Tenants from across Nassau County are waging a battle for stronger rent-control laws statewide.
Gerard Sullivan, a Rockville Centre renter for 40 years, says state Sen. Todd Kaminsky is not supporting a package of nine bills that would help protect rent stabilization.
Democratic lawmakers in both chambers have introduced legislation aimed at curbing homelessness and closing loopholes that landlords use to hike rents and lift affordable apartments out of rent regulation.
But protesters say Kaminsky, who's a Democrat, is siding with landlords and other real estate interests because they're contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars to his re-election coffers.
Peggy Perkins rents an apartment in Hempstead with her three children. She says without rent control, she and her family could lose the roof over their heads.
News 12 tried to ask Kaminsky about the tenants' concerns, but his staff said he was in Albany Tuesday. His office issued a statement on his behalf that says: "The NYS Senate is set to pass historic rent reform this year and Senator Kaminsky is working hard to ensure that Long Island interests are represented."
Sullivan says he'll believe it when Kaminsky casts his vote for rent control.