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The Landlord’s Worst Nightmare Is a Basic Human Right
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Video by Jeff Seal, Chris Libbey and Nick Libbey
Jeff Seal is a comedian, visual journalist and member of the Lower Manhattan chapter of Democratic Socialists of America. Chris Libbey and Nick Libbey are documentary filmmakers based in New York City.
New Yorkers pay some of the highest rents in the nation — and are among the most vulnerable to being evicted with little notice. For years, the city’s real estate industry has spent a fortune exerting its influence in the State Capitol, leaving tenants largely at its mercy. Meanwhile the cost of living continues to rise and the number of rent-regulated apartments continues to dwindle.
Unlike in Oregon, California and New Jersey, landlords in most of New York State can jack up rents or refuse to renew a lease without cause. A little-known bill in Albany, known as Good Cause Eviction, could change the lives of millions of New Yorkers who are simply trying to get by. If passed, it would regulate rent increases and require landlords to renew leases for most tenants. In the video above, Jeff Seal, a comedian and housing advocate, takes an unconventional approach to educating New York tenants about a law that he believes will offer more security to millions of renters and working-class New Yorkers.
Jeff Seal is a comedian, visual journalist and advocate who serves on the Operations Committee of the Lower Manhattan chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, as well as its working group on housing. Chris Libbey and Nick Libbey are documentary filmmakers based in New York City.
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