By Sam Rabiyah, December 6, 2023

“The City Council passed a bill Wednesday that enables tenants to report vacant apartments in their buildings to the city housing agency — with sponsors hoping to spur action on tens of thousands of empty units.

Intro 195 allows tenants to report maintenance code issues to the Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) department via 311, and have city officials inspect vacant units when they may pose a hazard to those in units nearby. Tenants living among empty apartments have described trash, mold, open windows, leaky gas pipes and rodents as scourges in their buildings. 

“We’re feeling very hopeful. We’re not used to getting this far,” says Illapa Sairitupac, a tenant organizer with Cooper Square Committee, about the bill. “I’m looking forward to tenants having more power in making sure HPD comes to inspect these units.”

A spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams did not immediately respond to an inquiry about whether the mayor intends to sign the bill, which passed 39 to 8.

Tenants, advocates and elected officials rallied outside City Hall on Wednesday ahead of the Council vote, championing the bill and other measures to rein in “warehousing” — in which landlords keep apartments vacant in anticipation of future rent increases.”

Read more: https://www.thecity.nyc/2023/12/06/warehousing-vacant-apartments-report-council