In a rent stabilized system, when we have no real control over our ability to increase rents to accommodate these increasing costs,” he said. “These are input costs that property owners have to absorb. Members and sponsors make THE CITY possible. Jay Martin, executive director of the Community Housing Improvement Program, which mostly represents owners of rent-regulated buildings, argued that the possibly higher rates show the importance of the Rent Guidelines Board’s recent proposed limited rent increase on regulated leases, which will go to a final vote next month. “My younger tenants - who maybe would go exercise in the morning and shower at the gym and then go to their office - they’re not doing that sort of thing anymore,” she said. During the pandemic, she noticed her tenants used more water because they stayed home more. “It’s just one more expense that’s making it harder,” Korchak told THE CITY. It’s tough times and it’s getting worse.”Ĭo-ops and condos use part of their maintenance fees to pay for an entire property’s water bill.Īnn Korchak, board president of Small Property Owners of New York and owner of two 10-unit rental buildings on the Upper West Side, feels a hike would just be another strain on her wallet. “For a lot of moderate, sort of working class and middle-income class co-ops… everything’s catching up,” Mazel said. Geoffrey Mazel, legal advisor for the Presidents Co-op and Condo Council, a group that represents over 100,000 residents, argued that while homeowners were hit with larger increases back then, it was a time of lower inflation and lower overall costs, compared to the present insurance rates, real estate taxes, construction costs and energy bills. And those hikes are relatively small: since 2002, the biggest water rate increase was over 14%, in 2009. While there were no rate increases in 2017, 20, the proposed rate increase of 4.9% represents the largest hike since 2014, when rates jumped 5.6%. “The city is still at an extremely high rate of unemployment compared to the rest of New York State, compared to other major cities in the country.” “What really matters is, how are the people that live in the city doing financially?” said Richard Berkley, executive director of the Public Utility Law Project. Meanwhile, consumer advocates warn that New York City’s water isn’t necessarily affordable even if it’s cheaper than water in some other large American cities. “I do cut back with that in mind, not so much with the cost of it in mind.” “We should all be more cognizant of our water usage and making sure that we don’t use that much even if it is affordable for us as individuals, and thinking about what that ultimately does for the environment,” said Gonzalez, 39, a political consultant.

She said she’s not worried about the increase she might face if the Water Board approves the rate hike.

George on Staten Island, the bills have come to about $30 a month, she estimated.

For her two-story, one-family home in St. When Cristina Gonzalez became a first-time homeowner about a year ago, she was pleasantly surprised to find her water bills were manageable. The impact of the potential water rate will affect different property owners in different ways. The New York City Water Board will vote on the rates in June, and the public will be able to voice their feedback at hearings on Wednesday and Thursday. They’re banking on the increase in rates - and reauthorization to sell off customer water debt - to shore up funds, which are used to keep the tap water clean, treat wastewater and manage stormwater. Yet the DEP is also facing costs made higher by inflation with less revenue to pay, due to those behind on bills and decreased water usage as a result of the pandemic. The increase could also compound unprecedented debts for those already struggling with their water bills and other ballooning expenses. The public is being invited to weigh in on the changes this week.Ī few bucks might not make a difference for some households, but could be significant for others, especially multifamily property owners.

That would translate to monthly bills that are bigger by about $4 on average for single-family homes and $3 per unit for multi-family buildings. Property owners are going to need more liquid assets if the city Department of Environmental Protection’s biggest water rate hike in nearly a decade is approved this summer.Īn April proposal by the DEP would raise water rates 4.9%.

Bill wrise