tenants
informal tips on tenant life, keeping yr rent down, & fighting displacement in our city; all important if only cuz it's bad for ~art~ if only rich ppl are around!!!
priority: REQUEST YR RENT HISTORY!!!!!
have more info? hmu, subject "TENANTS."
if u rent here
those of us who are new to nyc (like me tbh; only since 2013) have even more of a responsibility to fight the displacement of our neighbors; the best way to achieve that is to be informed, organized, & not a sucker (paying more than you should hurts everyone). there's a great website called justfix.org that makes this easy af!!
first steps = request your rent history* (takes 30 seconds!!) & check out yr building using justfix's "who owns what" tool. the info you find from doing these things will help you w/ NOT BEING A SUCKER 101:
1) KNOW YOUR RIGHTS !
from your rent history, you can find out if your apartment is rent-stabilized or should be (justfix101); from "who owns what," you can find out if you're covered by good cause, which includes eviction protections & the ability to challenge hella high rent increases. (the maximum increase, or "local rent standard," is 10% *or* 5% + nyc's consumer price index for inflation, whichever's higher; in 2024, the CPI was 3.82%, so the max increase was 8.82%.)
2) RESIST RENT INCREASES !
this can be as simple as saying please: when presented w/ a rent increase, say you love yr home, want to stay, & would like to request a lower increase of 1.5% (or whatever). you can also start with requesting no increase, with the understanding that there may then be a couple rounds of counter-offers. it may feel a little funny, but that's fine; being Not A Sucker means you can handle this tiny bit of awk each year (...or so; GET THAT 2-YEAR LEASE!!!).
if you notice your landlord did not include one, you should also ask if you'll be getting a good cause notice; not every tenant is covered, but landlords are required to tell you either way (the language should be in every lease &/or renewal), & it's a polite way to remind them of your not-being-a-sucker during negotiations. (note to clarify: "good cause" is for market rate spots... if it says your unit is inapplicable bc it's otherwise regulated, likely "exemption under subdivision 5 of section 214 of the Real Property Law," that prolly means you're rent-stabilized!)
3) TRANSFER LEASES WHEN LEAVING !
especially if you have a rent-stabilized apartment, you should try to "assign" or transfer your lease to someone else when you leave; the landlord should agree since it saves them the time & energy of finding a new tenant, & if they do, it keeps them from jacking up the rent when you're gone!! if you're the lease-holder & live w/ people, you can usually just say you want to transfer the lease to your roommate. the best argument for keeping the current lease in place is to say that the new person has already been abiding by it, & how tf is your landlord gonna know how long a given person's been living there??
4) DON'T PAY A BUNDLE UP-FRONT !
(maybe this should have been #1, but i'm writing assuming most readers already live here...) as of november '24, the FARE act bans forced broker fees; if you didn't hire a broker, don't pay for one!!! also your security deposit cannot exceed one month's rent, & the landlord cannot charge you last month's rent ahead of time!
*on requesting rent history: yr rent history will be sent by mail, addressed to "occupant" at address you provide, return address from ny's dept of housing & community renewal; yr name won't appear on the envelope or paperwork as addressee. zero risks –– it's legal, confidential, & no one will be notified that you did it –– so nyc noise slogan for requesting yr rent history is jfc DON'T BE A LIL BITCH, JUST REQUEST IT!! if your apartment was never rent-stabilized, then you will not get a rent history :'( BUT you should still try; this is the best way to find out what records exist, & hey maybe yr apt was illegally deregulated!! (read more: on high rent vacancy deregulation; justfix's rent history 101.)
flyers
here are some 1/4-page flyers u can alter & distribute to encourage yr pals to request their rent history!! i spent approx 2 mins on them & will likely update [edit: ...k just did, tho original ridgewood-specific version is in drive folder]; u can probably make something much better, but sometimes it's nice to have a sh*tty starting point –– & i am here 4 u with sloppy drafts!!! :D
[PDF download] • [Pages download] • [QR code download]
QR code goes to: https://app.justfix.org/en/rh/splash
bottom link = https://www.justfix.org/en/learn/rent-history-101,
if rent stabilized
[ RENT GUIDELINES BOARD (MAX INCREASES) ]
RENT-STABILIZED apartments are a blessing & responsibility; if you find one, you should fight to keep your rent low, & if you move, you should request a lease transfer to new tenants. once a lease is transferred, you're not legally culpable for anything the new people do, so it doesn't matter if you met them yesterday on craigslist (tho def say they're "friends" or even "roommates") –– you save the landlord the trouble of finding new people & continue the occupancy to reduce rent increases; that rules!!! (some info here.)
