REMARKS
Council Member Restler questions Mastro on rent regulation and his involvement with the Rent Stabilization Association
2:53:48
·
3 min
Council Member Lincoln Restler begins his questioning of Randy Mastro by focusing on rent regulation and Mastro's involvement with the Rent Stabilization Association (RSA). Restler presents statistics on the loss of rent-regulated homes and the current housing crisis in New York City. He then questions Mastro about his role in the Giuliani administration when Local Law 4 was passed, which expanded vacancy decontrol. Restler also inquires about when Mastro began representing the RSA after leaving the Giuliani administration.
- Restler highlights that 277,000 rent-regulated homes were lost to vacancy decontrol over 25 years
- He notes that about a third of New York City families pay over 50% of their income in rent
- Restler questions Mastro about his involvement with Local Law 4 during the Giuliani administration
- He asks when Mastro began representing the RSA after leaving public office
Lincoln Restler
2:53:48
Thanks so much, chair powers and speaker Adams.
2:53:52
And thank you, Mister Mastro, for being here today and patiently answering our many, many questions.
2:53:59
I do wanna just begin by commending you for your laudable pro bono work over many years But I'm gonna focus my questions today more on your paid clients.
2:54:10
Firstly, a few questions relating to rent regulation, and this isn't intended to be a pop quiz.
2:54:15
So feel free to just say, you don't know.
2:54:17
But Do you know how many affordable homes, rent regulated homes were lost to vacancy to control?
Randy Mastro
2:54:25
I don't know the number.
2:54:26
277,000
Lincoln Restler
2:54:29
apartments.
2:54:31
Do you know how many New Yorkers who just to give a sense, that was a 5th of what the rent regulated housing stock was, gone enough to house approximately 10% of the New York City population today.
2:54:44
Do you know how many New Yorkers are currently rent burdened or what percent of New Yorkers are currently rent burdened?
Randy Mastro
2:54:49
I don't know the current percentage.
2:54:51
I I haven't been in city government for 25 years
Lincoln Restler
2:54:54
there, but you pay close attention to these issues.
2:54:56
You know, about a third of of families in New York City, pay 50 over 50% of their income and rent.
2:55:03
And just to give a sense, do you do you know the proximate census in our DHS Department of Homeland Services shelter population today?
2:55:14
Again, we've got 80,000 New Yorkers that are sleeping in shelter tonight.
2:55:19
So you stated that you've always supported rent control today in this hearing.
2:55:24
But when you became Rudy Giuliani, chief of staff, in 1994, one of the very first bills that came across the mayor's desk was local law number 4, which expanded the state's 3 month vacancy de control pilot, making it permanent in New York City.
2:55:38
I'd like to enter into the record the legislative history of local law 4.
2:55:42
This bill was championed by the landlord lobby, the rent stabilization association, RSA pushed local law 4 as an alternative to a bill that would have simply extended the rent stabilization law, as Jacqueline explained in a memo to the mayor on which you were copied.
2:55:57
Back in 1994.
2:55:58
Mayor Giuliani, of course, signed the bill, local law 4 allowed landlords to set market rate rents on previously affordable rent stabilized department.
2:56:06
And as I mentioned, as a result, we lost 277 1000 rent stabilized homes in the ensuing 25 years.
2:56:16
This would have been enough affordable housing units to house all of the New Year, all of the population that's in shelter tonight nine times over.
2:56:25
Just think about that for a second.
2:56:27
When you left the Giuliani administration in 1998, you joined the firm of Gibson Dun And Crutcher, and you began representing the RSA.
2:56:35
Again, the landlord lobby.
2:56:37
How soon after returning to Gibson Dunn did you sign the rent stabilization association as a client?
Randy Mastro
2:56:48
22 years later.
Lincoln Restler
2:56:51
22 years after you left the Giuliani administration, you signed RSA as a client.
2:56:55
So you left
Randy Mastro
2:56:56
the RSA was not a client of mine until around 2019, 2020.
2:57:02
Okay.
Lincoln Restler
2:57:03
And
Randy Mastro
2:57:04
so when, and and the legislation you referred to was passed by the city council,