- My rent is increasing xx%! Is there anything I can do?
GTA is aware of large increases in lease renewals in recent years due to a rent survey we conducted in January 2024. We have raised this with Management in our last meeting (June 2024), and we were informed that the increases are in line with other market rate increases in New York City. Please take a look at GTA’s June 2024 post regarding the Good Cause Eviction law that went into effect in 2024 and may cover your apartment and rent-increase situation.
We also recommend that you negotiate with Management before renewing, as we’ve seen tenants have some success when they push back. Of course this is not a guarantee, but Management has acknowledged mistakes in rent pricing in the past. As of October 2024, lease renewals / rent increases are handled by Lefrak Management (communications should be sent to renewals@gatewayny.com).
As a tenants association, GTA is unable to negotiate with Management on behalf of individual tenants. We (GTA) will continue to monitor trends in rent increases, so please continue to let us know of significant changes or use our Feedback form (coming soon).
- I’m part of the Quasi-Rent Stabilization (QRS) agreement, and something about my lease has changed. Do I have to agree?
Under the QRS (Quasi-Rent Stabilization) Agreement, tenants are entitled to renewal leases on the same terms as the expiring lease. Since the [Insurance, Pet Rider, Amenities Rider, etc.] was not contained in the standard QRS lease, you are likely not required to sign these addenda. **Note this does not constitute legal advice, and GTA recommends seeking legal counsel if you are unsure. GTA recommends that you notify Management that you are under the QRS Agreement and do not plan to agree to addenda outside your original QRS lease.
- I’ve moved to Gateway recently. Am I covered by the QRS agreement?
You are likely not covered under the QRS agreements if you moved to Gateway after 2009.
The Quasi Rent Stabilized (QRS) agreement was negotiated in 1987 with Lefrak, the Gateway Tenants Association, and Battery Park City Authority following a rent strike. It was re-negotiated at the end of each agreement period (usually 5 or 9 years) for existing tenants only, most recently in 2009. Rent increases for those tenants followed the NYC Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) yearly recommendations. Gateway Plaza was never a rent-regulated or Section 8 complex; it has always been market rate.
In 2020, there were further negotiations for tenants covered by the 2009 QRS agreement and still in residence as of July 2020. Under the 2020 agreement, increases were capped at 2.75% each year for 10 years.
The QRS agreement is up for re-negotiation in 2030, and GTA is already working on next steps!
- My electric bill was INSANE this month! What can I do?
Gateway has higher electrical bills than most buildings in Lower Manhattan because our heat is electric. We also pay for electricity directly, while most buildings in the area have centralized heat, the cost of which is included in rent or common charges. Compounding the problem, the electrical rates (per kWh) have gone up significantly nationwide.
During winter months, most apartments consume far more electricity, and the rate per kWh also typically increases. Another factor that may affect your bill is the number of days in the billing cycle, which can vary. E.g., for November/December 2024, the cycle was 34 days (longer than usual).
Gateway tenants do not buy electricity directly from ConEd; we buy our electricity from Gateway Management which operates under a submetering agreement. That agreement does not permit Gateway to charge us more than what ConEd would have charged us directly. ConEd provides an online portal for you to check whether your Gateway electrical rate was less than the ConEd retail rate.
If you believe your heating units and/or your electricity meter are not operating properly, or if you think there are leaks around windows, we recommend that you contact Gateway Maintenance (submit a maintenance request). You can also check the usage meter in your apartment to see if it is operating correctly and properly recording usage (if you are unsure how to do this – ask for instruction from Gateway Management).
Was your question not answered? Submit your question with the survey form below, and shoot us an email at gatewayplazata@gmail.com.