by Martin G. 2 family homeowner from Canarsie
In the never-ending battle between the powerful and the powerless, New York City’s small homeowners have found themselves in the crosshairs. The billion-dollar hotel lobbyists are spending massive resources to convince the public that small one- and two-family homeowners are to blame for the city’s affordable housing crisis. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The real problem lies with luxury developers who build massive apartment towers, offering only a handful of affordable units, and the relentless influence of corporate hotel interests.
But the hotel lobbyists aren’t alone in their fight against small homeowners. Comptroller Brad Lander, a mayoral candidate, has shockingly chosen to stand with these billion-dollar entities instead of advocating for hardworking homeowners. His stance actively harms small property owners, many of whom are seniors and people of color, who rely on short-term rental income just to survive in one of the most expensive cities in the world.
I just watched Lander standing with the billion dollar hotel industry on television trying to convince City Council members and New Yorkers that small 1 and 2 family homeowners are causing lack of housing in New York. That is insane! He did not mention billion dollar developers who are getting tax breaks to build luxury unaffordable apartments all over the city. Instead he focuses on 1 and 2 family homeowners? That’s a sickness.
At the heart of this issue is NYC Bill 1107 (Introduced by City Council Member Farah Louis) a critical piece of legislation aimed at fixing the damage caused by Local Law Bill 18, a law that essentially criminalized small homeowners who used short-term rental platforms to make ends meet. Louis originally voted for Local Law 18 but realized later than the law was hurting small 1 and 2 family homeowners, which prompted her to do the right thing for her constituents who were suffering. While Bill 18 was designed for target large-scale operators who illegally converted multiple units into unregulated hotels, it unintentionally devastated small homeowners. These are people who rent out a room in their home or the apartment upstairs to help pay the mortgage, cover property taxes, or afford skyrocketing utility bills.
I know this because I am one of those homeowners. I own a two-family home and was managing to scrape by with the help of short-term rental income until Bill 18 made it almost impossible. Now, I live in constant fear. I once rented to a long-term tenant who stopped paying rent for six months. The legal process to remove them was a nightmare, and I nearly lost my home. Short-term rentals were my only way to keep my head above water.
For families like mine, Bill 1107 represents hope. It’s a chance to restore fairness by distinguishing between small homeowners and commercial operators. It acknowledges that allowing homeowners to rent out their properties responsibly is not the problem—it’s the solution. Without it, more black and brown homeowners like me will be forced to sell their homes, leading to further gentrification and displacement in neighborhoods that have been culturally and historically significant for generations.
The billion dollar hotel lobbyists’ argument that short-term rentals are a leading cause of the housing crisis is as dishonest as it is self-serving. The true culprits are the massive developers building “affordable” housing that is anything but. These developers pour money into luxury buildings where only a token percentage of units are set aside as affordable. Meanwhile, the hotel industry seeks to monopolize the market by crushing the little guy—homeowners who are just trying to make it through the month. The hotels want to make more money, as they already charge upwards of $500 per night for crappy hotel rooms. They need to take care of their hotels and they won’t have to worry about the small homeowners who are renting their extra room or apartment to make ends meet.
What makes this even more tragic is Brad Lander’s alignment with these billion-dollar entities. By opposing Bill 1107, Lander is actively hurting the very homeowners who make up the backbone of this city. It’s a betrayal of the black and brown homeowners who have fought tooth and nail to preserve their homes amidst rising property taxes, utility bills, and the ever-present threat of gentrification. Instead of championing the people who have worked so hard to hold on to their properties, Lander is siding with corporate greed.
Small homeowners are not the enemy. We are retirees, single parents, first-generation immigrants, and families trying to hold onto our piece of the American dream. We are the people who make New York the vibrant, diverse city it is. For us, Bill 1107 is not just about short-term rentals; it’s about survival.
The City Council and Mayor Eric Adams must pass Bill 1107 to fix the harm caused by Bill 18. If they fail, it will be a win for billion-dollar corporations and a loss for New York’s working families. It’s time to stop scapegoating small homeowners and start holding the real culprits accountable—luxury developers and the corporate hotel lobbyists.
New York City’s future depends on protecting its people, not just its profits. Let’s make sure that future includes us. I am going to make sure to list all of the politicians who are standing against homeowners and instead standing with the billion dollar hotel industry. Long time New Yorkers continue to get hit over the head by politicians and billionaires. When is it going to stop?
