"I'm not convinced that the legislation would have passed had the change in leadership not taken place," Spinola says. "It's possible, but based on the counts we were making, there was still a shortage of the votes needed for passage." He adds, "There was a significant amount of debate that would have had to happen before the legislation passed."

The bills, including one that would modify the city's vacancy decontrol law, had about 16 sponsors apiece, and Spinola says it's likely that another six or seven senators would vote for them. However, a bill needs at least 32 votes in the 62-member State Senate to pass.

As an article in the New York Times posited earlier this week, there's a perception that by upsetting the slim 32-30 majority of Democratic control, State Sen. Pedro Espada scuttled the bills' chances and handed the real estate industry a victory. "Everybody's pinning this on Espada, that he was the one who switched," says Spinola. "His position all along has been opposition to his legislation."