request yr RENT HISTORY. ...srsly!!! if you get a rent history & are stabilized, look for big increases. if your landlord increased the rent more than was legally permitted, you may be able to file for rent overcharge, which could mean getting your rent lowered –– or even get reimbursed for what you overpaid!!! (here's a RECENT success story!!!) there's a huge backlog in the city, so if you can't afford a lawyer, it can take ages... but it's VERY WORTH IT to potentially be reimbursed THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS & have lower rent 4ev!! before june 14, 2019 it was easier to make large increases, but even then landlords were limited to 1/40th the cost of improvements; do the math, ask neighbors who have lived in the building longer if they remember hella renovations, & see if the rate & # of increases seems reasonable (& check out justfix's Rent History 101.)
"preferential rents" are now base rents during a given occupancy; this is a reason to hold onto a lease, & a reason your landlord cannot hella increase your stabilized apartment to the "legal rent." if you're paying the preferential rent, then that is your legal rent!!!
rent guidelines board rates dictate the max a landlord can increase the rent of a stabilized unit –– but aim lower, & request a 2-year lease!!! in '22, my landlord gave me a lease renewal with the 3.25% max increase. i said i've been a great tenant, plan to stay, etc., & wanted 0%; when they wouldn't go for that, i requested a 2-year lease at 1.5% & got it. my apt's rent is $126 lower than it would be if i'd signed off on the max increase for '22 & '23.
having troubles?
maybe your landlord isn't making requested repairs, or it's cold af, bugs, leaks, WHATEVER –– there are things you can do!!! if the below looks overwhelming, just call 311 & ask for the "tenant helpline."
if experiencing harassment, they'll likely direct you to the tenant protection hotline (917-661-4505; M-F, 10am-4pm); if rent-stabilized & being overcharged, file for overcharge thru the office of rent administration & housing & community renewal (718-482-4041). know that HEAT SEASON is october to may (full months): if it's <55º outside, then during the day (6am-10pm) yr apartment needs to be at least 68º; at night (10pm-6am), 62º. also, 68º is colder than you thought (womp). if you're v cold, tell the landlord, buy thermometers, & jump to #6 below asap!!
whatever your problem, you'll wanna...
1) request your rent history!!! (f'real!!!)
1b) file for rent overcharge... *if* you're rent-stabilized & said rent history shows signs of illegal increases! i'm putting this first for emphasis, tho you might wanna talk to a lawyer from step #7 first; point is, file ASAP!!! (there's a statute of limitations, tho they can pursue older cases if there's evidence of fraud.)
2) look up your building (justfix)
& click "hpd building profile" to see complaints, violations, etc. if you see units w/ problems, that's a great place to start efforts to...
3) talk to yr neighbors
you really can just knock!! say hi, that you're their neighbor from apt #whatev, & that if they have 2 minutes free, you wanted to introduce yrself... & then –– depending on vibe; you might wanna wait a week hehe –– ask if they've had issues with [x/y/z]. share your concerns & experiences, ask about theirs, & ~bond~ over landlord frustration. 🥰 if it seems chill, ask to swap numbers to keep them up-to-date on developments. pro tip = have a pic of your rent history in case increases come up, & see if they've requested theirs. down the road you might consider coordinating actions (like requesting repairs, 311 calls, hpd actions, & withholding rent) or even forming a tenants union!
relatedly, financial transparency rules. understand that you may be paying way more than your neighbors, or vice versa –– whatever the situation, it isn't something personal or of your choosing; it's information / inspiration in yr fight to have the lowest rents possible!!
4) DOCUMENT everything.
get thermometers for the hottest / coldest zones in your apartment; periodically take pictures of issues (& illegal thermometer readings), & either make an album (on phone) or add the date to beginning of file names ("yyyy-mm-dd-[DEFAULT].jpg") for ease of reference; label or tag email correspondence for ease of lookup. if sh*t gets serious, you'll eventually wanna make a master document with a record of relevant exchanges (w/ landlord &/or management) about issues, including texts, emails, date-time of phone calls, etc. store all of this in a dedicated folder on your computer *&* in cloud (or another cloud-based service); every few months, zip & email yourself the bundle.
5) request repairs / fixes / heat
...by text, email, & using the wicked (link'd) easy justfix template: just fill in what you need fixed, & they'll generate a letter which you can approve & have sent through usps certified mail to create a paper trail. it's free & you can avoid the post office: hurray!! (you can also check out their overview of how long a landlord has to make repairs.) if you've requested fixes all 3 ways & your landlord still hasn't addressed your concerns, you should start to...
