Steven Wishnia

“It’s business as usual. Nothing’s changed,” says Cynthia Chaffee of 346 East 18th Street, founder of the Stop Croman Coalition. “It’s the same goons we had to deal with.”

No one knows just how many apartments were deregulated under the now-repealed high-rent vacancy decontrol law, and challenging an illegal deregulation 'can be very, very difficult.'

'They’re blinging it out,' says Staten Island community organizer Dulce Rivera, pointing to a bodega that used to serve $3 breakfasts and is now bedecked with chandeliers. 'This is part of the package.'

Time is running out to pass the 'universal rent control' package pending in the state legislature.

With Democrats now holding a majority in the state Senate, hopes are high that this will be the year not only to stanch the loss of rent-stabilized apartments, but to establish 'universal rent control.'

Both Andrew Cuomo and state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie have indicated that they may oppose more radical reforms.

'What I deserve is light and air and a decent place to live.'

City inspectors have found dangerous levels of lead dust in nine East Village-area buildings produced by vacant apartments being gut-renovated, most recently in one owned by Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Will the marijuana industry be dominated by big corporations? Will tax revenues aid communities harmed by stop-and-frisk? Will New York get home growing or Amsterdam-style pot coffeehouses? All this awaits the governor's January announcement.

'We were barely getting any heat and I think it’s because we were being punished because the landlord just wanted us out. There was garbage everywhere… That’s around the time that rats and mice started to infest the building.'

Despite the 100-odd protesters who filled the room holding 'Pass SBJSA Intact' signs, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said he expected the measure to be amended.

'The real question is, do they want to stop the loss of small businesses? Or are they afraid to stand up to REBNY?'