Category: Rent Stabilization

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Posted on by Anna Bain

An Important Victory for Our Community — QRS Extended to 2069

Today, we are proud to share transformational news for many members of our community.

After years of advocacy, the existing Quasi Rent Stabilization (QRS) agreement has been extended through 2069. The current 2.5% cap on annual increases will remain in place for over 400 apartments — not just through 2030, but to the end of Marina Towers / Lefrak’s current ground lease with Battery Park City Authority (BPCA). The extension applies to residents already covered by the QRS agreement (generally those who have been Gateway residents since 2009).

This did not begin in a conference room this year. The groundwork was laid long ago.

Many of you remember the 2020 negotiations, which were quite challenging. In seeking to extend the 2020 QRS agreement, we faced an uphill battle with the building owner, and even supportive elected officials were candid about how difficult the path would be. The Gateway Tenants Association organized a community rally, mobilizing residents to demonstrate publicly how deeply this issue mattered. We met repeatedly with leadership at the Battery Park City Authority and with elected officials. We conducted research, gathered tenant data, prepared detailed arguments, and stayed engaged — even as the odds seemed long.

Since then, we have continued that work quietly and persistently. We met with BPCA leadership again and again. We shared data. We communicated tenant priorities. We reinforced why long-term stability is not just helpful — it is essential for our community. We pushed for permanence, not just another short extension.

We are extremely appreciative of the support of the Battery Park City Authority and its leadership, especially CEO Raju Mann, in reaching this agreement. Negotiations of this magnitude require engagement from multiple parties, and we are appreciative of all our elected officials who have supported us over many years. But it is important to be clear: this outcome is the result of years of consistent, organized advocacy by our Gateway Tenants Association. We planted the seeds for this extension, and we stayed at the table until it became reality.

Going into this process, we were not certain any extension could be achieved. Securing an extension to 2069 at the existing 2.5% cap is a major accomplishment. It removes a looming expiration date, provides long-term predictability for over 400 households, and strengthens the stability of our broader community.

Just as important, this victory sharpens our focus. With QRS protections secured for the long term, we can now dedicate our full energy to advancing protections and improvements for market-rate tenants. Our attention and advocacy will be strong, unified, and strategic.

This is what collective, sustained engagement looks like. It is rarely dramatic. It is often behind the scenes. And it works.

We invite all residents to join us at our Annual Meeting on March 4, where we will share additional details about the QRS extension and outline our advocacy priorities for market-rate tenants in the months ahead. Your participation matters and your voice strengthens our community.

There will be more to share in the coming weeks. For now, this is a moment to recognize how far we have come — and what organized residents, working together through the Gateway Tenants Association, can achieve.

On behalf of the Gateway Tenants Association, 

The GTA Board of Directors

Upcoming: GTA Annual Meeting – Wednesday, March 4, 2026 – 7:00 pm – via Zoom

We invite all residents to join us at our Annual Meeting on March 4, where we will share additional details about the QRS extension and outline our advocacy priorities for market-rate tenants in the months ahead. Your participation matters, and your voice strengthens our community.

Amenities Lease Addendum

Posted on by Anna Bain

Some of you may have received an Amenities Lease Addendum as part of your lease renewal package. GPTA raised objections to this Amenities rider with Greg Tumminia (Gateway General Manager). Although he defended the Amenities rider as consistent with market for the market rate tenants, Mr. Tumminia said that it was sent to some QRS tenants in error. Here’s what he said as to QRS tenants, “QRS amenity riders were sent in error. All QRS residents have the option of signing up for the health club at a $35.00 per month, per apartment rate. This is an option for QRS residents. The $35 per month, per apartment fee is substantially less than the current rate of $50 per person, per month.”

Accordingly, it appears that QRS tenants do not need to sign the Amenities Rider. If a QRS tenant is interested in health club access, the tenant can get access for $35 per month, but does not need to pay for any of the other amenities.

GPTA continues to believe that this Amenities rider is inappropriate for all tenants, including market rate tenants, and is advocating for removal of this rider for all residents.

