The Legal Aid Society is condemning the New York City Rent Guidelines Board over their preliminary vote to increase rents on low-income New Yorkers who reside in rent stabilized apartments. Rents on one-year leases would increase 2 to 4 percent while two-year leases would rise 4 to 6 percent.  If finalized, the increases would be the largest since 2013, as reported by The New York Times.

“We condemn the Board for voting to increase rents on some of our most vulnerable neighbors, people from low-income communities of color, especially when New Yorkers are still reeling financially from the pandemic and the local unemployment rate remains one of the highest in the country,” said Adriene Holder, Chief Attorney of the Civil Practice at Legal Aid.

Holder called on the Board to reverse course and freeze rents at their final vote in June to avoid pushing vulnerable New Yorkers further into poverty.

“We encourage members to listen to the cries from tenants, our clients mired in the Hobson’s choice between groceries, medical needs and other essentials, and paying rent,” she said.