NEW YORK CITY, USA — Starting May 1, NYC go lift rules wey dey hold back tenants from renting affordable apartments wey don dey empty for months. Dis change go affect thousands of low- and middle-income housing options.
The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) don announce say dem go allow landlords show empty apartments on sites like StreetEasy, no be only through dem popular Housing Connect lottery system again. Dis move wey dey long overdue, go help people find homes fast.
For many years, affordable apartments dey sit down empty after tenants move out because the bureaucratic process no dey let landlords fill dem quick. According to Natasha Kersey, HPD spokesperson, dis temporary policy change go make am easy for building owners to get reliable tenants faster for empty apartments as dem try reform the lottery system.
“With the vacancy rate for housing dey at an all-time low, we dey revamp the re-rental process to help New Yorkers enter housing faster, cut red tape and meet dem where dem dey,” Kersey say.
Dis new policy go enable tens of thousands of affordable apartments wey dey owned by nonprofit organizations and private firms wey dey limit rent in exchange for tax breaks, fill quick. Some studies show say between 2% and 5% of dem apartments dey empty every year.
Council Housing Committee Chair Pierina Sanchez don dey call for improvements in the re-rental process. She go hold hearing to discuss dis new policy later today. “E go help, but we still need better plans to make sure dis kind situation no happen again in future,” Sanchez talk.
Previously, landlords dey required to fill gaps on how they fit match new tenants through long lists wey dey indicate who want to rent empty apartments. This system no dey effective for older buildings well. For example, a two-bedroom unit wey go for $1,250.85 don dey empty for almost a year because of the complexity involved for matching new tenants.
According to Brendan Mitchell, director of the University Neighborhood Housing Program, dis unit dey available for families wey fit earn no more than $101,000 a year, but na the lottery system dey hold them back. “We don already get family wey dey ready to move in as soon as dis change take effect,” Mitchell talk.
HPD also gree to make application process easier as dem go reduce required documents wey applicants go need to submit. Instead of six months of pay stubs, now dem go only need one month.
Critics of the former policy don highlight say housing lottery dey make many apartments remain empty, causing strain in a housing market dey already stressful. A case in point is the Bronx apartment wey die vacant since June 2023 because nobody fit express interest based on the lottery draw.
Rachel Fee, executive director of the New York Housing Conference, call dis new waiver a step in the right direction but emphasize say long-term reform still dey necessary. “We go continue to follow dis situation closely make sure say the new process really dey effective and sustainable,” Fee say.
With high demand for housing, dis reform fit change how tenants dey access affordable units in NYC. As the city work towards meeting the urgent housing crisis, many low-income families dey hope for better access to homes.
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