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Tenants Bill Signed Into Law

Legislation that more clearly defines harassment by landlords has been signed into law by Mayor Bloomberg.

by Marc Garber

NEW YORK, NY March 14, 2008 —City Council Speaker Christine Quinn says the new legislation lends tenants more muscle in housing court.

Advocate Benjamin Dulchin says the new law addresses new housing problems.

DULCHIN: What you have now is not landlords who buy buildings with out understand the social contract, which is, yeah you buy a building in New York City their regulations and you need to respect those laws, but landlords buying buildings with the sense that they can do what every they want to get around the laws or to get rid of tenants.

REPORTER: A spokesperson for the Rent Stabilization Association - a group representing landlords - says the new law will lead to frivolous lawsuits that will clog the courts.

The RSA also says it's looking into whether or not the new law is actually legal.



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