Senator Reverend Díaz's Affordable Housing Priority

May 17, 2011

For Immediate Release

Senator Reverend Díaz's Affordable Housing Priority

New York State Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz (D-Bronx) released the following statement in response to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s visit to Albany to lobby against New York’s marriage laws:

“New York’s Rent Stabilization and Rent Control Laws are set to expire on June 15^th.  If these laws are not extended then 2.5 million New Yorkers – mostly Black and Hispanic – are facing crisis situations for their most basic need: affordable housing. 

I cannot comprehend how Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Council Speaker Christine Quinn can find time to go to Albany and ignore this deadline that affects the lives of mostly Black and Hispanic New Yorkers.

It’s such a disgrace that Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn have instead, made it their priorities to go to Albany to push State legislators to support same sex-marriage – all while ignoring New York’s rent control and rent stabilization laws that millions of New Yorkers – mostly Black and Hispanic – rely upon.

I would love to see Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn set their priorities straight and spend a day in Albany to push for an extension of our affordable housing laws before the deadline passes.

And for the record, it needs to be stated that the video Governor Andrew Cuomo released today does not in any way absolve him from his indifference to New York’s rent control and rent stabilization laws that should have been included in the Budget package.

Governor Cuomo should stop trying to fool people.  If New York’s rent control and rent stabilization laws are not extended and if the lives of 2.5 million New Yorkers – mostly Black and Hispanic – are hurt as a result, no one is to blame but Governor Cuomo and every Democrat who bowed to him and his Budget."