President of the Rent Stabilization Association: Joseph Strasburg
The Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) will be making a highly debated decision next week in regards to a percentile increase of rent stabilized apartments. Although this vote takes place every year, this year’s decision has been exceptionally publicized due to a potential rent freeze. Bill de Blasio, the first mayor to ever run on the platform of a rent freeze, may come through on his promise—considering that over half the board has been given a seat via his appointment. Although the board favors implementation of the first rent freeze in NYC history, the Rent Stabilization Association (RSA) has other ideas.
The RSA represents over 25,000 property owners in the city and is presently launching an ad campaign that explains how a rent freeze will hurt more than just landlords in the rental market.
RGB meetings are a notorious rally place for petitioners who are protesting the rental hike that occurs each year. This alone gives the RSA a tough starting point to begin the conversation that will convince New Yorkers that paying higher rents will benefit all involved parties.
Regardless, there will be 700 ads in total for New Yorkers to view that will give the RSA’s point a clear showing and, more specifically, tallies down to 40 ads per day via radio and television, which will air until June 23rd. This time frame of advertisements is right in line with the five public hearings that the RGB will have in order to make a decision regarding the renter’s freeze. The last ad runs on the day of the board’s final vote.
Joseph Strasburg, the president of the RSA, is launching the ad campaign to change the reputation of landlords in NYC. “People think all landlords are rich, but over 70% of our members are small-property owners who provide affordable housing for the majority of the population,” said Strasburg.
According to the Daily News, the 30-second television ad begins with an opening shot of city homes that appear well kept. “Small-budding owners put their rent increases right back into their buildings for repairs and maintenance,” says the ad narrator.
The pleasant homes in the beginning of the ad, then transform into sullied, filthy, dour residences as the narrator says, “Let’s protect affordable housing so this doesn’t happen in our neighborhoods.”
Currently, the board is considering increases from zero to 3 percent on one-year leases and 0.5 percent to 4.5 percent on two year leases. If passed, these increases would take effect on Oct 1, 2014.