GPTA February 2021 Newsletter

Posted on by Anna Bain

Feb 2, 2021

Topics:

  • Class Action Update
  • GPTA Annual Meeting
  • Food Drive beginning Monday
  • Clarification for QRS residents switching apartments
  • Voter registration for NYC elections

CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT UPDATE

Many of you have asked about the credits from the Class Action that were supposed to be applied by Feb. 2. Because of a glitch in calculation of the credits, however, the credits have been delayed by a week or so but are expected to appear on your rental accounts by Feb. 15. The glitch was not a Gateway error, but an error by the claims administrator. This error now appears to have been resolved.

GPTA will be following up if the credits do not appear by that time.

In our conversation with management, we advocated for late fees to be waived and management agreed to waive fees for Feb. 

Also, Gateway will not provide information to residents in reference to the Class Action settlement amounts and calculations. Such information should be provided by the resident attorneys.

GPTA ANNUAL MEETING

The Gateway Plaza Tenants Association will hold its annual meeting, by ZOOM, in March 2021 (date to be announced).

The meeting will feature updates from City and State elected officials, as well as the election of GPTA Board Members for the next term.

GPTA membership is open to all Gateway residents.

We will be providing information on the website in the weeks to come so you know how to join, participate in the meeting and vote for Board representatives.

(Perhaps you’d like to run for the Board?  If so, write to us at gatewayplazata@gmail.com. Think about it!)

GPTA/ FOOD BANK OF NY FOOD DRIVE

Help fight hunger in New York City by donating food to the Food Bank Of New York City. 

HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE

Deposit food items listed below in the boxes provided by FBNY from Monday evening, Feb. 1 to morning of Feb. 10. Boxes are locate in the lobby of the 400/375 building.

Vegetables·       Canned Vegetables (low sodium preferred)
·       Tomato Sauce
·       Vegetable Soups (low sodium preferred)
·       Broth (low sodium preferred) 
Fruits·       Canned Fruits (in juice or light syrup)
·       Dried Fruits
·       100% Fruit Juices 
Proteins·       Beans – canned or dry
·       Peanut Butter
·       Canned Meat (chicken, beef, ham)
·       Canned Fish (tuna, salmon, sardines)
·       Canned Stews (chicken or beef) 
Grains·       Rice (white or brown, flavored)
·       Pasta/Noodles
·       Cold Cereal
·       Hot Cereal (grits, oatmeal, farina)
·       Flour/Cornmeal/Baking Mixes
·       Whole Grain Crackers
·       Couscous 
Dairy·       Dry Milk Packets
·       Shelf Stable Milk
·       Soy/Almond/Rice Milk 
Specialty Items·       Cereals
·       Nutrition Beverages (Boost, Ensure, Carnation Instant Breakfast)
·       Granola Bars 
Other Items·       Diapers
·       Feminine Products
·       Personal Care Items/Hygiene Items

RENT STABILIZED RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO SWITCH APARTMENTS

GPTA has received inquiries about QRS residents switching apartments and whether the agreement covers the apartment or the tenant. The answer from management was as follows: “QRS Rights move with the resident if they transfer to another Gateway apartment at the end of a current lease term.”

NYC PRIMARY ELECTIONS COMING UP.  ARE YOU REGISTERED?

Primary Elections for Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough President and Council Members is Jun. 22.  If you are not registered, or want to declare or change party affiliation, here are dates to be aware of:

We send our sincere hopes that you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy.

GPTA

Rosalie, Robin, Jeff, Bruce, Karlene (Executive Board)

Audrey, Sarah, Howard, Honey, Pat, Steve, Larry, Denise

Settlement + Stabilization Updates

Posted on by Anna Bain

CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT UPDATE

Our August 28 Newsletter reported that the notice of entry of the Court’s judgment approving the class action settlement was served on August 6, which should have meant that the settlement would have become final 30 days thereafter – that is, the day after Labor Day.  However, because of Gov. Cuomo’s COVID-19 Executive Orders, all court deadlines were suspended until November 4.  As a result, the class action will not become final until December 4.  Settlement credits are required to be posted to tenants’ rent accounts within 60 days of settlement finality, or by February 3.  We understand that the settlement administrator may move more quickly than that.  Gateway Management has informed us that they hope that the settlement credits will appear on the January or February rent bills.

