NYC "Rental Ripoff" hearings kick off, offering renters a chance to voice concerns
New York City's highly anticipated "Rental Ripoff" hearings kicked off Thursday in Brooklyn. The meetings are designed to give renters a chance to voice their concerns from unexpected fees to unsafe living conditions.
It was the first of five hearings scheduled from now through April.
Over 150 attend 1st "Rental Ripoff" hearing
More than 150 tenants attended the event, with slots for one-on-one sessions filling up quickly and lines forming before the doors even opened. It included a resource fair with tables staffed by various city agencies.
The hearings stem from Mayor Zohran Mamdani's campaign pledge to freeze rent, build affordable housing and crack down on bad landlords. In January, he vowed to hold "Rental Ripoff" hearings across all five boroughs within the first 100 days of his administration.
"I believe that there are many very responsible landlords in the city who work very hard to improve living conditions in their building," said Cea Weaver, director of the mayor's Office to Protect Tenants, "and what we are trying to do is figure out how the system can be improved."
In a one-on-one session with housing officials, Flatbush resident Tori Brown described the problems she's faced in the nine months since moving to New York from Florida.
"No heat, no hot water, and the boiler wasn't working," she said. "I have water in my walls. I don't even know how that happens."
Brown said the night felt like a start.
"I think being heard is nothing compared to action for me, so we could sit here and talk all day. I'm sure everybody would feel good getting it off their chest, but a lot of people want actual action," she said. "I don't know if tonight things will be resolved, but it does feel like there are at least people who care enough to want to follow up about the situation and see where they can help."
But some coalitions of landlords and property owners say these hearings are counterproductive.
"Division. You're dividing the city. You're dividing the city. You're not putting us together," said Humberto Lopes, president of The Gotham Housing Alliance. "Just the way they're having their voice heard, we need to have our voice heard as landlords. We want to have the landlords get together and fix the problems in the buildings, give better housing, that we can work together."
NYCHA tenants feel left out
Other critics argue the hearings don't focus enough on the city's largest landlord, the New York City Housing Authority. One in 16 New Yorkers call NYCHA buildings home.
City leaders say NYCHA tenants are welcome at the hearings and that NYCHA officials were at Thursday's hearing.
CBS News New York's Naomi Ruchim asked Department of Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani why the city wasn't holding NYCHA-specific meetings.
"In many ways, we are specifically meeting with NYCHA residents, whether it's NYCHA or city agencies as a whole," Tigani said, "and my understanding is that we have folks who are in senior leadership here at NYCHA today."
For anyone unable to submit testimony in person, the city has an online option where renters can issue complaints and upload photos of their concerns.
The next rental ripoff hearing is scheduled for March 5 in Long Island City. Anyone can sign up to attend, however many sessions are already booked up.
The mayor's office plans to release a report with their findings and policy recommendations 90 days after the final hearing, which is scheduled for April 7.