The Rent Stabilization Association (RSA) is the largest trade association in New York City representing 25,000 property owners/agents responsible for approximately one million units of housing. RSA's members range from owners of one small building to large multi-family complexes, cooperatives & condominiums. Our broad representation has allowed us to develop a powerful base for our lobbying programs and the resources to provide a wide assortment of products and services to our members.

RSA's goal is to revive free enterprise in New York City's housing market and to maintain its economic viability. To accomplish this goal RSA provides its members with leadership and services.

• New York State Legislature: RSA lobbies the State Legislature on any number of issues vital to building owners in New York City. RSA tracks over seven hundred bills introduced in the Legislature each year that affect the rights of owners, files briefs in opposition, lobbies legislators and notifies members if a bill poses a serious threat to owners. RSA also mounts extensive campaigns in support of bills that are beneficial to members and to the housing industry. RSA was solidly behind the Rent Regulation Reform Act of 1997, a sweeping reform of the rent laws which provided owners with permanent vacancy allowances, deposit of rent in court and a strict four-year statute of limitations. Six years later, RSA extended those rights for eight additional years while preserving vacancy decontrol and allowing preferential rents to return to the regulated rent upon lease renewal.

• New York City Council: RSA lobbies the City Council on a wide variety of issues important to building owners. RSA testifies before Council committees on a broad range of topics. RSA makes individual Council members aware of the impact of proposed legislation on building owners in their districts. RSA also encourages members to contact their City Council member and express their views on issues affecting building owners.

 RSA represents the interests of rental property owners before regulatory boards:

• New York City Rent Guidelines Board :  RSA works to obtain realistic guidelines increases, one- and two-year renewal lease increases that accurately reflect owners’ increases in operating costs. RSA prepares and presents detailed reports and analysis, based on thorough research and analysis, to help Board members understand the impact of a wide variety of economic factors on the health of buildings. RSA mobilizes individual building owners to testify before the Board and conducts an extensive educational campaign to explain the need for guidelines that are adequate to preserve the City’s rapidly aging housing stock.

• New York City Water Board: RSA presents testimony before the Water Board based on careful research and analysis prior to any attempt to increase water and sewer rates, and encourages members to testify before the Board. While strenuously opposing the implementation of metered billing, RSA lobbied extensively for programs that help building owners cope during the lengthy transitional process including Frontage Billing, Transition Billing and Meter Billing Caps (maximum metered charges per dwelling unit). RSA more recently won approval of the Multiple Family Conservation Program which will enable properties to remain on flat rate billing permanently. Currently RSA is calling for a toilet retrofit program to help owners meet the costs of compliance necessary to qualify for the Conservation Program’s fixed charges per dwelling unit.

RSA represents the interests of rental property owners before regulatory agencies: 

• New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal: RSA represents rental housing owners on an institutional level before DHCR, the State agency charged with overseeing rent regulation in New York City. Ongoing efforts before DHCR have made the agency more responsive to owners. Processing times for Major Capital Improvement rent increases, for instance, have dropped on average from three years to sixty days. DHCR now recognizes a strict four-year statute of limitations.

• New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development: RSA represents rental housing owners on an institutional level before HPD, the City agency charged with overseeing rent regulation in New York City. RSA works with HPD to educate owners about their programs and policies and to make HPD programs, such as those on housing code compliance and Section 8 rent subsidies, more effective and user-friendly. HPD often participates in RSA seminars for owners. 

RSA represents the interests of rental property owners in the courts:

• Civil Court: RSA both initiates and sponsors lawsuits of industry-wide importance. Currently RSA is leading the legal challenge against Local Law 1 of 2004, disastrous new lead paint legislation that threatens the housing industry.  An earlier Federal class action lawsuit against systemic bias in the City’s Housing Courts resulted in significant concessions to property owners.

• Housing Court: RSA monitors decisions in the City’s Housing Courts on an ongoing basis and reports to members. RSA offers input to the Court on candidates for judgeships, and RSA attorneys sit on judicial review committees. RSA operates Owners’ Assistance Centers in each borough’s Housing Court to help building owners deal with the complexities of the landlord/tenant system.