Senate Deputy Leader Gianaris Statement On Rent Strike Campaign

NEW YORK – Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris issued the following statement as tenant groups throughout the state called for a rent strike in May:

“It has been clear for weeks now that rents cannot be paid with money that doesn’t exist and therefore, rent will be cancelled whether or not we authorize it by law. I urge Governor Cuomo to implement an executive order to cancel rent obligations and bring stability to the housing market before it devolves into a full blown crisis.”

Senator Gianaris has led nationally-recognized efforts to cancel rents. Most recently, he called on Governor Cuomo to cancel rent by executive order. He wrote an op-ed in the Data for Progress blog and has made national media appearances. Efforts to suspend and forgive rent have also been endorsed by former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders, among others.