NY Officials Announce Task Force to Fight Tenant Harassment

State and city officials have launched a joint task force to crack down on New York landlords who harass tenants to force them into vacating rent-regulated apartments.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Mayor Bill de Blasio plan to announce the Tenant Harassment Prevention Task Force on Thursday. They say the effort is in response to a rise in tenant complaints.

The task force will target landlords and management companies suspected of using disruptive and dangerous renovation and construction projects to force out tenants.

Once vacated, an owner can automatically increase rents by 20 percent or eventually convert rent-regulated buildings into luxury condominiums.

In a statement, de Blasio said the new task force will add muscle in the fight against tenant harassment and the city's efforts to protect rent-stabilized apartments.