Bumped - Bouldin

The Rent Guidelines Board will meet this evening to determine the Rent Guidelines for 1 and 2 year rents, in the City.

As a housing advocate fighting for affordable housing and helping displaced tenants through the gentrification process that's effecting various neighborhoods like Williamsburg/Greenpoint, in Brooklyn and many other neighborhoods,in the city, we must impact the RGB.

As spokes person for UNO (United Neighbors Organization),let me begin by making 2 points. First the city is in an affordable housing crunch losing 71,000 rent stabilize apartments, in the last thirteen years, to vacancy decontrol, and 40,000 due to coop condo conversion. In the last sixteen years over 40,300 of the cities subsidized apartments were lost. 26,000 of which were buy outs, in the cities Mitchell-Lama housing. If it wasn't for the 42 city council members override, of the Major's section 8 veto, more affordable housing units would never have been realized.

Second the RGB should also consider the fact that landlords income have increased as shown by the 2008 Income and Expense report conducted by this very RGB, for years 2005 to 2006. It clearly shows that increase in income outpaced increases, in operating costs of landlords.

In order to preserve affordable housing and not contribute further, to the lost of affordable housing especially, for low to moderate income families, the board should consider passing the lowest guidelines possible.