[[link removed]]

John —

A year ago this week, Hurricane Ida hit the Northeast, bringing damage, destruction and death in its wake. Eleven New Yorkers drowned in their unregulated basement apartments.

As climate change causes increasingly extreme weather events, it’s incumbent on our city to step up efforts to protect New Yorkers – particularly those who are most vulnerable and have the fewest resources.

This week my team and I proposed a new approach to bring immediate tenant and safety protections to New Yorkers living in unregulated basement apartments: [link removed]

Basement units are mostly illegal in New York City, meaning that residents don't have the legal protections afforded by tenancy.

By legalizing basement apartments, New York can bring basement-dwellers out of the shadows and ensure that owners install basic safety protections like smoke detectors and backflow preventers.

We released a report this week that recommends:

The creation of a Basement Board, which all owners will be required to register with, that will enforce safety requirements
The city provide affordable housing to all tenants of basement units that are so hazardous as to be unsuitable for living
The implementation of regulations protecting basement-dwellers from harassment, eviction, and more
Tens of thousands of New Yorkers continue to live in basement units. But one year out from Hurricane Ida, our city has not yet acted to provide protection to basement dwellers.

There’s still hope, though – we can absolutely reverse course and mitigate the harm from future natural disasters. The future of our city depends on it.

Brad


Brad Lander served in the New York City Council representing District 39 for 12 years—co-founding the Progressive Caucus and leading the way alongside advocates to win policies to support workers, protect tenants, and make government more transparent. Recently elected to citywide office, Brad will use the Office of the Comptroller to hold city government accountable to its promises to New Yorkers and secure a more sustainable future . Give to Brad here. [[link removed]]
donate [[link removed]]
Paid for by Lander 2025
Lander 2025
68 Jay Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
United States
Too much in your inbox? Instead of unsubscribing, sign up for our Email Lite [[link removed]] program. We will only send you the most important messages each month. Sign up for Email Lite here. [[link removed]]
If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe: [link removed] .