The Kingston Common Council climbed one small step nearer to rental-market equity on August 24 when the gathered alders voted to support a resolution which will accept the nine members recommended by city staff for the newly formed Rent Guidelines Board.
Unchecked rent prices and an anemic rental-unit vacancy amount of just 1.75 percent caused the city to declare a housing emergency in July, triggering rent stabilization measures in all buildings built before 1974 with six or more rental units.
Under the provisions of the Emergency Tenant Protection Act, the board consists of two property owners, Anthony Tampone and Tara Perry; two renters, Michal Tierney and Carol Soto; and five members representing the public at large, Charles O. Sanchis, Diana Lopez Martinez, Noah Kippley-Ogman, Mie Inouye, Michael Brown, Stefanie Sickler is an alternate member of the public, .James Lamb Jr. is an alternate property owner, Terry Colao-Gomez is an alternate tenant. The public at large members must have experience in finance, economics, or housing.
Kingston was the first Upstate municipality to put rent protection measures into law, creating some momentum. The new board meets in September.
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