If you would like get the most up to date information about the class action settlement, please see the settlement website:  https://www.gatewayplazasettlement.com, or contact class counsel, Jeffrey Norton, JNorton@nfllp.com, (212) 619-5400.

RENT STABILIZATION UPDATE

Now that HUD has signed off on the QRS Agreement, GPTA has been  told  that  all QRS tenants, who received 5% increases prior to the new stabilization agreement, have received credit for the overpayment as of this December billing cycle.

Lease Info for Rent Stabilized Tenants

Posted on by Anna Bain

Please be advised that lease renewals being sent to “stabilized” tenants do not reflect the increases recently approved by the Battery Park City Authority and Gateway management. The new rates will be included in the renewals once HUD has approved the agreement.  We do not have a time-line for HUD approval, but we understand that the application for HUD approval has been made. 

In the meantime, we have learned from residents that Management has advised them to sign the non-stabilized offers that they have received and that tenant accounts will be adjusted, including credits for any money overpaid, once the new stabilization agreement has been approved by HUD.

GPTA will be following up and reporting once we have more information. 

Rent Stabilization Deal Announced!

Posted on by Anna Bain

The Gateway Plaza Tenants Association (GPTA) is pleased to report that the Battery Park City Authority (BPCA) and the Gateway Plaza landlord (Marina Towers) have reached an agreement to extend rent protections for the tenants who had been covered by the prior rent stabilization agreement that expired on June 30.  The new deal is not perfect, but it continues significant protections to those long-term tenants who have lived at Gateway since 2009.

The new agreement will be retroactive to July 1 and it provides a right of lease renewal at fixed rates for 10 years, to June 30, 2030.  Unlike the prior agreements, the new agreement does not reference the NYC Rent Stabilization Guidelines.  Instead, covered tenants will be offered one-year renewals at a maximum increase of 2.5%, and two-year renewals at a maximum increase of 3.78125%.  The one-year 2.5% figure is greater than the current and recent-past NYC Rent Stabilization Guidelines rates, but is roughly equal to the 20-year average NYC Rent Stabilization Guidelines rates since 2000.

While we are glad that a new rent protection deal has been reached, we are disappointed that the deal did not provide stabilization for all current tenants.  We are also disappointed by the decision to permit annual rent increases for “stabilized” tenants based on fixed percentage rates, even though those percentages may be based on averages of past Rent Stabilization Guidelines rates.  The NYC Rent Guidelines Board takes account of current economic conditions in setting its rates.  Even though Rent Guidelines Board renewal rates in the last 20 years have sometimes been as high as 4.5%, Rent Guidelines Board renewal rates in recent years have been below 2.5% and in fact are 0% for the coming year, due to the pandemic.  Notwithstanding the new agreement’s 2.5% rent cap, GPTA believes that during the coming pandemic year all Gateway tenants should be offered renewals at 0%. There are many Gateway tenants who are suffering job and income loss due to the pandemic; they will be particularly hard hit by any rent increase at this time.

Although imperfect, the new rent protection agreement is a step in preserving housing affordability for those covered by the agreement.  GPTA expresses its thanks for the hard work and determination of the BPCA negotiation team in completing a new deal. We also want to express our appreciation to our elected officials, including Congressman Jerry Nadler, Comptroller Scott Stringer, State Senator Brian Kavanagh, Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou, Borough President Gale Brewer and City Council Member Margaret Chin for their long advocacy in support of Gateway’s residents.

Rent Stabilization Update

Posted on by Anna Bain

As you know, the current agreement expires June 30, and our hope and expectation is that an extension agreement will be concluded before that date. The GPTA rent stabilization team has been pushing for a resolution for the rent stabilization deal NOW, considering that the existing agreement expires shortly.  We’ve pressed this point in recent days with numerous calls, texts and emails and conversations with our elected officials and/or their staffs and with BPCA President BJ Jones and V.P. Nick Sbordone.  Most recently, on Saturday, May 23, we had a conversation with BJ Jones, who provided an update on the status. While the QRS negations are subject to a non-disclosure agreement that constrains the amount of information that Mr. Jones can share with us, our between-the-lines take-away from this most recent phone conversation is that a rent stabilization deal seems very close.  However, it is unlikely that a deal will occur until June.  In terms of scope of the new agreement, we believe that, at a minimum, it will cover all currently-stabilized tenants for a multi-year period into the future.  Beyond that basic outline, we will need to await the final agreement.

