Unions call on lawmakers to tackle affordable housing

A potential strike from union members was averted last week when the Bronx Realty Advisory Board announced it would not reopen a four-year contract 32BJ doormen, supers, and handymen negotiated last year. Instead, both parties are calling on Albany legislators to find solutions to create more affordable housing.

President of SEIU Local 32BJ Manny Pastreich said part of the reason there was a possibility of a reopener in the first place was the realty board leadership was feeling the economic impacts of high interest and insurance rates.

“We’re not denying they’re under stress, but they cannot take it out on the workers who serve the tenants every single day,” Pastreich said. “They cannot take it out of the benefits of the workers who are there to keep these buildings safe and secure.”

When the realty board announced its intention to reopen the contract, union members responded with several protest rallies and marches. Members voted to authorize a strike before it was announced the contract would not be touched.

Michael Heller, president of the Association of Riverdale Cooperatives & Condominiums, said he was happy to see the strike averted.

“We’re delighted this was avoided and we hope our co-op boards and our co-op leadership can continue to have a productive relationship with their unionized employees for a full three more years,” Heller said.

In a statement, realty board president Billy Schur said rising interest and insurance rates, vacancies, and other issues arising from the 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act were to blame for a hostile environment for property owners throughout the borough.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz disagreed.

“That’s a lot of nonsense,” Dinowitz said. “They’ve been bellyaching about the HSTPA for the past five years. But they certainly didn’t complain when the laws were so heavily skewed toward landlords, when they were making money hand over fist.”

The root of the problem, Dinowitz said, is rents are too high.

“The solution to everything is not necessarily in Albany,” he said.

“We’re going to come up with a housing deal. I’m confident. And it’s going to involve some things I like, some things I don’t like probably. But what the (realty board) is doing is trying to blame everybody else for the problem when they need to look in the mirror.”

Schur did not return a call for comment at press time.

State legislators missed their original April 1 budget deadline. Gov. Kathy Hochul authorized an extension to April 8.

As of press time, the budget has still not been finalized.

When it comes to the 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act, Dinowitz says there isn’t one thing he would change.

He described it as the best pro-tenant legislation since he’s been in the legislature. Rather than challenging that act, Dinowitz said, legislators should be putting up money to preserve Mitchell-Lama co-ops and affordable housing units, such as the Amalgamated, Park Reservoir, and Waldo Garden.

Pastreich said he wants to see progress at the state level.

“We are really hopeful Albany can find solutions,” he said.

“We know a lot people are working hard on it but we want to get beyond working hard and actually see results.”