6) call 311 (up to 2x per day) & provide your contact info so you can let in any visiting inspector. you need to get an inspector in the building to see issues, file violations, & get your landlord fined; this is the best way to get them to make repairs, & necessary before any legal next steps. (you can file a complaint anonymously, but it's harder to get an inspector in if you don't leave contact & unit info, which is why i recommend trying landlord directly & then doing this on record.)
311 totally f*ckin RULES for heat !! possibly my fave thing is that after calling 311, your heat (or other problem) is no longer a negotiation between you & the landlord; the landlord can continue to make excuses all day, but it's out of your hands & they will be fined if they don't fix the problem. in my experience, even the most helpless landlord will suddenly have ideas when it starts costing them.
example: in 2023, my landlord insisted that there was an issue w/ the heat that just affected my apartment & was helplessly unfixable... but after i called 311, they had to figure something out: ultimately he agreed to pay for a $100 space heater & up to $70/month in electricity costs to keep my apartment at the legal minimum. :D
calling 311 is another great time to ask your neighbors if they have issues; tell them how quick & easy your 311 call was, & ask if they'll trade numbers to make sure someone can let in inspectors. many landlords pay attention when violations start happening –– tho if this doesn't work, don't despair...
7) call a lawyer! you can call the nyc bar association at 917-924-4958 or 212-626-7373; they offer heavily-discounted consultations, but ideally see if you can sign up for one of their free, in-person monday clinic 30-minute consultations ~44th & 6th (MAP). the folks at the consultation can't represent you, but they can review your materials & give legal advice on next steps –– which might involve...
8) housing court! i recommend reading this ny courts overview, the legal aid society's overview of repair & service rights, & (if you're serious enough to get into the ~grit~) justfix's overview of HP actions. you could be entitled to a rent abatement & eligible for a refund of rent your landlord didn't deserve if your apartment hasn't met the full "warranty of habitability."
tenants unions
wanna start yr own?
if you wanna start a tenants union, then the obvs first thing is to talk to your neighbors; i don't recommend having the first time you say "hi" be to request a meeting (tho that's up to you i guess, i'm obvs sympathetic to vibe of ~sucks at small talk but gets shit done~...). also good = check out what ppl are doing in your neighborhood / community (that's what the below is for!).
if you live in brooklyn, sign up for updates from brooklyn eviction defense tenant union. BED's been very active about helping form tenants' unions, whether a single-building/complex association or a "tenant council" of multiple buildings under shared ownership (read up on recent efforts).
note
sorry: the below is kinda messy, & chunks may be out-of-date (i added most of these fall 2023); i started a much cleaner ~spreadsheet,~ but it's very incomplete. if you have (or want to help collect) updated tenant union data there, let me know & i'll give you editing permissions + jump in –– we could then just replace the messy stuff w/ an embedded spreadsheet –– but tbh my quiet hope is that justfix adds tenant union info to their database & this part of the page becomes obsolete! :D LUV U, JUSTFIX!!
MGMT-based tenants unions
–– broadway starr tenants union: @broadwaystarrtenantsunion + fb group // "... for people who rent from Rupert Lowtan" aka Deodat Lowtan // Brooklyn, 45 buildings
–– full time tenant union: fttenantunion.org + @fttenantunion // "Full Time Management owns 140 buildings totaling over a thousand units in four boroughs" // now Watermark
–– greenbrook tenants coalition: greenbrooktenants.org + @greenbrooktenants // "a community of tenants from over 240 buildings in New York City, all of which were bought by the private equity firm known as Greenbrook."
–– greenrock tenants council: @greenrocktenantscouncil // "Brooklyn tenants living and organizing in the 80+ buildings managed by Greenrock Management. Organized with @brooklynevictiondefense"
–– parkway tenants association: linktr.ee/pkwytenants/ + @pkwytenants // "Organized residents of Parkway Realty buildings, over 3k units in Brooklyn and the Bronx."
BKLYN tenants unions
• brooklyn eviction defense tenant union + @brooklynevictiondefense
bed-stuy:
–– taaffee tenants association: taaffetenants.org + @taaffe_tenants_association // "Neighbors of 232-262 Taaffe, 241 Taaffe, 213 Taaffe, 950 Kent, and 275 Classon. Our landlord is Alma Realty"
bushwick:
[NEW, FALL '24] –– bushwick tenant union (insta): their announcement says they're currently seeking people renting from Cayuga Capital, CCM Ventures, & Jacob Sacks; if that's you, get in touch!
