Q&A
Impact of hotel licensing on single room occupancy (SRO) tenants
0:44:08
·
99 sec
Council Member Gale A. Brewer raises concerns about how the proposed hotel licensing would affect single room occupancy (SRO) hotels with permanent tenants, particularly on the west side of the city. She emphasizes the need to protect these tenants' rent stabilization rights and succession rights.
- Commissioner Mayuga acknowledges the need to consider this issue and avoid negative impacts on existing tenant protections.
- Brewer highlights the problem of some SRO owners illegally converting their properties to hotels, emphasizing the importance of careful definition and regulation.
Gale A. Brewer
0:44:08
Thank you very much.
0:44:09
I have a couple of questions.
0:44:12
The hotels on the west side are all single room occupancies.
0:44:16
So I'm wondering because they all have permanent tenants and a hotel.
0:44:21
I think it's unique maybe to the my area.
0:44:25
I don't know.
0:44:26
15, 20 rooms are still permanent tenants under a single room occupancy hotel stabilization.
0:44:32
So how would the license impact that, if at all.
Vilda Vera Mayuga
0:44:38
Thank you, council member.
0:44:39
I know that that is part of the definitions, right, in the bill currently, and although the law department is looking at it to make some recommendations as well, So I think we just need to wait for those tickets.
Gale A. Brewer
0:44:51
Well, they may not know that there are permanent tenants in all these hotels.
0:44:55
My guess is they don't.
Vilda Vera Mayuga
0:44:57
Okay.
0:44:58
We can definitely pile on.
Gale A. Brewer
0:45:00
I don't want those tenants to be impacted.
0:45:02
They need to keep their rent stabilization.
0:45:04
They're actually able to bring in more succession, blah blah blah.
0:45:08
So I just don't want them to be impacted.
Vilda Vera Mayuga
0:45:10
Thank you for raising that also because I know obviously some of the things that we're recommending is also making sure that doesn't impact something else.
0:45:18
Right?
0:45:18
By addressing this issue, we don't wanna negatively impact.
Gale A. Brewer
0:45:21
And the other thing to be aware of, some of these owners or SROs, illegally convert to hotel.
0:45:27
And then I can tell you how many people have come to my office.
0:45:30
This one, I won't mention it, that is notorious for that.
0:45:34
I took it off the NYC Tourism list as a hotel.
0:45:37
It's terrible.
0:45:38
So you gotta, you know, be careful on what a hotel is.
0:45:42
I guess that's what I'm trying to say, at least from the my experience.
0:45:45
SRO check.
0:45:47
Okay.
0:45:48
Number 2, you know, I'm very supportive, but I know that there are hotels that are not.
