It’s a tale of two city landlord advocacy groups becoming one.
The organizations—the Community Housing Improvement Program, which represents more than 400,000 rent-stabilized rental properties across the city, and the Rent Stabilization Association, which represents 25,000 rental property owners—are teaming up to form one real estate trade association powerhouse.
Both CHIP and RSA have existed in the five boroughs for more than five decades, and some of their board members overlap as well as many of their goals and priorities. For example, the duo filed a federal lawsuit against New York’s 2019 rent law, which made dramatic changes to the state’s rules surrounding rent-regulated apartments. The lawsuit was recently dismissed for a third time after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case.
That 2019 legislation was the impetus for a potential merger, according to someone familiar with the fusion. But it’s actively been in the works only since last summer, according to The Real Deal, which first reported on the matter. As part of the shakeup, Joseph Strasburg will step down from his helm as RSA president after 30 years but will likely still stay on as a consultant, according to The Real Deal.
And according to the outlet, Staten Island City Council member Joe Borelli is one of two names currently being floated to head the new group, to be called the New York Apartment Association. But in a text message to Crain’s on Monday, the Republican politician, who also serves as minority leader of the City Council, denied that he is in the running for the gig, but said he sees it as a crucial position.
“Landlords seem to need all the help they can get,” Borelli said.
The second candidate, according to The Real Deal, is Department of Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Adolfo Carrión.
The merger could put into clearer focus the goals of both groups. Although the two often work in tandem, they also operate with slightly different ethos. Crain’s reported last summer that the RSA opposed a bill that would require more transparency when it comes to limited liability companies, which often are used to shield the identity of a building’s true owner. CHIP, meanwhile, was not against the bill, but the group’s executive director, Jay Martin, said he did not believe it would help the struggling housing market.
RSA members are expected to vote on its proposed merger with CHIP next month. The latter organization already approved the coalition, according to The Real Deal.
Both RSA and CHIP declined to comment.
Julianne Cuba , 2024-03-18 21:00:45
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