POLS RALLY FOR TENANT BILL

Tenants who have fought in court against baseless charges of breaking rent-stabilization regulations may get new protections, if the State Legislature passes a pending bill. The bill would force landlords to pay up to three times the tenant's legal fees. State Sen. Tom Duane and Assembly Member Brian Kavanagh, the bill's sponsors, held a rally on Oct. 19 with several local elected officials and members of the Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association. The bill is meant to target landlords who knowingly file false accusations and non-renewal of lease notices against their tenants. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Borough President Scott Stringer and Council Member Dan Garodnick joined the two legislators to express support of the legislation. --Dan Rivoli