–– 345 eldert tenants association: @345eta + fb group // this building was already a shitshow pre-pandemic (i moved out 3/1/20), & i saw more craziness from other Carnegie Management buildings while working the census, V GLAD this crew filed a class action
–– broadway starr tenants union: @broadwaystarrtenantsunion + fb group // "Tenant's association for people who rent from Rupert Lowtan" aka Deodat Lowtan // 45 buildings: 206 Bleecker St. • 242 Central Ave • 244 Central Ave • 1412 De Kalb Ave • 1567 De Kalb Ave • 1287 Greene Ave • 293 Harman St. • 834 Hart St. • 840 Hart St. • 912 Hart St. • 930 Hart St. • 237 Himrod St. • 248 Himrod St. • 251 Himrod St. • 282 Himrod St. • 170 Irving Ave • 184 Irving Ave • 241 Irving Ave • 1514 Jefferson Ave • 315 Jefferson St. • 207 Knickerbocker Ave • 756 Liberty Ave • 760 Liberty Ave • 275 Linden St. • 399 Linden St. • 279 Menahan St. • 1481 Myrtle Ave • 309 Palmetto St. • 464 Pulaski St. • 165 Stanhope St. • 187 Stanhope St. • 189 Stanhope St. • 191 Stanhope St. • 315 Stanhope St. • 32 Starr St. • 88 Starr St. • 336 Starr St. • 338 Starr St. • 241 Stockholm St. • 402 Suydam St. • 166 Wilson Ave • 193 Wilson Ave • 48 Wyckoff Ave • 62 Wyckoff Ave • 251 Wyckoff Ave
• carroll gardens: carrollgardensassociation.com + @cga_npc
–– 63 tiffany pl.: save63tiffany.com + @save63tiffany // 70 unit building at edge of carroll gardens & columbia st. waterfront district; landlord is Irving Langer
• crown heights: crownheightstenantunion.org + @crownheightstenantunion
–– 320 empire blvd: @320empiretenants // "320 Empire Tenants Association"
–– 920 park pl.: friendsof920park.wordpress.com + @friendsof920park
east new york / brownsville / cypress hills:
• east ny community land trust eastnewyorkclt.org + @eastnewyorkclt
• housing organizers for people empowerment (HOPE): @hope_organizers
–– 248 arlington ave: @248arlingtontenants
flatbush / little haiti / plg:
• tenant union flatbush (TUF; tenantunionflatbush.com + @tuftenants)
• flatbush tenant coalition (@flatbushpower)
related = equality for flatbush (equalityforflatbush.org + @equality4flatbush)
–– 1834 caton ave: @1834catontenants // building owned by Goldmont Realty
–– 355 lefferts ave: @355leffertsaveta // in prospect lefferts gardens; "We are a group of tenants in a rent stabilized building. We are fighting for affordable housing for all! We are part of @tuftenants [Tenant Union Flatbush]"
–– 64 lincoln rd: site + @64lincolntenants
–– 30 linden blvd: @30lindenblvd11226 // building owned by Juda Stern + 30 Linden Blvd LLC, tied to a massive portfolio sharing cash & personnel, incl. [MORE BAD GUYS:] Emily Kramer, Michael Wolfe, Bobby Sher, Jim Goldstick, Mary Fischer, Douglas Elliman Property Management
–– 221 linden blvd: @221tenantcoalition
• greenpoint: @greenpointtenants
park slope:
–– 219 13th st.: @219tenantsbk // building owned by Michael Shah & Delshah Management LLC
• southwest brooklyn: swbtu.org + @swbktenantunion // "Neighborhoods We Represent:" carroll gardens, boerum hill, cobble hill, red hook, gowanus, park slope, downtown brooklyn"
–– 63 tiffany pl.: save63tiffany.com + @save63tiffany // 70 unit building at edge of carroll gardens & columbia st. waterfront district; landlord is Irving Langer
• sunset park: @sunsetparktenantsunion // last post '21
QUEENS tenants unions
• astoria: @astoriatenantunion
jackson heights:
–– 89th st. tenants unidos: @89sttenantsunidos
• ridgewood: ridgewood tenants union + @ridgewoodtenantsunion
RELATED:
• queens neighborhoods united (site down; fb page + @queensneighborhoodsunited): "Anti-BID collective of community folks in Corona, Elmhurst, & Jackson Heights fighting criminalization & displacement in our communities since 2014."
• flushing anti-displacement alliance (fight4flushing.com + @flushing_ada): "The Flushing Anti-Displacement Alliance are residents & workers resisting displacement from politicans & corporate interests."
BRONX tenant unions
• south west bronx: casapower.org + @casabronx // "Community Action for Safe Apartments (CASA) organizes tenants for safe & affordable housing through collective action in the South West Bronx!"
RELATED:
• north west bronx cc (northwestbronx.org + @northwestbronx): "NWBCCC unites diverse peoples and institutions to fight for racial and economic justice in the Bronx."
