Your Rent Laws Are at Stake Here

From WNYC + Gothamist [Politics Brief from WNYC + Gothamist] 42 Days Until the General Election + [Add to Cal]( Could You Vote Your Way to Affordable Rent? By [James Ramsay]( If a tenant moves out of a rent-regulated New York City apartment that was already costing $2,750 a month, the landlord can "deregulate" the unit and jack up the rent. Real estate insiders argue that many of these apartments are in severe need of capital improvements, and thus should cost more. Tenant advocates say the rent is...too damn high. And this'll be a key issue in the November elections, since many consider the loss of rent-regulated units—152,000 have disappeared since 1993—the result of policies passed by a Republican-held State Senate. If Democrats retake control of the chamber, 2019 could be the year our rent laws get rewritten. Tenant harassment laws. Rent-regulation laws. Laws determining what qualifies as "affordable housing." These could all change. Which is huge. And it's why [a debate about rent]( kicked off this year's "30 Issues in 30 Days" series on The Brian Lehrer Show. Between now and Election Day, he's covering key policy issues facing our region—and where the candidates on your ballot stand. Bob's Billions When New Jersey Senate candidate Bob Hugin was first hired by the drugmaker Celgene, the company was barely in the black. Now, it's worth some $80 billion. With just 33 percent of Americans having a favorable view of the drug industry, Hugin is betting that Celgene's turnaround story is still more appealing to voters than Sen. Bob Menendez's record in office. ([New York Times]( Meet the Republican AG Candidate Keith Wofford, a Buffalo-born attorney who's never held elected office, is running on two main promises: to fight corruption and prevent taxpayer money from going to "dumb contracts." Whether his message—and [$3.2 million ad campaign]( enough to get him a win over Democratic nominee Leticia James, it's now certain that New York will have its first black attorney general. ([WAMC]( New Jersey: You May Now Begin Voting Mail-in voting started Saturday, which you likely know if it's something you've done before. Those who voted by mail in 2016 are getting their ballots now. And if you've never done it but would like to, just send in your application so the county clerk gets it at least seven days prior to Election Day. ([NJ.com]( A 'Hopeaholic's' Guide to Sustaining Activism Though the election of Donald Trump galvanized a wave of activists, including many who'd not previously paid much attention to politics, another thing is true: That was two years ago. And two years is a long time to be consistently angry and active. The Takeaway asked feminist leader Gloria Steinem and civil rights activist DeRay McKessen how they sustain hope and optimism over the arc of a movement. McKessen's answer: "The status quo thrives on people not believing that they have power...but you have more power than you think." Steinem: "Hope is a form of planning. It's a vision of what you're going to do the next day and the next...so to not be hopeful is to be defeated immediately." [LISTEN TO THEIR INTERVIEW]( [You have Questions - We Have Answers - Ask A Reporter]( Take Action [Voter Guide]( [Ask a Reporter]( [Listen]( [Read]( Support WNYC + Gothamist Make a donation to support local, independent journalism. Your contributions are our largest source of funding and pays for essential election coverage and more. [Donate]( Copyright © 2018 New York Public Radio, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: New York Public Radio 160 Varick Street New York, NY 10013 [unsubscribe]( [update preferences]( [privacy policy](