Council Considers ‘Bold’ Slate of Tenant Protection Bills for NYC
The aims of the bills, which include curbing illegal evictions and keeping tenants safe during heatwaves, were broadly supported by those testifying — but implementation challenges lingered. This article originally appeared in The City. By Rachel Kahn NEW YORK - The City Council took one step closer to expanding protections for tenants against illegal evictions and mandating that all tenant-occupied buildings have access to cooling during the summer. In a committee hearing, council members heard testimony on a slate of bills addressing the issues. Councilmember Lincoln Restler, who is the primary sponsor of the air conditioning bill, acknowledged that the bills were “bold” but maintained that they were necessary — especially because extreme temperatures are the “number one climate killer.” “It’s not wildfire, or hurricanes, or tornadoes,” he said. “It’s heat.” Though currently city landlords are required to provide heat in residential buildings during “heat season” from Oc