Older New Yorkers Demand (and Need) Rent Reforms
and over grew twelve times
faster than the city’s under
65 population over the
past decade, with a record
1.24 million adults aged 65
and over now living in the
five boroughs.
One source of stability
– and comfort – for many
older New Yorkers is their
home and their community.
It’s not unusual for seniors
to live in their apartment
and community for 20, 30,
even 40 years or more.
Their friendships and
support systems, shop owners
and pharmacists, and
their doctors are in the
community. They attend
local senior centers for allimportant
socialization
– and often meals. They
have routines crucial to
people as they age.
But seniors face the
risk of losing their apartments
to rising rent costs.
Current loopholes allow
landlords to convert rent
regulated units to market
rate apartments or game
the system - at the expense
of tenants - for their own financial
gain.
Many older New Yorkers
already report having trouble
paying their rent; 54%
of city voters ages 50-plus
– including 67% of Hispanics
- said affordable housing
was a major concern,
according to a 2014 AARP
survey - far surpassing
other concerns.
As the City’s population
continues to age, affordable
housing concerns are likely
to grow. We need to ensure
safe, quality and affordable
housing for older New Yorkers
now and in the future. A
strong rent-regulated housing
program is essential to
this goal. Over two million
households in NYC live in
rental housing and over
one million households live
in rent-regulated or rentcontrolled
apartments.
We need to ensure more
than the renewal of existing
state rent laws; we need
TAKE ON
EVERYTHING
NEW YORK CITY
HAS TO OFFER
TODAY
the Governor and state legislature
to work together
to enact comprehensive reforms.
AARP supports three
basic principles: ending
high-rent vacancy decontrol,
restoring preferential
rent protections, and
ensuring the Vacancy Allowance,
Major Capital Improvements
and Individual
Apartment Improvements
initiatives protect tenants
while allowing landlords to
address problems.
This is our opportunity
to ensure that New
York does not lose affordable
housing options for
our seniors – and all our
residents. The seniors who
have built our communities
deserve as much.
Marilyn McMichael and
Debra Robles have lived in
their same rent regulated
apartments in New York
City for 30 and 20 years,
respectively, and are active
AARP advocates for rent reforms.
Beth Finkel is AARP
New York State Director.
Learn how at aarp.org/nyc
No one needs more convincing
that living in New
York City is expensive – especially
when it comes to
rent. We need to do something
about it, and with
current rent laws about to
expire, now’s the time.
Older New Yorkers
may know better than anyone
about the struggles
and worries of rising rent
costs. Many live on fixed
incomes and face escalating
expenses for health
care, utilities and food,
while many pay for costs to
care for loved ones.
Our older residents are
often one health or family
crisis away from breaking
the bank. As it is, a study
by the Center for an Urban
Future commissioned by
AARP found that one in
five older New Yorkers is
living in poverty – up 11
percent during the past decade.
And the number of New
York City residents aged 65
Today is yours for the taking. And AARP is here in our community,
helping you make the most of it. Whether you’re a family caregiver
looking for some support or have ideas to help improve your
neighborhood, we’re here to connect you to the tools you need.
So go make today and every day the best it can be, New York City.
2 June 13, 2019 TVG Schneps Media
/nyc