{"id":172,"date":"2024-06-13T21:16:38","date_gmt":"2024-06-13T21:16:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/chi-osse\/?p=172"},"modified":"2026-01-13T15:41:55","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T15:41:55","slug":"fare-act-receives-8-hours-of-rallies-and-testimony-on-hearing-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/chi-osse\/2024\/06\/13\/fare-act-receives-8-hours-of-rallies-and-testimony-on-hearing-day\/","title":{"rendered":"FARE Act Receives 8 Hours of Rallies and Testimony on Hearing Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

Intro 360-2024<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, the Fairness in Apartment Rental Expenses (FARE) Act, would require that the party that hires a broker pays the broker fee<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The day came as the New York City Council Progressive Caucus announced that the bill is their <\/em><\/strong>top priority for the 2024-2025 legislative agenda<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, first reported in Politico <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

New York, NY:\u00a0<\/strong>The FARE Act had its hearing in the New York City Council Committee on Consumer and Worker Protections today, where it endured nearly 7 hours of testimony. Hundreds of New Yorkers enthusiastically laid out the case for the bill while conclusively deconstructing the arguments of the well-funded opposition. The hearing followed a rally in City Hall Park attended by supporters, including over ten labor unions, dozens of housing justice groups, political strategist Bradley Tusk, and the Working Families Party.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With 33\/51 Council Members officially backing the FARE Act, the time has come to vote the bill out of committee for it to receive a full floor vote. <\/p>\n

The Progressive Caucus announced that the FARE Act is now its top legislative priority. The ambitious agenda covers housing, workers\u2019 rights, childcare, public safety, immigration, and health \u2014 but the FARE Act tops the list given its impact and relevance for all working-class New Yorkers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe people have spoken,\u201d said Council Member Chi Oss\u00e9. <\/strong>\u201cNow it\u2019s time to pass the FARE Act.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cForcing tenants, especially low-income tenants, to pay for a broker they did not hire is backwards and exploitative,\u201d said Progressive Caucus Co-Chair Council Member Sandy Nurse<\/strong>. \u201cNot only does this system guarantee a brokers\u2019 paycheck regardless of the quality of their work and on the tenants\u2019 dime, but it also perpetuates the entrenched power and wealth imbalances plaguing our City. We need to make it easier for people to get an apartment, not harder, and this is why the Progressive Caucus has made the FARE Act its top legislative priority for this year. By shifting broker fees to the entity that hired that broker, we will finally end an immoral practice that perpetuates economic inequality and racialized homelessness.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe FARE Act is the Progressive Caucus\u2019s number one legislative priority due to the vast impact it will have on NYC renters,\u201d said Council Member Shahana Hanif, co-Chair of New York City Council Progressive Caucus.<\/strong> \u201cThis legislation would be instrumental in breaking down barriers to housing security, which is what our city should be advocating for,\u201d said Council Member Shahana Hanif. \u201cBy transferring the financial burden of broker fees to those engaging with brokers, the FARE Act offers significant relief to low-income families who are disproportionately affected by these exorbitant costs. Passing the Fare Act will make a significant stride towards leveling the playing field in the housing market, where access to a home should not be contingent on one\u2019s financial means.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis vital piece of legislation addresses an unfair burden on tenants, who currently bear the cost of broker fees even when the landlord hired the broker\u201d said Council Member Rita Joseph.<\/strong> \u201cBy ensuring that the hiring party; whether tenant or landlord\u2014pays these fees, the FARE Act brings much-needed fairness to our rental market. Importantly, it does not restrict brokers from charging for their services; it simply ensures that those who hire them are responsible for the payment. This monumental change will promote a more equitable housing process for all New Yorkers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe FARE Act is a perfect example of how the Progressive Caucus is pushing for common sense legislation that works for the majority of working New Yorkers,\u201d said Council Member Jennifer Gutierrez.<\/strong> \u201cThe FARE Act, along with the slate of PC legislative priorities, will make our City a better and more livable place for more than just the richest among us.\u201d<\/p>\n

 \u201cWorking-class New Yorkers are overburdened with costs at every corner. Eviction rates are at a high and housing stock is not meeting demand,\u201d said Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, co-vice Chair of the Progressive Caucus.<\/strong> \u201cThose looking to relocate are hit with forced exorbitant fees that benefit brokers with no added benefit to potential tenants. The Progressive Caucus has made the FARE Act its #1 legislative priority \u2014 we must find relief for tenants across New York City if we want to reduce rates of homelessness and truly make affordable, stable, and dignified housing a priority.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember the days when your family all lived on the same block, same building? You had cohesion,\u201d said Council Member Alexa Aviles.<\/strong> \u201cNow families have to break up simply because we cannot afford it. I support the FARE Act because if you hire someone to do a job you should be the one to pay for it. It\u2019s that simple. REBNY knows the system is broken, yet has made no meaningful attempts to fix things. The bad faith signs about rent hikes you see around city hall today are proof of the depths depravity they are willing to go to protect their profit margins at the direct expense of working people. Enough is enough. Let\u2019s pass the FARE Act now.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cUnder the current system, it is nearly impossible to move homes for many New Yorkers due to excessive and predatory broker\u2019s fees,\u201d said Council Member Tiffany Caban.<\/strong> \u201cA comfortable, reliable home is essential to public safety and health. We must ensure that families can stay in New York City and access stable housing without the fear of burning through their life savings. It\u2019s beyond time that we pass the FARE Act to end forced broker fees and move toward a safer, more livable city for all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe FARE Act represents a step toward achieving true consumer equity and transparency in an increasingly ruthless market in our City \u2014 housing,\u201d said Council Member Crystal Hudson. <\/strong>\u201cPassing this bill would more closely align renters\u2019 consumer expectations with those of all other consumer actions we take in our day-to-day life: if you ask or contract for a service, you pay for it; and if you don\u2019t ask or contract for a service, you don\u2019t pay for it. However, that is not the case with broker\u2019s fees. Any system that leaves tenants to foot the bill for a service the landlord or management company contracted is a deeply flawed system. With the FARE Act, we have the opportunity to change that by placing the burden of payment on the party that requested the service \u2014 whether the tenant or landlord \u2014 period. This is a simple, common sense piece of legislation, and I look forward to working with Council Member Oss\u00e9 and our colleagues to ensure its passage.\u201d<\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Intro 360-2024<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, the Fairness in Apartment Rental Expenses (FARE) Act, would require that the party that hires a broker pays the broker fee<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The day came as the New York City Council Progressive Caucus announced that the bill is their <\/em><\/strong>top priority for the 2024-2025 legislative agenda<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, first reported in Politico <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

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