Alex Kratz’s recent article “Tenants Pressure State Agency on Unfair Rent Increases,” (Dec. 11 – 24) ignores the facts and paints an inaccurate picture of the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) and its role in fairly administering New York State’s rent laws.  
In the past 18 months under the new administration, DHCR has taken a proactive role in implementing dozens of initiatives designed to protect tenants’ rights under the Rent Stabilization Code. These are steps that have never, in the history of the agency, been taken, and that have been praised by the housing community and tenant groups around the state.
One of the most significant is a new DHCR policy to conduct random inspections related to applications and appeals for rent increases based on Major Capital Improvements (MCI). Until recently, inspections were done only upon tenant complaints.
Here are just a few more examples of DHCR’s continuous efforts to protect tenant rights:
• DHCR holds regular forums to gather input from tenants and owner on issues surrounding rent regulation.
• Last year, the State’s highest court upheld DHCR’s position that rent stabilized tenants who receive a Section 8 rent subsidy are entitled to receive renewal leases on the same terms and conditions as their previous lease, keeping 46,000 low-income tenants from losing their homes.
• DHCR worked to close the unique and peculiar regulatory loophole that would have allowed tens of thousands of rent stabilized apartments to be removed from the state’s affordable housing portfolio.
DHCR is committed to fairly upholding the Rent Stabilization Code and assuring tenants have a voice.
Deborah VanAmerongen

The writer is commissioner of the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal.