according to the rules only family members get these apartments and you have to be living in the apartment with the renter.I don't understand how a live in nurse can get these apartments .

Good riddance! Rent control is a joke. All it does is create artificial scarcity because landlords and developers (and potential ones) know they're not getting enough revenues to be able to invest MORE into building more apartments and maintain the current ones. Sure, rent control may seem great... if you can get one of the few apartments available. But those who can't get an apartment are SOL.

The costs of rent control VASTLY outweigh the benefits. Besides, if vigorous competition in the rental market existed, as well as perhaps getting rid of some costly and unnecessary landlords' regulations, it could become so much cheaper to rent.

Anyone who owns a residence containing a rent controlled apartment (whether they bought it or inherited it), knew what they were getting themselves into. If you hate rent control, don't be a landlord to a rent controlled tenant. If you inherited it, then don't expect to make money off of the apartment. Whatever you do, don't try to evict elderly tenants.

I just hope that no one here spends any of that money in advance that they expect to get back from their landlords when rent control does go the way of the telegraph. If they do, they may need to pay a visit to their friendly neighborhood loan shark.

Yeah, anyone who has a rent controlled place certainly deserves it - they are true new yorkers that stuck through hard times.

There is no such thing as rent controlled apartments driving up prices of stabilized and market rates - that is only done by the combination of greedy landlords and dumb kids from the sticks that pay Two grand for a shithole in Bushwick to be a target for crime rather than live in say ridgewood for 1200 in a nice neighborhood and of course the rich Eurotrash that move here then go from apartment to apartment raising the prices by signing new leases, rather than staying in one place and keeping the rents stabilized.

I live in a rent controlled apartment -- the apartment I grew up in. My parents died when I was still pretty young and living at home (was in school at the time), so I inherited the apartment. I pay way more than $63/month, but about $1200 less than market rate for my neighborhood.

I'm young and expect to live there for many more years to come. I'm sure my landlord hates us -- as evidenced by the lack of repairs and standard maintenance to our apartment -- but we're going to stick it and if I die, my spouse can stay there and continue to be a thorn in the side of our slumlord.

Learndehand, I don't know you or your situation - but I have so many questions.

Is your rent controlled apartment an outrageously great deal - a large apartment in a well-maintained building in a fab neighborhod for which you pay a pittance, OR, do you have the shittiest apartment in a lousy building in a poor, crime ridden neighborhood? Since you label your landlord a "slumlord", I'm guessing you're in a rougher nabe, rather than living in a doorman bldg in the West Village.

Can you afford market rate for apartment and your neighborhood? If so, do you just pocket the savings?

Are you going to use those savings to finance buying/renting in an apartment that has been repaired and properly maintained or is choosing to live in a shittier apartment than necessary the price one pays for rent-control?

If you cannot afford market rates - why not? Did you cap your earning potential to match your artificially low rents (e.g. you're a struggling artist, or advocate for the homeless and elderly, etc.)?

It reads like you were over 18 when your parents died (rather than a minor) and in college, so didn't your actual/potential income far outstrip your parents? And then you got married, so isn't your two incomes enough to get you out from under your "slumlord's" grasp?

In short, are you full-on taking advantage of the law and just milking the low rent until the bitter end or can't you get yourself out of crappy apt?

I don't blame you for taking advantage of the system, but you cannot honestly say you somehow EARNED this privilege you feel you are entitled to. Existing in an under-serviced cheap apartment is not a badge of honor to be rewarded as you helped nobody but yourself.

Just re-read what I wrote and don't believe I said anything about "earning" anything, that is, unless living through the death of both parents at a fairly young age and having to scrape by amounts to earning. And it's hardly taking "advantage" of the system. Why? Should I have been homeless? It's where I lived MY ENTIRE LIFE, just because my parents died, I should have been kicked to the curb? As long as I continued to pay the rent, then there shouldn't have been a problem. It's hardly taking advantage.

I never implied you should be homeless.

I just question why a very young person should be entitled to a possible lifetime housing privilege in one of the toughest housing markets. There should be a time limit, and means testing should you be lucky enough to win the lottery. Forever and ever until you and your wife die? No, that is too much.

Its illogical, but I hace no problem w/ 97yo Magnus paying $63 a month for his apt. No problem whatsoever - but his live-in nurse gets to INHERIT the apt. at the same rent?!?

That's where the whole rent-controlled argument falls apart - some old person who's lived in the city and the same place for 62 years - sure let the old guy pay way below market, even if the difference is made up either by the city or by his newer neighbors - its very Commie/Socialist, but screw it, let the old guy catch a break.

But the nurse or the old guy's 48yo son or the 25 yo niece from Wisconsin who moved into the apartment 2years ago to "help out Uncle Magnus" - none of these people should get the same deal.

Society is already forcing the landlord to do right by the old man, but the gift of a $63 a month apt. dies w/ Magnus.

It seems there aren't that many of us native New Yorkers on this blog based on the many you knew about this before you moved to New York comments.

How sad.

I thought you had to be a blood relative to "inherit" a rent controlled apartment?

It's the law. Stop begrudging them. I only wish I could afford to live anywhere in Manhattan, or relatively close.

$63 a month? What? The guy is basically living in a free apartment. Someone has to pick up the slack and it's the people who are paying market value.

Kind of depressing how one person can live in the same place for that long. Never wanted to be a homeowner? Wanted a change of scenery?

Its amazing the amount of vitriol that the subject of rent control attracts on Curbed and sometimes here, when there are just not that many rent controlled apartments. They are the present day welfare queens buying caviar with food stamps.

it's possible his rent doesn't even cover the heat the apartment uses in the winter. once he's gone the apartment should cease to be rent controlled. it's an antiquated idea. but, the elderly should not suffer and he should let up until the man is gone.

It probably barely covers even ONE month of heat!

My apartment is smaller and cost more per day than that cost per month, that's because I'm paying for people like him to live there and pass it on to people who have no reason to get them. It's NOT HIS APARTMENT. He DIDN'T BUY IT, it's NOT HIS TO BEQUEATH. F-him, just because you're old doesn't mean you get whatever you want.

and how are YOU paying for him? cut the crap, you are jealous. You should have moved here longer ago...