Adriano Espaillat is the first Dominican elected to the State Legislature, the highest government position that a member of that community has so far reached. Coming from Washington Heights, a predominantly poor, low-income community, one might think that it was a positive thing that Espaillat was elected to the Assembly. Well, some people are not so sure about that.From the beginning, activists and tenant advocates had many doubts about Espaillat's campaign, mostly because of his attitude toward the rent-regulation laws, due to expire in June 1997.
Espaillat has said that he is in favor of rent regulation. "I'm for tenants' laws," he said at a November meeting organized by the Northern Manhattan Tenants Coalition, "because my own family lives in a rented apartment, and I'm not going to betray my own people." Yet at the same meeting he refused to sign a formal agreement to support the renewal of the rent laws intact.
If the laws are not renewed and rents are determined by the market, the amount people pay for their rent could go as high as 90% of their income, according to recent studies. Not renewing rent regulations will also make it easier for landlords to evict tenants for reasons other than nonpayment. This could lead to more racial discrimination, as with more power to evict, it will be easier for landlords to get tenants out of their apartments in areas where middle-class people would want to live.
An ever more open battle is on the way between those in favor of deregulation, who are basically linked to the real-estate business, and those tenants groups and advocates who favor regulation. The landlords' association, the Rent Stabilization Association, has been in the forefront in the defense of landlords' interests and position, launching a media campaign and funding politicians who they think could pay them back by supporting deregulation.
Adriano Espaillat is one of those politicians. His campaign received $23,000 from the RSA, the most the organization has given to any single politician. The New York Times, recognized for its pro-deregulation stand, also endorsed him shortly before the last election.
In light of that, community groups and tenant advocates have raised concerns about Espaillat's position on rent regulations. These concerns arise from the experience that the RSA does not give out support without getting something in return. This something, they rightly fear, could be the new Assemblymember's agreement not to support renewing the rent laws intact.
There are legitimate reasons to think that Espaillat might not act to protect the interests of the community he is representing, and he should be watched closely regarding preserving tenant protections.