NY Times Busts Rangle on Subsidized Harlem Apartments

[rusty_parts2001]

Representative Charles B. Rangel held a 20-minute news conference on Friday afternoon after The New York Times reported that he had four rent-stabilized apartments in Harlem at a time when the city is experiencing an affordable housing crisis. At one point angry residents accosted the congressman, the dean of Harlem politics, in an unusual sidewalk confrontation, as Mr. Rangel faced questions from reporters.

Mr. Rangel, who is the powerful chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said his living arrangements were fair and legal and that he was paying the maximum rent allowed on all four rent-stabilized units, in the Lenox Terrace complex at West 135th Street and Lenox Avenue. “I didn’t see anything unfair about it,” he said. “I didn’t even know it was a deal.”

He did say, however, that he was evaluating the use of one of the four apartments as a campaign office, saying, “I have to take another look” at that situation. If the use of the apartment as a campaign office is a problem, he said, he would “go to another place and get a different office. Period.”

“That is something that I have to look into, but as it relates to me and my family, I’m not looking into that at all,” he said, saying he had no problem with the large combined residential apartment he and his family live in http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/11/rangel-defends-use-of-rent-stabilized-apartments/?hp

[marmar]

1. "Busts?" .... Seems a bit hyperbolic for the facts presented in the story, n'est-ce pas?

n/t

[Sanity Claws]

2. Subsidized? No.

The landlord is allowed to raise the rent only in accordance with a scale set by the city. No one pays, i.e. subsidizes, the difference between the rent stabilized price and fair market value, assuming there is a difference.
Your heading is misleading and different from the NY Times article. Why?

[CatWoman]

4. METHINKS

someone's parts aren't the only thing rusty :)

[Sanity Claws]

6. I don't understand

I'm sorry but I have no idea of what your posting means.

[CatWoman]

8. look at the OP's user name

[Sanity Claws]

9. Now I get it!

[tburnsten]

3. More corruption, yay.

Aren't most of the people elected to congress already set for life? If they aren't, the salary from being a congressman isn't that bad, I think it's pathetic that we keep having event after event come to light just like this one. I think both of our parties need to have a major house-cleaning in the next few House and Senate elections.

[tkmorris]

5. Show me the corruption here, I don't see it.

The salary of a Congressman doesn't exactly make you a rich person, certainly not in New York City. What exactly is he doing that is corrupt?

[tburnsten]

7. The company he is renting from

has a history of evicting people from rent-controlled apartments to make room for market value renters don't they? I heard a short blurb about it this morning, haven't had any time to check up on it. I could be wrong, but it sounds like the problem wasn't so much that his rent was quite low, but that the same people lowballing him on rent are known for evicting his constituents to make room for more lucrative tenants.

[choie]

10. the corruption is this...

A tenant is allowed to have just ONE rent stabilized apartment in New York - and it must be his primary address. As somebody who lives in NYC, I think it is disgusting that this "friend of Harlem" is able to take advantage of his position and have FOUR rent stabilized apartments, especially when there is such a need for affordable housing in NYC.

[tburnsten]

11. Another big issue with it. N/T