Torres: Nix ‘Kushner loophole’
City Councilman Ritchie Torres hit the bricks in the Bronx on Friday to tell residents about a newly passed City Council bill that would close the “Kushner loophole” — named after real estate mogul Jared Kushner, a top adviser to President Trump and the husband of Ivanka Trump.
The law was inspired by a study that found Kushner’s companies falsified paperwork on the status of his rentregulated apartments in 34 properties when they filed for more than 80 work permits.
The law would require the Department of Buildings to communicate with the Department of Finance when property owners apply for construction permits. Owners who falsify their paperwork or try to skirt the process would be subject to fines.
“We refuse to stand by idly while real estate companies and bad landlords play Russian roulette with the safety of tenants and the affordability of rent,” Torres (inset) said.
If approved by the mayor, the bill would require the city Buildings Department to seek data from the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal to identify bad actors and compel the Buildings Department to audit a property owner if the owner submits false statements or is caught failing to obtain permits.
The bill, which Torres introduced in October, wended its way through the approval process as the councilman hurled accusations against Kushner and his business and oversaw a probe into its real estate holdings. It was passed Wednesday.
The Mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“New York City politicians who have increased scrutiny on Trump and Kushner are the same politicians that drove Amazon away from Long Island City,” said a Kushner Cos. spokeswoman. “That speaks volumes in and of itself without any further explanations needed.”