Jan. 10, 2024 By Shane O’Brien

U.S. Rep Nydia Velázquez has introduced a new bill aiming to protect tenants from “unscrupulous” landlords, creating new violations under federal law for discrimination based on a tenant’s source of income.

The Landlord Accountability Act of 2025, the first bill introduced by Velázquez in the 119th Congress, would allow tenants to seek remedies against landlords who discriminate against them based on their income source.

Velázquez represents New York’s 7th Congressional District, which encompasses diverse communities across parts of Brooklyn and Queens. The district includes neighborhoods such as Bushwick, Williamsburg, Ridgewood, and Astoria, many of which face significant housing challenges, making tenant protections and affordable housing key priorities in her legislative agenda.

The law would target any landlord discriminating against tenants receiving assistance through Section 8, a federally funded program that helps low-income tenants pay rent and buy houses.

It would also penalize landlords who discriminate against tenants receiving income from any form of federal, state, or local housing assistance program, including rental assistance, down payment assistance, homeowner assistance, or guarantees provided through government and non-government organizations.

Any landlord found discriminating against tenants receiving Social Security, spousal, child, or other court-ordered support, or any payment from a trust would also be liable for penalties.

The Landlord Accountability Act would additionally fine landlords who take actions to disqualify units from federal housing programs, such as making the property unsafe or uninhabitable. Landlords could be fined up to $100,000 for violations and could receive a second set of fines up to $50,000, with revenue going to aggrieved tenants.

Under the new law, landlords who engage in “warehousing,” a practice where they intentionally keep rent-stabilized units off the market to encourage tenants to vacate or combine units and charge tenants higher rent, would also face new penalties.

Velázquez said warehousing apartments drive up housing costs and fuel affordable housing scarcity in the city, pointing to reports stating that 26,000 units were kept off the market in 2023.

Landlords who intentionally hold a unit that is available to rent for more than 60 days would face a civil monetary penalty of $100,000, with an additional $100,000 fine for every 30-period that the unit is intentionally left vacant thereafter.

In a statement, Velázquez said the “unscrupulous practices” of certain landlords had helped exacerbate the city’s housing crisis.

“Landlords who prioritize profit over people by forcing families and seniors out of Section 8-eligible housing must be stopped and held accountable,” Velázquez said in a statement. “As homelessness is on the rise nationwide, addressing the housing crisis must be a priority for this Congress. That’s why this is the first bill I’ve introduced in the 119^th Congress, and I’m hopeful my Republican colleagues will join me in tackling this urgent issue.”

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A collection of topical political cartoons from various artists curated by the Brooklyn Eagle editorial staff.

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Macy’s is closing two Brooklyn locations as part of a cost-cutting initiative that will shutter 66 stores nationwide this year, the retail giant confirmed Thursday.

The closures include Macy’s flagship store on Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn and the Macy’s Backstage location in Sheepshead Bay. They are among five New York City locations identified as “unproductive” and set to close during the first quarter of this year.

The move is part of Macy’s “Bold New Chapter” strategy, first announced last February. The strategy aims to close 150 underperforming stores over two years and refocus the struggling retailer on “sustainable, profitable sales growth” by investing in 350 of its best-performing locations.

“Closing any store is never easy,” Macy’s CEO Tony Spring said in a statement. “But as part of our Bold New Chapter strategy, we are closing underproductive Macy’s stores to allow us to focus our resources and prioritize investments in our go-forward stores, where customers are already responding positively to better product offerings and elevated service.”

While Macy’s did not confirm exact closing dates for the Brooklyn stores, a representative said clearance sales at traditional locations will begin later this month and last approximately 8 to 12 weeks.

Clearance sales at Macy’s Backstage locations, the company’s off-price retail concept featuring discounted merchandise, will begin in February and last for about six weeks, including at the Sheepshead Bay store.

The closure of the Fulton Street flagship store, first opened in 1995, drew a response from local leaders, including City Council Member Lincoln Restler, who vowed to advocate for the site’s future.

“It’s a sad day for Brooklynites who’ve made countless memories here,” Restler posted on X. “We’ll push to ensure this iconic space continues to maintain a retail presence and collaborate with local businesses to support workers.”

The New York Post reported last month that Macy’s sold its Fulton Street department store for $23 million. 

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President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced Friday in his hush money case, but the judge declined to impose any punishment.

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