Legal Services and the Legal Aid Society are challenging them in court, with the support of Christine Quinn.
From Legal Services:
Mercedes Casado, 50, is one of the plaintiffs in the law suit. Ms. Casado, a home attendant who is employed by Union Settlement Home Care, has lived in her Inwood apartment since 1992. Her current rent is $739.31. As of January 1, her rent will increase by $85 to $824.31, a more than 11 percent increase. With this increase, Ms. Casado’s rent will eat up 53 percent of her income. She will have trouble paying for her utility bills and it will be more difficult for her to afford the rising costs of food. Her apartment is badly in need of repair, with broken windows, a hole in the bathroom floor and a clogged sink. Her landlord has not made repairs.
Another plaintiff, Paul Hertgen, has lived in the same Staten Island apartment for 17 years. Mr. Hertgen, a union truck driver, was also the primary caregiver to his wife. In January, 2007, she lost her battle with cancer. His rent is currently $685 a month but will increase by 12 percent to $770 in October.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment