Richard Heitler, Village East Towers treasurer, testifies on annual rent increase proposal
Heitler proposes scrapping the three-year rent increase system in favor of annual increases, faster loan processing, a small loan program for discrete repairs, mortgages for new purchasers, ending 2-to-11 conversions, and giving Mitchell-Lama rentals the option to convert to co-ops.
Thank you so much.
Oh, and I just want to say, I think,
Oftentimes you hit the nail on the head that, because I'm a social worker and came from a nonprofit, so I often had to comply with a lot of the policies that the council members put in place.
So we hear you when you say that it's difficult to comply a lot of times, which is why I brought up the question about Local Law 97.
And I think that while well-intentioned, these are things that are going to impact folks in co-ops and condos like yours.
And as someone who, I say this to all the residents here, right, I have the most number of co-ops and condos in my district in eastern Queens.
They're not much of llamas.
They are housed with older adults, seniors on fixed incomes, union workers, teachers.
And so we need to do more because the housing was meant when it was first built for post-war veterans and folks coming back.
And we need to make sure that we're protecting that and not making you all have to pay on your backs to support a lot of the work that's going on.
So we appreciate you coming all the way to testify, and I appreciate everyone who's here.
I just wanted to say that for the record because you're taking time out of your days to be here.
So thank you.
Okay, next up we have Dominic, Dominic, oh, Dominic Pukumensa, Richard Heitler, and Valerie Brooks.
And please let her know she can still submit her testimony if she wants to.
Okay, great.