Albany Chaos Could Kill NYC Rent Law Change

NEW YORK CITY-The stalemate over the leadership in the State Senate makes it likely that a package of bills designed to change the city’s rent laws will not come up for a vote before the legislative clock runs out on Monday, June 22. However, Steven Spinola, president of the Real Estate Board of New York, tells GlobeSt.com that the dozen or so bills were not a done deal regardless.

“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.