1971-1983 administration of rent control/sabilization

[MichaelF]

Doing research on the history of rent control and was looking through the information on http://www.tenant.net/Oversight/50yrRen ... story.html. The page says that in 1971 the "Urstadt" law prevents the state from "adopting new regulations that were more stringent than those that were presently in effect", but later says in 1983 the Omnibus Housing Act "transferred the administration of the rent control and rent stabilization programs in New York City to the State", who then made the regulations more stringent. If anyone who is familiar with the material could clear up any misunderstanding I have, provide relevant information, or point me in the direction of some good sources it would be greatly appreciated.

[TenantNet]

That report was published by DHCR as a self-congratulatory puff-piece. While generally factual, it still attempted to paint DHCR in a good light, which, of course, is a load of poop.

The Urstadt Law (actually 3 separate laws) was passed by then Gov. Nelson Rockerfeller as a non-Home Rule law, that prohibits NYC Council from passing stronger pro-tenant legislation than that passed in Albany. It applies only to rent regulation. For example, local laws like the one that allows tenants to have pets, those are not prohibited by Urstadt and are found in the NYC Administrative Code. Other laws that would apply to all tenants could likely be found in the NYS Real Property Law. The 1974 Emergency Tenant Protection Act (ETPA) is enabling legislation (by the state legislature) allowing NYC to "opt-in" to the state rent regulatory scheme, but it has to follow the state rules. ETPA is often called the NYS Rent Stabilization Law (not to be confused with the NYC version. And none of that applies to Rent Control, which falls under a 1962 law.

For decades tenants have sought to repeal Urstadt to allow local control. But fake tenant and ubiquitous con artist Mike McKee has consistently undermined that effort.

The 1983 law was a state law, so the state can change things if they desire. Prior to 1983, the RC/RS system was administered by NYC (using the state's regulations) by an agency known as the Conciliation and Appeals Board, but things got so bad that the state took over (and in due process the state made things worse than the city ever did).

I don't agree that the 1983/84 law made things "more stringent." In some ways there were few differences, only how the system was administered, and in other ways things were easier for landlords.

Confused? Many people are. It can take years until one figures out this maze.

[MichaelF]

Wow, I had no idea the rabbit hole was this deep. Thank you for the intel it was a great help.

[TenantNet]

After a few dozen years, you'll get the hang of it. Even today, there are plenty of things I don't know.