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Early Addition
Representative Charles Rangel isn't so happy with the New York Times: The Gray Lady revealed the high-ranking Congressman has four rent-stabilized apartments at Lenox Terrace, the Harlem development where Governor David Paterson also lives (Paterson only has one rent-stabilized apartment, though).
The NY Times reports three of the apartments were combined to make one 2,500 square foot apartment on the 16th floor, while a fourth apartment serves as his campaign office "despite state and city regulations that require rent-stabilized apartments to be used as a primary residence." The Times points out most building owners and landlords, including the owners of Lenox Terrace, the Olnick Organization, would like to get rid of rent-stabilized apartments: "Yet Mr. Rangel, a critic of other landlords’ callousness, has been uncharacteristically reticent about Olnick’s actions."
The Times breaks down Rangel's apartment costs this way:
Residence, units 16M, 16N, 16P:When asked about his real estate situation, Rangel told the Times, “Why should I help you embarrass me?” and hung up on the reporter. There are also questions about how Rangel got four apartments and whether the fact that they are rent-stabilized would constitute a "gift" by the government, because Congressional members cannot accept gifts over $100.
Two-bedroom apartment: Rangel pays $1,329; market-rate rent is $2,600 to $2,750
One-bedroom apartment: Rangel pays $1,329; market-rate rent is $1,865 to $2,005
Studio: Rangel pays $606; market-rate rent is $1,300
Combined monthly cost: Rangel pays $3,264; market-rate rate would be at least $5,765
Office, unit 10U:
One-bedroom apartment: Rangel pays $630, half of which is paid by his Congressional re-election fund; market-rate rent is $1,700 to $2,005
Previously, the Times looked at what vehicles area Congressional members ride in and Rangel said of his Cadillac deVille, "I want them to feel that they are somebody and their congressman is somebody. And when they say, ‘This is nice,’ it feels good."
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Corrupt slug, he can posture and preen all he wants about how he serves his constituents and community, we now know he's a fraud.
Ugh.
Of course he's a fraud... he's a politician.
What a dick.
Everyone who's surprised by this raise their hand.
"Slug". Brilliant, #1!
I hate that I have to live in a crappy apt and this guy has more than one rent controlled apt. I make to much for low income housing but to little for a nice apt. The only thing I do like is when the report called and he said why should I help you embarrass me thats classic
Throw his ass out. Doesn't he make more than the income threshold anyway?
Get rid of rent control---the worst policy in the city.
This story should develop.
I believe under RSL, a unit must be a primary residence. A person can have only one primary residence. I think it would be up to a landlord to move against the tenant in housing court and assert a unit was not a primary residence and therefore evict the tenant from that unit.
So here, apparently the landlord knows, as does Rangel, that every unit, except for one, is not a primary residence.
They may have acted in concert to evade the law. Tsk, tsk, Congressman.
He's not the only one, kids. Lots of super rich people are living in supercheap apartments.
Still, four is a lotta cheap apartments. That's greedy.
he actually claimed in another interview that this doesn't affect his constituents. this guy has always been a filthy liar and a thief, hillary's best friend.
And he will get re-elected and re-elected over and over again. Just like DC's Marion Barry.
the cockroaches that live in my building are getting a pretty sweet deal. i don't see why things should be an different for this one.
New York Times doing what it does best working overtime to end rent control and glamorize condos... while offering no coverage of the rising commercial vacancy rates and homelessness in the city.
I cannot begin to tell you how angry this makes me. In a city where common hard-working folks pay exorbitant prices for a tiny, crappy apartment, this guy has the ARROGANCE to use his wealth and influence to take advantage of the system?
He should go to jail. (actually, what IS the punishment for something like this?)
ny democRATS
fyi, rent control and rent stabilization are not the same thing.
but both RS and RC suck and need to be eliminated
Say GOODNIGHT jerky. You got caught. Now let's see you pay.
fyi, rent control and rent stabilization are not the same thing.
