The Legal Aid Society is condemning a vote by the New York City Rent Guidelines Board that will raise rents for residents of stabilized apartments by up to 3 percent for a one-year lease. Two-year leases will have tired increases of 2.75 percent the first year and 3.2 percent of the previous year’s rent for the second year, as reported by Gothamist.

“More New Yorkers will find themselves displaced from their homes and communities onto the streets or in local shelters,” said Adriene Holder, Chief Attorney of the Civil Practice at The Legal Aid Society and former tenant member of the New York City Rent Guidelines Board, in response to the 5-4 vote.

“As detailed in a report issued by Board staff this past April, the majority of tenants in rent-stabilized units are already significantly rent burdened,” she continued. ” Moreover, another recent report revealed that New York City is in the midst of the worst affordability crisis of the last two decades.”

“This willful increase from the Board is both immoral and bad policy that will deepen the local homelessness and eviction crisis that Albany and City Hall seem unable and unwilling to even address,” Holder said.  “For years, landlords enjoyed rubber stamp increases from the Board, and these continued hikes will bear devastating consequences on the New Yorkers most in need of assistance, care and a place to call home.”