior to the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) public hearing.
The march began at Bronx Borough Hall and concluded at Hostos Community College, where the RGB was set to hear approximately five hours of public testimony.
Participants included seniors using canes and walkers, emphasizing the event’s personal significance for many attendees.
Local organizations such as the Bronx Defenders, New York Communities for Change, New York State Tenant Bloc, Banana Kelly Community Improvement Association, and Community Action for Safe Apartments (CASA) New Settlement were among those rallying to support the city’s 2.4 million rent-stabilized tenants.
Chants of “Fight, fight, fight! Housing is a human right!” and “People, not profit!” echoed through the streets as passing drivers offered their support by honking horns and waving.
The upcoming vote by the mayor-appointed RGB will determine whether rentals will increase—and by what amount.
Proposed increases include 1.75% to 4.75% for one-year leases and 3.75% to 7.75% for two-year leases, effective this October.
While landlords argue for the necessity of a rent increase—citing a 6.3% rise in building operation costs since last year—many tenants firmly disagree.
Ann Korchak, board president of Small Property Owners of New York, stated last month that a rent freeze is “unrealistic and nonsensical.”
She highlighted the ongoing increases in property taxes and necessary repairs as contributing factors, warning that a freeze could lead to foreclosures and increased housing instability for tenants.
However, demonstrators contend that rents should not escalate, pointing to landlords’ rising profits instead.
Mercedes Escoto, a retired social worker residing in her rent-stabilized Highbridge apartment for 16 years, expressed that maintaining a rent freeze is her utmost priority.
Escoto detailed how rising costs for food and medication have left her unable to vacation for the past 15 years and burdened with costs that should fall to the landlord, such as repairing a broken refrigerator and extermination of pests.
“What happened to all the money I paid?” she asked, reflecting on the RGB’s approval of rent increases over the last three years under Mayor Eric Adams.
Fellow Highbridge resident Nereida Figueroa, a single parent of two working up to 60 hours each week, shared her struggles to make ends meet.
She has been pushing her landlord to address significant water leaks in her bathroom ceiling and worries about the overall impact of rising rents on her neighborhood, fearing increased homelessness and displacement.
Figueroa remarked that higher rents would likely favor wealthier newcomers over long-time residents.
City Council Member Pierina Sanchez, chair of the Committee on Housing and Buildings, addressed the crowd, suggesting property owners should look to the government for assistance rather than burden tenants with increased costs.
Sanchez stated, “When people are struggling, you don’t find the weakest and try to fix the problem on their backs.”
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams characterized a rent freeze as a moral imperative given the context.
He noted that although the RGB has enacted a 9% rent increase under the Adams administration, many landlords have failed to use these funds to enhance building conditions.
“Conditions in the housing stock have only gotten worse, adding insult to injury,” Williams said.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson highlighted the importance of the rent stabilization system, deeming it crucial to affordable housing in the city.
Gibson called for the RGB to enact a rent freeze, arguing that proposed increases would severely impact vulnerable groups, including seniors, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.
“Absolutely reject these proposed increases so that we can keep all these residents living in the Bronx,” she urged, receiving applause from those gathered.
She concluded by emphasizing the importance of listening to tenant stories during the hearing, stating, “Every day, I get the calls” regarding issues like mold, pest problems, landlord harassment, and discrimination.
The rally encapsulated the urgent pleas from tenants facing mounting pressures in a challenging housing market, aiming to sway the RGB ahead of their critical decision.
image source from：https://www.amny.com/politics/tenants-rally-for-rent-freeze-ahead-of-rent-guidelines-boards-bronx-public-hearing/