The both are pieces of regulation in the private marketplace over private property. Any attempt to put price ceilings on a good, which is what RS and RC are, are anathema to me.
is anathema to me.
I hate the non-edit feature.
Come, come. Why should anyone be surprised at this. Charlie Rangel is smart. Smart people make more money than less smart people and know better how to game all kinds of systems, and have more stuff than the rest of us poor unfortunate souls. That's the way it is, that's the way it has always been, and that's the way it will always be. Most everyone would do the same thing that Rangel is doing given the opportunity. And he was right when he said, "Why should I help you to embarrass me?"
Look at the Ikea commercial currently running on TV. A woman shopper gets the impression that Ikea is inadvertently selling her an item at a cost lower than it should be. Does she alert the cashier. Of course not. She quickly leaves the store and, in the safety and privacy of her husband-driven car, exclaims, "Yes!" with the appropriate fist and arm gesture that we all recognize signifying that she pulled one over on Ikea.
Charlie Rangel is no more honest or corrupt than the rest of us.
He's just unfortunate that his "gaming" has been exposed for all the world to see, much to his chagrin and embarrassment.
And to expect our smart politicians, the ones we ask to solve all our governmental problems, to live like monks is quite unrealistic.
get rid of all the current rent laws.
What else is new with politicians. Most of them only care about themselves and their wealth.
Any attempt to put price ceilings on a good, which is what RS and RC are, are anathema to me.
Like oil? Like water? Like health care?
The NY Times has a picture of the interior of Rangel's apartment. My 1-bedroom rent-stabilized apartment would practically fit in his foyer.
ny democrats are the absolute worst. they make the crap republicans look fantastic. they know they will always get voted back in in this city and don't give a damn. they have all their constituents on the public hand out (payoff) for their votes. the whole lot of them need to be thrown out. a friend of mine who was lucky enough to inherit a fairly crappy 1 bedroom apartment pays about 700 bucks a month in property tax alone on an apt that is about 500 sq ft -- now i fully understand why rents are so high. throw in the maintenance charges and other bills and a market rate 1 bedroom in the city can't ever possibly rent for less than 2k. meanwhile these idiot politicians who raise these taxes constantly are basically scamming the system intended to help the poor. i am seriously outraged and we find out more and more of these scum are gaming the system.
Like oil? Like water? Like health care?
Um, yes. Price controls on all of those would be horrific.
I don't care about Charlie Rangel - like others have said, it's common knowledge that wealthy people have always abused the rent regs, and being selfish is apparently the New York way of life. (Seriously, has anyone *ever* moved out of a rent-stabilized apartment because they felt they didn't deserve it?)
This should be a story about the lunacy of rent stabilization with no means test. The bottom line should be that if you make six figures, you pay market rates.
Any attempt to put price ceilings on a good, which is what RS and RC are, are anathema to me.
Like Fannie May and Freddie Mac? Like Bear Stearns?
Like Fannie May and Freddie Mac? Like Bear Stearns?
Apples and oranges.
The mortgage lenders and i-banks fell apart because of a debased currency through an easy monetary policy.
That has nothing to do with price controls.
While we're doing away with rent control let's do away also with all these thousands of special parking permits and placards that those with money and influence are able to get. Even the ones for public officials. Let them struggle like the rest of us to find parking, let them feel our pain. Maybe then those with legislative powers will be motivated to do something about parking in the city. The vast majority of these permits are issued for bullshit reasons, are not necessary, and are merely perks for people with connections.
The both are pieces of regulation in the private marketplace over private property. Any attempt to put price ceilings on a good, which is what RS and RC are, are anathema to me.
They are about regulation. You're cherry picking from your own quote. Do you read the newspaper? Wall Street is currently begging the US government to regulate the mortgage and banking industry. And the government is screwed either way it turns. If it continues to pick up the debts of these collapsing giants who failed to self-regulate it will continue to bankrupt the US government. If they don't pick up the debts it will continue to destroy the US economy.
