Activists aim to spread rent control across New York

Kingston’s rent control precedent has spurred similar efforts in five other localities, Next City reported. The first step in the process is for the government to conduct a vacancy survey; state law permits rent stabilization for older rental buildings if a housing emergency is declared, which requires a vacancy rate in those buildings below 5 percent.

“We’ve spoken directly with elected officials that have said the Kingston law provided them momentum and has reignited the conversation around conducting these vacancy studies,” Brahvan Ranga, political director of advocacy group For The Many, told the publication.