SENATORS URGE NEW HOUSING LAWS

west side state sens. eric schneiderman, bill perkins and tom duane, along with several of their colleagues, urged the passage of pro-tenant housing laws. in february, the democratic-dominated assembly passed a package of housing bills that would, among other things, end vacancy decontrol, restore home rule for housing regulations in new york city and increase protection of mitchell-lama tenants. assembly member linda rosenthal authored the bill that ends vacancy decontrol, in which apartments are deregulated once rent surpasses $2,000 a month. a group of more than a dozen democratic state senators gathered in albany last week to put pressure on getting the bills signed into law by the end of the legislation session, which ends in june. the laws are currently being reviewed by the senate's housing committee. "the assembly has done its part to staunch the bleeding," schneiderman said of losing rent-regulated apartments, in a statement. "now the senate must stand up for new york's working families and prove that preserving affordable housing is a top priority."