Zohran's legislation on housing, a politically charged initiative by Cuomo, does not extend its reach to Zohran himself.
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo's proposed "Zohran's Law" aims to means-test rent-stabilized apartments in New York City, but the initiative remains a politically controversial proposal without legislative traction.
Introduced in August 2022, "Zohran's Law" seeks to enforce income-based eligibility for rent-stabilized units on new leases, preventing higher earners from occupying these limited affordable apartments. Under the proposal, tenants would be required to pay at least 30% of their income towards rent to qualify for these units.
The proposal has received mixed reactions. Tenant advocates largely oppose it, arguing that it would create bureaucracy and hurt both landlords and tenants by complicating access to housing. Some landlords, however, do not prioritize this issue, viewing it as a low-priority or impractical measure. State legislators, including Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, have expressed skepticism about its chances in Albany.
If enacted, landlords could face an administrative burden verifying tenant incomes, and the proposal could limit leasing options and potentially discourage investment due to stricter tenant screening. Tenants may face restricted access to rent-stabilized apartments, with the potential to increase barriers to housing availability. The housing market could see a reduction in "wealthy" renters in rent-stabilized units, but this could incentivize landlords to prefer market-rate rentals.
Rent-stabilized units, which cover nearly 1 million apartments (about 27% of NYC’s housing stock), are regulated by the city Rent Guidelines Board. Cuomo's initiative attempts to revisit a 2019 rollback of high-income deregulation that previously allowed rent regulation removal on vacancy or high rents tied to higher incomes.
As of now, the proposal is still in the conceptual or early political discussion stages and requires approval from state lawmakers. A spokesperson for Cuomo did not respond to follow-up questions, including on whom they consulted about the policy. It remains unclear how seriously landlords are taking the proposal for means-testing rent-stabilized apartments.
[1] New York Times
[2] Politico
[3] Crain's New York Business
[4] Housing Justice for All
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