NY Lawmakers OK 5-Day Rent Extension So Talks Can Continue

In a bid to buy time, New York lawmakers approved a five-day renewal of New York City's now-expired rent regulations Thursday night so Gov. Andrew Cuomo and top lawmakers can continue negotiating a longer-term extension.

The rules expired Monday at midnight after lawmakers failed to reach a compromise on their extension.

The standoff has forced lawmakers to prolong their annual session and threatened the rules that govern the rents of more than 2 million tenants in more than 1 million apartments in and around New York City.

The five-day revival of the rules is the clearest sign yet that lawmakers are making progress toward bringing the year's difficult legislative session to a close. Cuomo, a Democrat, signed the bill into law minutes after it passed.

"This short extender is intended to pave the way to a permanent solution," said Senate Leader John Flanagan, R-Long Island. "We look forward to continuing our earnest negotiations over the weekend."

Lawmakers hope a deal can be reached in time to be voted on Tuesday, when the five-day extension expires.

Assembly Democrats want stronger protections for tenants while Senate Republicans seek to add income verifications to ensure rent-controlled and rent-stabilized apartments go to people who are eligible.

The Assembly's Democratic majority supports a bill that would strengthen the law to make it harder for landlords to increase rent on vacant, rent-regulated units. The Republican-led Senate passed legislation that would add income and residency verifications to ensure tenants aren't cheating the system by living in rent-controlled and rent-stabilized apartments they aren't eligible for.

There were little signs of compromise early Thursday, when Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx, said the talks were "nowhere near a resolution."

Cuomo was forced to skip a campaign fundraiser in Manhattan Thursday night to focus on the talks. But late Thursday there were signs of progress when Heastie, Cuomo and Flanagan issued a joint statement proposing the five-day extension.

"Negotiations ... are moving in a positive direction toward a resolution," the three men said in the statement.

The expiration of the rent laws wasn't expected to have a significant impact now. Landlords of rent-regulated units must give notice to tenants about rent increases or evictions, and Cuomo said the state will go after landlords who exploit the law's expiration.

Still, many lawmakers from New York City say they have received numerous calls from tenants worried about what the expiration might mean. A short-term renewal will give the tenants some measure of confidence that the rules will continue, according to Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, D-Manhattan.

"It's a feeling of insecurity," she said. A short-term renewal, she said "gives us more time to get a good deal."

Lawmakers are also grappling with proposals to legalize professional mixed-martial arts, create private school tuition tax credits and extend Mayor Bill de Blasio's control of New York City schools.

Many lawmakers say they're looking forward to ending what has been an unusually difficult session. Both chambers picked new leaders this year after longtime Speaker Sheldon Silver and former Senate Leader Dean Skelos were arrested on unrelated corruption charges.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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