"Mercy Kassa was the first tenant in line for the first ever 'Rental Ripoff' hearing hosted by the City of New York. She came to George Westinghouse High School in Downtown Brooklyn early Thursday night because her January electric bill for a small Bedford-Stuyvesant apartment was $450. She and other tenants in the building could not get their landlord at 825 Dekalb Ave. to explain why the bills were so high."
"From leaky ceilings, no heat, succession rights, repair issues to amenity fees, tenant issues ran the gamut. But the hearing-announced by Mayor Zohran Mamdani during his first few days in office as a chance for the city's renters to share their experiences-felt less like a community meeting and more like a resource fair."
"Capacity was capped at 225 attendees for each session and it was first come, first served to talk to someone one-on-one. The city will release a report 90 days after the hearing, and recommendations will go directly into the mayor's forthcoming housing plan, officials said."
Mayor Zohran Mamdani hosted the city's inaugural 'Rental Ripoff' hearing at a Brooklyn high school, allowing renters to report housing problems directly to city officials. Attendees described issues ranging from unexplained high utility bills and leaky ceilings to unresponsive landlords and ineffective 311 complaint systems. The event accommodated 225 registered participants who rotated through agency tables and three-minute complaint sessions with city officials. Housing officials presented briefly before attendees circulated the gymnasium and cafeteria. The city plans to release a comprehensive report 90 days after the hearing, with recommendations feeding into the mayor's housing policy agenda. However, some NYCHA public housing tenants felt overlooked by the private rental market focus.
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