Hey Gov. Paterson: Sign the 30 percent rent cap bill!
Posted by , September 08, 2010 at 3:01pm
Gov. Paterson: All we need is your signature.
AIDS advocates have fought for years to get New York State to pass the 30 percent rent cap bill, legislation that would correct a major flaw in the state’s housing benefits policy, potentially helping 11,000 low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS.
Now all we need is for Paterson to sign that bill before he leaves office. Back in 2009, he promised he’d sign it. Hold him to his word.
Call Paterson at 518-474-8390 and say “Hi, my name is _______. I’d like to urge Gov. Paterson to continue to show leadership and sign the 30 percent rent cap bill, also known as A05473/S2664. This bill ensures that people with AIDS, like all other New Yorkers in government-subsidized housing, don’t have to pay more than 30 percent of their incomes toward rent.”
E-mail Paterson here with the same message. Tweet him @NYTaxpayer.
What is the 30 percent rent cap bill?
While all people who receive federal housing subsidies benefit from a 30 percent rent cap, that cap does not apply to those who receive housing assistance through New York’s HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA). This means that some HASA clients put as much as 85 percent of their disability income toward rent, forcing them to choose between necessities—toilet paper and medical bills—and paying rent. The policy is also expensive for the state, as it leads to high rates of arrears, evictions and homelessness. The bill will cap rent at 30 percent for HASA clients, and outside analyses demonstrate that the cost of the cap will be immediately offset by savings from increased housing stability.
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