In effect, landlords were required to offer free housing during the pandemic to tenants who had not paid rent. New York City landlords may soon be required to offer free Internet services.
New York City Council Member Ben Kallos has introduced legislation that requires owners of buildings with more than 10 units to give their tenants free internet.
Kallos stated that “We can end the digital divide” and close the gap between the home and the office by making every New York City apartment have Internet. The Internet has become a requirement for everyone who wants to receive a vaccine.
Kallos’s office released a press release that stated that the report of 2020 Citizen’s Committee of Children found that nearly 500,000 homes in the area have no access to internet.
The bill allows building owners to choose whether they want to contract directly with an internet service provider, or connect each unit using ethernet cables. Each unit would require wiring and the installation of ethernet ports.
Talking to cable installers There are reasons This was due to the numerous factors that may affect a project’s price. Building owners declined to share a range of figures.
This website provides information about home remodeling costs Fixer Kallos estimates that it would take $6,000 to install the type of cable Kallos has requested in his bill. This is for a single-family residence. Installing it in a bigger building will likely cost you much more.
Kallos’ bill would prevent property owners from charging tenants for internet or cable installation.
New York State legislators set tighter restrictions on capital and maintenance expenditures the rent-stabilized building owners (where allowed rent increases are limited by New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board) can pass onto tenants. However, critics pointed out that these landlords could simply reduce maintenance spending leading to “shabbification.”
According to landlord associations, the internet service mandate will be met with similar responses from building owners.
Jay Martin, the executive director for the Community Housing Improvement Program (a group of landlords), wrote that “there is no lunch” applies to rent-stabilized apartment buildings. on Twitter. Each mandate, each regulation, and every “free” requirement increases their cost of operation. This forces property owners to raise rents or provide lower quality housing.
Landlords would have little incentive to offer quality internet service at no cost.
Unregulated owners would be able to increase rent without having to pay for internet services. This could be detrimental for tenants trying to save money by using phone data plans and free Wi Fi provided by libraries or nearby businesses. Tenants would have to pay for an internet service plan that they do not want each month.
Kallos’ bill states that grants, loans and tax abatements can be provided by the city to property owners in order to help them pay for internet installations. However, it does not include funding.
If the law is passed, owners of buildings that are not yet built would be required to conform by January 2026.