Advocates Rally for Safe and Legal Basement Apartments in NYC

The NYC Basement Apartments Safe for Everyone (BASE) campaign hosted a rally at Diversity Plaza in Jackson Heights to drive support for the legalization of basement and cellar apartments. The campaign is a coalition of community groups, advocates, lawyers, and planners that include the Center for NYC Neighborhoods, the Citizens Housing and Planning Council, Chhaya, Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, and the Pratt Center for Community Development.

The rally brought together community groups, elected officials and advocates to drive support for a bill authored by Assemblymember Harvey Epstein and Senator Brian Kavanagh that would pave the way for the enactment of local laws that enable legalization of basement and cellar apartments.

The supporters of the bill argue that the bill would create a pathway for tenants to have safe, secure housing. They also argue that there are tens of thousands of New Yorkers living in basement apartments who live without the same strong tenant protections that other renters enjoy. They contend that illegal apartments exist and that the city should recognize that they are an important part of the city's affordable housing stock and ensure that they are safe for residents.

Although Governor Hochul included a provision to legalize basement apartments in her budget proposal, it remains unclear whether the provision will be included in the final budget agreement as state budget negotiations in Albany continue. The rally aimed to push for the inclusion of the provision in the final budget.

The supporters of the bill pointed out that many New Yorkers are living in dangerous, illegal basement and cellar spaces, and this poses a severe threat to the life and safety of New Yorkers. They also argued that the bill would provide the Mayor and the City Council with the tools they need to enable existing illegal basement and cellar units to be converted to safe, legal apartments.

They argued that creating a pathway to legalize basement and cellar apartments is crucial for ensuring the safety of tens of thousands of tenants in New York State. They urged Governor Kathy Hochul to prioritize this issue in the final budget and prevent further loss of life.

The supporters of the bill argued that the time has come to act on basement and cellar apartments. They contend that with a multibillion dollar State budget surplus and a worsening housing crisis, the state must do everything in their power to pass legislation paving the way for more conversions. They believe that they can bring these units out of the dark and into the light.