Even in the famously dysfunctional state Senate, the Housing committee is a notable backwater of paralysis. This not by default, but by design. The committee is chaired by Bronx Democratic Senator - and majority leader - Pedro Espada.

For over a year, tenant activists and housing groups have watched bill after bill sail through the Assembly, only to come to a screeching halt in the Senate. Most of the blame is falling squarely on Espada. Democratic leaders first appointed Espada as Housing chair after the Amigo stand-off in early 2009, passing over State Sen. Liz Krueger, who was seen as a fierce advocate for rent regulation. 

Since then, dozens of pro-tenant bills have been held up in his committee, including vacancy decontrol, Mitchell-Lama reform and a repeal of the Urstadt law. Even less radical legislation, like closing loopholes that allow property owners to increase rent after making major capital improvements, have stalled. 

This state of affairs does have beneficiaries, however - landlords. If you're happy with things as they are, stasis becomes your friend. That said, Espada isn't just throttling progress and equity; no, why not just hand out gifts?

The Village Voice:

Last month, Espada launched a trial balloon for legislation that would ostensibly "freeze rents" for half a million tenants in rent-stabilized apartments. Sounded good, but as the Voice's weekend anchor Julia pointed out at the time, it would be nothing but a heavy burden on taxpayers and a really nice gift to landlords — particularly to landlords who were pulling a fast one on the public until the courts stepped in.

Thing is, the proposal freezes rents for the time being, but allows landowners to remove their properties from rent stabilization altogether. And as if that weren't enough, there's also a tax break estimated at a cool $77,000,000 for the first year.

That bill is likely to be stomped on in committee, but tenant advocates have clearly had enough of Espada's obstruction.

That could turn out to be a liability for the conference as a whole, with several politically potent groups threatening to withhold support from Democrats this year if nothing is done to advance housing reforms.  

“We can’t wait until 2011,” said Michael McKee, formerly treasurer of Tenants PAC and now executive director of Housing Here and Now. “They have to do these bills this year.”

McKee warned it would be difficult to convince housing activists in New York City to campaign for Senate Democrats in battleground districts this year without concrete action on housing reform.  

Pedro Espada - the gift that keeps on giving.