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    North                       The Indian Eye

                              AMERICANNewsline

             14                                                                                                                   JULY 24, 2026
                                              Mayor Mamdani Releases

                 “Rental Ripoff Report,” Outlining New Actions to

                    Crack Down on Hazardous Housing Violations

                  Administration will require disclosure of AI-altered rental listings, recognize tenant unions and

                       strengthen enforcement against negligent landlords and conditions like mold and pests

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            action, agency rulemaking, legisla-
                                                                                                                  tion and litigation.
            NEW YORK, NY
                                                                                                                      Examples of executive actions
                     ayor  Zohran    Kwame                                                                        and agency rulemaking include:
                     Mamdani has released the                                                                    •  Investigating every heat complaint
            MRental Ripoff Report, a                                                                                individually rather than consoli-
            package of 23 policy actions shaped                                                                     dating complaints from the same
            by testimony from thousands of New                                                                      building.
            Yorkers at Rental Ripoff Hearings                                                                    •  Allowing tenants to schedule cer-
            held  across  the  five  boroughs.  The                                                                 tain building inspections.
            hearings were established through                                                                    •  Improving response time to eleva-
            one  of  the  Mayor’s  first  Executive                                                                 tor outage complaints.
            Orders and informed a sweeping set                                                                   •  Addressing the root causes of resi-
            of reforms to strengthen tenant pro-                                                                    dential fires.
            tections, improve housing quality and                                                                •  Streamlining public information
            hold negligent landlords accountable.                                                                   about tenants’ rights and strength-
                The  actions  build  on  the  May-                                                                  ening protections against harass-
            or’s housing plan, Block by Block,                                                                      ment based on immigration status.
            which charts a path to build 200,000                                                                      The  Mayor’s  Office  to  Protect
            affordable homes, preserve another                                                                    Tenants will also convene a Legis-
            200,000, make the largest investment   tenant unions, we are making it clear   days with tenants and owners, we   lative Task Force to recommend
            in public housing in modern history   that every New Yorker deserves a   are making clear that our city and   reforms  to  the City’s  housing  quali-
            and enforce the nation’s strongest   safe home – and every landlord who   our housing market is stronger when   ty enforcement system. Possible re-
            tenant protections.               refuses to provide one will be held   tenants are mobilized, engaged and   forms to be studied include:
                The report’s recommendations   accountable,” said Mayor Mamdani.    represented,” said Cea Weaver, Di-  Adding financial penalties to the
            include recognizing tenant unions,   “The actions laid out in the Rent-  rector,  Mayor’s  Office  to  Protect   Underlying Conditions Program for
            expanding tenants’ ability to orga-  al Ripoff Report will help create a   Tenants.                   landlords who fail to remediate mold.
            nize and bargain collectively over   city where every New Yorker can live   Mayor Mamdani established     Strengthening the Alternative
            building conditions and other shared   with dignity. From improving code   the Rental Ripoff Hearings through   Enforcement Program (AEP) to
            concerns; requiring landlords to dis-  enforcement  to  supporting  tenants   Executive Order 8, signed during his   better address chronic building vio-
            close when rental listings have been   who organize with their neighbors,  first  week  in  office.  Between  Feb-  lations.
            altered  using  artificial  intelligence   these  policies  are rooted  in  real  ex-  ruary and April, the administration   Modernizing the property reg-
            or other digital tools; modernizing   periences and address real concerns.  held one hearing in each borough   istration process, which remains
            building owner registration and   My thanks to the thousands of New   and accepted testimony online, en-  paper-based and does not require
            communication systems; and using   Yorkers who helped shape these   gaging over 2,400 New Yorkers.     building owners to provide an email
            the City’s full enforcement authority   actions and to the many City staff   The  report  identifies  the  most   address.
            to crack down on “repeat-offender”   who helped make the Rental Ripoff   common concerns raised by tenants.   Allowing the Department of
            landlords through inspections, en-  Hearings a success,” said Leila Bo-  16%  of  testimony  referenced  pests,  Housing  Preservation  and  Develop-
            forcement programs and litigation.    zorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and   while 13% mentioned mold and an-  ment (HPD) to serve building own-
               “At Rental Ripoff Hearings     Planning.                         other 13% cited leaks. New Yorkers   ers with violations through digital
            across  the  five  boroughs,  we  heard   “The  Rental  Ripoff  Hearings   also described widespread problems   notice to existing methods.
            from thousands of New Yorkers liv-  and today’s report are writing a new   with poor housing conditions, land-  “I’m grateful for the two thou-
            ing with mold that was never treated,   chapter in tenant power in New York   lord  harassment,  confusing  interac-  sand New Yorkers who took the time
            pests that were never addressed and   City. Governing is a partnership. By   tions with agencies, deceptive fees   to attend these hearings and to tell
            fees that were never explained. Lis-  bringing tenants’ voices directly into   and surprise utility bills. That feed-  us what they need. That feedback
            tening was only the first step. This re-  policy and taking unprecedented   back directly informed the policies   now serves as our call to action and
            port turns those stories into concrete   steps to facilitate tenant organizing   included in the Rental Ripoff Report.  the  reforms  laid  out  in  this  report

            action. From requiring disclosure of   across the city, we are showing what   The Mamdani administration   will significantly advance HPD’s mis-
            AI-altered listings to bringing our   governing with New Yorkers looks   will use every tool at the City’s dis-  sion to ensure that New Yorkers are
            code enforcement systems into the   like. From legally recognizing tenant   posal to implement the report’s rec-  safe and secure inside their homes,”
            21st  century  and  finally  recognizing   unions to coordinating enforcement   ommendations, including executive   said HPD Commissioner Dina Levy.

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