The Stand for Tenant Safety coalition issued a “report card” yesterday, grading the City on its tenant safety standards. The result? Very poor.
Stand for Tenant Safety (STS) is a coalition of grassroots organizations and activists with the common goal of protecting tenants’ rights and stopping landlords from using construction as a form of harassment. Their report card evaluated 12 tenant safety measures that were signed into law by Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) in 2017.
“I applaud the Stand for Tenant Safety Coalition for their steadfast commitment to improving the culture at the Department of Buildings,” said City Councilwoman Helena Rosenthal (D-Central Park, Lincoln Square). “The STS legislation passed in 2017 is essential to protecting tenants impacted by construction, and this report card reflects the serious work that remains to be done.”
Each law was graded based on how the City has implemented and enforced it since it was signed. Of those 12 laws, four received “D” or “F” grades, four received “C”s, and four received “A” or “B” grades. A group of activists and lawmakers gathered outside City Hall yesterday to protest the City’s failure to prioritize tenant safety.
“If my child brought home this report card, I would definitely be taking away their iPhone,” remarked City Councilman Mark Levine (D-Manhattan Valley, Manhattanville).
The report card also graded a similar bill that wasn’t part of the original package: LL 161, written by Rosenthal, which established an Office of the Tenant Advocate within the Department of Buildings (DOB). The office was intended to provide tenants with a means of directly communicating with the DOB about their grievances, and to facilitate the enforcement of tenant safety measures.
However, due to being understaffed and underfunded, the Office of the Tenant Advocate received a paltry “C” grade for its performance.
“The Office of the Tenant Advocate is critical to the success of the STS package of bills,” said Rosenthal. “We are incredibly grateful for the work and commitment of OTA Director Byron Munoz, but the OTA needs and deserves a major increase in resources and staffing. Construction as harassment is widespread in New York City, and the DOB must take the lead in protecting tenants against predatory landlords.”
