Velazquez on AG Suit against Manhattan Landlords

Washington, DC – Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) released the following statement regarding news that New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has filed a lawsuit against a Manhattan property manager for harassing rent-regulated tenants in Chinatown and the Lower East Side:

“Access to affordable, livable housing is a fundamental human right. I applaud Attorney General Schneiderman for taking these steps to protect tenants, keep them in their homes and put an end to landlord abuses. If the allegations in this suit are true, they are disturbing and it is my hope the Attorney General uses all legal remedies to end this tenant harassment.”

As a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, Velázquez has made housing and tenants’ rights two of her signature issues. In June, she introduced the “Landlord Accountability Act”, a measure to protect tenants from unscrupulous behaviors by landlords. That legislation was endorsed by Attorney General Schneiderman.