Photo: Viktoriya Skorikova / Moment / Getty Images
A forum discussing the future of rent stabilization is set to take place in Kingston on Thursday (April 9). The event, hosted by Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha, will be held from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Ulster County Restorative Justice Center. Attendees will explore the implications of a recent lawsuit filed by landlords challenging rent stabilization measures in the city.
According to Shrestha, the average hourly wage for Ulster County renters last year was $14.57, which is half of what is needed to afford a one-bedroom apartment without being rent burdened. She emphasized that rent stabilization could limit rent increases to amounts determined by the Rent Guidelines Board, which balances landlord expenses and tenant incomes.
The lawsuit, filed by a group of landlords in March, seeks to block Kingston's rent stabilization measures. The landlords argue that the city's decision to extend rent stabilization was unlawful. In response, Shrestha has proposed the Rent Emergency Stabilization for Tenants (REST) Act, which would allow localities to declare a housing emergency using publicly available data, such as eviction rates, instead of relying solely on vacancy studies.
The forum will also address tenant organizing efforts to improve living conditions and leases. Reservations for the event are open to tenants and can be made online.
The lawsuit has temporarily halted some enforcement of the Emergency Tenant Protection Act (ETPA) in Kingston. A state Supreme Court judge recently issued a temporary restraining order, pausing certain lease renewal requirements while the case is litigated. Despite this, tenants remain protected from rent increases, and the city continues to defend its decision to maintain rent stabilization.
The outcome of this legal battle could have significant implications for rent stabilization policies across New York State. The REST Act aims to provide municipalities with clearer authority to implement tenant protections without facing prolonged legal challenges.