Proposed Rent Hikes For 1M NYC Apartments Up For First Vote Tuesday

NEW YORK CITY — Will rents hike up as high as 16 percent in New York City?

New Yorkers could find out Tuesday.

The city's Rent Guidelines Board is scheduled for a 7 p.m. meeting, during which they're expected to make their first vote on potential hikes for one million rent-stabilized apartments and homes.

Many landlords have pushed for rent hikes, but advocates such as Adriene Holder, chief attorney of The Legal Aid Society's civil practice, argue that any increase is too much for cash-strapped New Yorkers to bear.

"Raising rents for already struggling low-income New Yorkers is not only unnecessary, but immoral," Holder said in a statement.

The rent board already — and controversially — last year approvedrent increases of 3.25 percent and 5 percent, respectively, for one- and two-year leases.

Those increases for rent-stabilized homes were the biggest since former Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration, but they didn't satisfy many landlords who've argued further hikes are necessary to cover their ballooning operating costs.

And some landlord-favorable numbers recently discussed by the rent board have floated rent hikes as high as 16 percent for two-year leases.

Advocates, by contrast, have called for a rent freeze by citing dire numbers for tenants.

The preliminary vote Tuesday likely will tee off an intense month-long debate before an anticipated final vote in June.

The meeting is at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall at Cooper Union along East Seventh Street near Third Avenue. People can watch on YouTube.