Kingston declares housing emergency and adopts rent stabilization policy

Kingston becomes the first municipality in the Hudson Valley to implement a rent stabilization policy. This move aims to address the affordability crisis caused by the pandemic-flued housing boom. Between 2020 and 2021, home prices in this Ulster County town jumped 30 percent, the second-fastest rate in the nation, according to the Washington Post.

The city of Kingston declared a housing emergency at the end of July after a recent survey found a rental vacancy rate of only 1.57 percent. This survey paved the way for adopting rent stabilization on residential buildings constructed before 1974 with six or more rental units. According to state law, a municipality can implement rental protection if the vacancy rate is below 5 percent. 

“I am pleased to be able to codify this legislation and to implement these tenant protections here in Kingston,” said Mayor Noble. “We have known we have a housing crisis in Kingston, and this is yet another step we are taking to protect our residents and make sure that everyone who wishes to live in Kingston is able to. With this law, there are more than 1,200 rental units that are now entitled to rent stabilization.”

Kingston’s Common Council voted 7 to 1 in favor of adopting the Emergency Tenant Protection Act (ETPA). Alderman Michael Olivieri did not support this legislation, arguing it would harm good landlords. 

“The old saying goes, a few bad apples ruin it for the bunch. The passing of the ETPA will do just that,” Olivieri said. “It will ruin good landlords by bunching them in with the slumlords. Not everyone is a corporate conglomerate buying up properties. Most of the landlords that own the smaller properties are locals.” 

Once an apartment is rent stabilized, a landlord can only increase rent by a percentage set by the Rent Guidelines Board. Rent stabilization also allows tenants to pass their leases to heirs. According to the City of Kingston website, the board will have nine members, including two tenant representatives, two property owner representatives, and five members of the public. 

Image credit:

Stockade District, Kingston, New York, USA

Daniel Case - Own work

Resources:

“Common Council Passes Emergency Tenant Protection Act, Mayor Signs into Law,” (The City of Kingston, 2022)

“Rent Guidelines Board Applications Now Open,” (The City of Kingston, 2022)

“Kingston Becomes the First Upstate City to Adopt Rent Control,” by Clio Chang (Curbed, 2022)

“Kingston makes historic move into rent stabilization,” by TRD Staff (The Real Deal, 2022)

“Kingston could become first Hudson Valley city to adopt rent stabilization,” by Phillip Pantuso (Times Union, 2022)

“Kingston adopts rent control; City opts into limited law,” by HV1 Staff (Hudson Valley One, 2022)

“As home prices soar in unlikely places, the most vulnerable residents pay the price,” by Rachel Siegel and Andrew Van Dam (The Washington Post, 2021)