The Office of The Bronx Borough President
09/12/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/12/2025 11:15
BOROUGH PRESIDENT GIBSON’S STATEMENT RENT GUILDELINES BOARD RENT INCREASE
Sep122025
BOROUGH PRESIDENT GIBSON'S STATEMENT RENT GUILDELINES BOARD RENT INCREASE
"Access to safe, quality, and affordable housing is a fundamental right. The rent stabilization system is one of the cornerstones of affordable housing in our city. It has proven to be a lifeline to help working and middle-class families remain in their homes and in their neighborhoods.
Over the past several years, our city has faced numerous challenges relating to housing and helping residents be able to stay in their homes. Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen over 13,000 residential evictions in The Bronx alone, and the rate of evictions is rising. As one of the prime sponsors of our city's historic Right to Counsel legislation, I know well the devastation that families experience when they are evicted from their homes. I am highly concerned about the continuing decline in the percentage of tenants in housing court receiving legal services. Only 31% of Bronxites in housing court had access to legal representation in the final quarter of fiscal year 2024, down from 60% in the final quarter of fiscal year 2022. I will continue to fight to ensure that the right to counsel law is strengthened and that the program is fully implemented and funded.
While inflation and price increases have also increased costs for landlords, our first priority must be ensuring our residents are able to keep a roof over their heads. Rent-stabilized tenants in The Bronx simply cannot afford to pay exorbitant rent increases, especially when faced with higher costs on everything else.
I urge the Rent Guidelines Board to protect vulnerable New Yorkers by rejecting these proposed rent increases. Increasing rent by these levels would force many Bronx tenants out of their homes. As we continue to pursue strategies to tackle the housing crisis and reduce housing costs, we cannot push rents higher for rent-stabilized tenants. At this critical time, we cannot and should not support any rent increase that will punish our tenants and have lasting consequences for our city."
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The Office of The Bronx Borough President published this content on September 12, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 12, 2025 at 17:15 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]