Currently-stabilized tenants whose leases expire after July 31 and August 31 have been offered renewals at increases greater than those stated in the NYC Rent Stabilization Guidelines.  GPTA has strongly advocated to BPCA and to our elected officials that any extension of the rent stabilization agreement should retroactively adjust any renewals that may have been signed by tenants before the extension agreement is finalized so that those renewals conform to rent stabilization increases. Although such retroactive treatment is our objective, until a rent stabilization extension agreement is achieved, we cannot predict what its terms will be.

As a result, tenants receiving a lease renewal offer today should be mindful of the deadline for responding to the offers and make a decision on whether to accept the offer within the stated deadline. Although the recent renewal offers appear to state that the response period for accepting a renewal is 30 days from receipt of the offer, Gateway Management has informed tenants who have inquired about the deadline that the deadline is in fact 30 days prior to lease expiration. For example, Management has stated that July 1 is the renewal response deadline for leases expiring July 31. We suggest that tenants who have questions about the renewal offer response deadline should contact Gateway Management.

GPTA is not advising tenants on how they should respond to renewal offers, but we note that it is likely that, if there is going to be an extension of rent stabilization, that extension will be agreed before July.

As soon as we have anything more concrete to offer, we will post an update here on our website and send an email blast to our mailing list.

Rent Stabilization Update

Posted on by Anna Bain

GPTA continues to work with the Battery Park City Authority and with our elected officials to secure an extension of the rent stabilization agreement, which currently expires June 30. Although we remain optimistic that an extension agreement will be achieved, as of today that has not yet occurred. For that reason, currently-stabilized tenants whose leases expire after June 30 are being offered renewals at increases greater than those stated in the NYC Rent Stabilization Guidelines.

GPTA has strongly advocated to BPCA and to our elected officials that any extension of the rent stabilization agreement should retroactively adjust any renewals that may have been signed by tenants before the extension agreement is finalized so that those renewals conform to rent stabilization increases. Although such retroactive treatment is our objective, until a rent stabilization extension agreement is achieved, we cannot predict what its terms will be.

As a result, tenants receiving a lease renewal offer today should be mindful of the deadline for responding to the offers and make a decision on whether to accept the offer within the stated deadline. Although the recent renewal offers appear to state that the response period for accepting a renewal is 30 days from receipt of the offer, Gateway Management has informed tenants who have inquired about the deadline that the deadline is in fact 30 days prior to lease expiration. That is, Management has stated that July 1 is the renewal response deadline for leases expiring July 31. We suggest that tenants who have questions about the renewal offer response deadline should contact Gateway Management.

GPTA is not advising tenants on how they should respond to renewal offers, but we note that it is likely that, if there is going to be an extension of rent stabilization, that extension will be agreed before July.

View letter regarding rent stabilization sent to LeFrak Organization by our elected officials (April 20, 2020).

TONIGHT: Virtual Town Hall with NYS Senator Brian Kavanagh

Posted on by Anna Bain

NYS Senator Brian Kavanagh will be hosting a virtual town hall meeting on Thursday, April 30th at 7:00 p.m. to discuss some of the issues he says constituents have contacted them about most frequently, with experts to answer your questions. 

Here’s the agenda:

  • 7:00p to 8:00p: Issues facing renters, homeowners, and homeless New Yorkers
    • Ellen Davidson, Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Society
    • Joshua Goldfein, Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Society
  • 8:00p to 9:00p: Assistance for small businesses
    • Gregg Bishop, Commissioner, NYC Department of Small Business Services
    • Andrew Flamm, Regional Director, Pace Small Business Development Center

The Town Hall will be streamed live via Zoom and Facebook Live, or you can dial in by phone. Translation will be available in Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese. 

A flyer for the event is available in English, in Spanish, and in Chinese, and posted on Twitter and Facebook. Please feel free to share this invitation with neighbors and other residents of Senate District 26.

Please visit kavanagh.nysenate.gov to RSVP and receive access information, submit questions or comments in advance, or let them know about topics you’d like them to cover in future events.