MNHTN tenants unions
battery park:
–– gateway tenants association: gpta.org
• chinatown: caav's chinatown tenants union + @caaavnyc
harlem / hamilton heights:
–– 141 st. tenant's group: @141tenants
–– 617 w. 141st: @617w141ta
• lower east side: good old lower east side: goles.org + @golesnyc // "Keeping people in their homes + community since 1977 // The Tenants United Will Never Be Defeated; Los Residentes Unidos Jamás Serán Vencidos"
• cooper square committee: coopersquare.org + @coopersquare // "Non-profit community organization on the Lower East Side. We do tenant organizing, counseling, small biz, greening/resiliency, & housing development."
–– broome st. tenants alliance: tenantsalliance.wordpress.com + @broometenantsalliance
• stuytown: stuyvesant town & peter cooper village tenants association (STPCV–TA) + @stpcv_ta
tribeca:
–– independence plaza north tenant association (IPNTA)
upper manhattan:
–– @uptowntenants // "We live + organize in bldgs impacted by PE firm Sugar Hill Capital Partners through its affiliates Tri-Hill Management + Choice Management."
• park west village (UWS): pwvta.org // 784/788/792 Columbus Ave + 372/382/392/400 Central Park West
related
housing conversation coordinators: hcc-nyc.org + @hcc_nyc // "Hell’s Kitchen based non-profit fighting to preserve affordable housing and strengthen tenants’ rights."
housing justice for all: housingjusticeforall.org + @housingjustice4all // "From Buffalo to Brooklyn, we’re fighting for housing for every New Yorker. #OurHomesOurPower" + hj4a.org/CallYourRep
nyc loft tenants: [site down] + @nyclt
right to counsel: righttocounselnyc.org + @righttocounselnyc // "The #RTCNYC coalition is made of tenants, organizers, and lawyers! We led the fight to make it a right to have a lawyer if you face eviction in NYC!"
tenants and neighbors: tandn.org + @tenantsandneighbors // "We are a grassroots organization building tenant power across NY since ‘74 to strengthen tenants rights, preserve affordable housing & keep NY diverse"
instas: @uno_bklyn (United Neighbors Organization: Organización de Inquilinxs Unidxs / Fighting against displacement in North Brooklyn) +++ @notonemoreblock +++ @rentjustice
[need to check!] inactive / uncertain / adjacent
@123pulaskitenantassociation // no posts or site // "Tenants fighting building-wide eviction by 123 Pulaski Holding Co / “Community Solutions Group” // Bed-Stuy, Bklyn
@almacouncilsoftenants // no posts or site // Alma Realty
@flatbushtenantcoalition (now @flatbushpower) // earlier social (last posts 2013); since this has been replaced, not sure if accompanying website (flatbushpower.org) is still contacting the right people...? // "A coalition of tenant associations working together to build tenant power in Flatbush, East Flatbush, and South Crown Heights, Brooklyn."
@goosetenants // posts from 2022 w/ Brooklyn location; site is dead, not sure what buildings etc.?
@longislandtenantsunion // last posts 2015
@mahfartenants // last posts 2015; "The Mahfar Tenants Alliance was founded to deal with issues in Samy Mahfar and SMA equities buildings. 113 stanton st., 102 Norfolk St, 22 Spring st."
opera house tenant union // link is to withfriends; website & twitter down, @opera_house_tenant_union last posted 2020 // Bushwick, bklyn
@plgnanyc / "Prospect Lefferts Gardens Neighborhood Assocation" // active, but not sure what this is; no sign of tenant organizing, & buildings in the neighborhood seem to be working with Tenant Union Flatbush instead // "Uniting and empowering the tenants, homeowners, workers & merchants of the PLG neighborhood and the larger Flatbush community since 1968."
stabilizing nyc: stabilizingnyc.org + @stabilizingnyc // last updates 2019, but site's up... ? "Stabilizing NYC is a coalition of sixteen housing organizations and a legal provider that fights and organizes for stronger tenant protections." // Bronx groups: Banana Kelly Community Improvement Association, North-West Bronx CCC, Mothers on the Move, CASA; Bk: uhab, Fifth Ave Committee, Flatbush Tenant Coalition, Impacct Brooklyn, St. Nicks Alliance; Queens: Catholic Migration Services, Woodside on the Move, cchaya CDC, CAAAV; Manhattan: Housing Conservation Coordinators, Cooper Square Committee, Asian Americans for Equality, Good Old Lower East Side
stopsunnysideyards.com + @stopsunnysideyards // in queens, last updates 2021
west side neighborhood alliance // last updates 2016