Like oil? Like water? Like health care?
Um, yes. Price controls on all of those would be horrific.
Um, isn't the price of tap water regulated by the city? Regulating oil speculation wouldn't be a bad thing. Ask any truck driver or anyone who's had to pay more for everything because of the price of diesel.
Rangel needs to be under an ethics investigation. That, or some kind of impeachment.
This is just another abuse in the loooong line of abuses that this bum and the rest like him are allowed to get away with. He has the nerve to have FOUR below market rent apartments, while many of his constituents(remember them?)are struggling in these tough economic times. No politician should be given any allowances for living expenses, transportation, etc. They make enough money to pay for their own and that of their families. It's time for Charles to put up, pay up, do what you were voted in to do, or get out...better yet people, vote him out.
He gave a rebuttal press conference this morning--details are at:
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/11/rangel-defends-use-of-rent-stabilized-apartments/
He also leases a $700/month Cadillac on the taxpayer's dime.
And I don't agree that he is SMARTER than the rest of us--he is just PRIVILEGED.
Wall Street is currently begging the US government to regulate the mortgage and banking industry. And the government is screwed either way it turns.
I read newspapers; they report the facts but not economics.
Wall Street doesn't want to face a prolonged bear market, so of course they want the government to bail out the lenders and the borrowers.
But is that really best for us?
I agree that the government is screwed either way. They can either bail out whatever industry is the flavor of the month with borrowed money from China, Japan, and Europe, or they can let things fail and take the hard medicine that we really need.
Whether you want to face the pain now, or more pain later is the issue.
Regulating oil speculation wouldn't be a bad thing. Ask any truck driver or anyone who's had to pay more for everything because of the price of diesel.
Oil speculation isn't the real root of why gas costs more in dollars. The price is rising because our dollar is worth less, so it requires more dollars to buy oil.
The consumer is hurt most, though, because the Average Joe doesn't have his salary adjusted anywhere close to the annualized inflation rate. So their salary and wages stay flat while oil against the dollar continues to cost more and more.
This is part of the reason why Gisele and Jay-Z want to get paid in the Euros. It's still a paper currency, though.
Leave ole cholly alone. He represents us! We don't want our wayz and meanz chair livin in some ghetto digs! We want him livin' and drivin' in STYLE!!!
$700 month Caddy? Why not a LEXUS!!
Oil speculation isn't the real root of why gas costs more in dollars
Many economists and experts say oil speculation has added as much as $60 per barrel to the price of crude. MarketWatch had an article saying that only today.
We actually need more rent controls in NYC.
Hello! is anyone left in this city to work in
hospitals,schools,super markets,Apple stores
Subways,buses,post offices,restaurants,drugstores
beer delivery,Workmans compensation,Fire department
Who cannot afford market rate nor have money
to purchase a luxury condo for 1-3 million dollars.
Only people to complain about RS & RC are those
paying the banks to feed their purchase of condo
airspace.
Our Government just increased our debt 60%
today with a 5 trillion dollar scandal related
to the sub-prime & Mortgage Fannie Mae's etc.
Now that's news.
The NYT should have disclosure that the company
that governs the paper has huge real estate
holdings in NYC aside from the ne ugly NYT
building.Let's be fair.
Legally, Rangel who reminds me of the old(marcel)
school Harlem Politico's needs a lawyer to
straighten things out for his family.
"Where's Al Sharpton?"
Unit 16P.
I extracted some highlights from the press conference and uploaded to YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvGBqylObUM
Many economists and experts say oil speculation has added as much as $60 per barrel to the price of crude. MarketWatch had an article saying that only today.
So oil would still be $100-120 a barrel.
Like I implied, it's a problem, but it's not the root of the problem.
The price of oil has stayed flat against gold over the past 25 years.
That should be the only fact you need to understand that the devaluation of our dollar is why gas and oil is so costly.