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“Don’t Move To NYC Right Now”: Woman Shows What Her Apartment Looks Like After Landlord Suddenly Increases Her Rent By $700
Recently, the entire world has been feeling the effects of inflation, with rates being at the highest level since 1981. Whether you’re filling up your car’s tank of gas, grocery shopping or paying your utility bills, these price increases seem inescapable. And especially in major cities, rent has increased exponentially.
One TikToker living in New York City, Grace Pinegar, was recently informed by her landlord that her rent would be rising quite a bit, so she took to the internet to show viewers the apartment that has somehow shot up in value overnight. Below, you can watch Grace’s video, as well as read some of the responses, and let us know in the comments how you feel about this situation. Then if you’re interested in another Bored Panda piece featuring skyrocketing rent prices, check out this story next.
RELATED:
TikToker Grace Pinegar recently put her landlord on blast for increasing her rent by $700 a month
Image credits: vinegarwithap
Image credits: vinegarwithap
@vinegarwithap#greenscreen hey haha…. don’t move to nyc right now #fyp#comedy#comedyvideo#nyc#healthadepopit♬ Its what the apartments worth – Grace Pinegar
The landlord’s reasoning was because “that’s the worth of the apartment”
Image credits: vinegarwithap
So Grace shared a video featuring all of the worst parts of her apartment
Image credits: vinegarwithap
Image credits: vinegarwithap
Image credits: vinegarwithap
Image credits: vinegarwithap
Image credits: vinegarwithap
Image credits: vinegarwithap
Image credits: vinegarwithap
Image credits: vinegarwithap
New York City has always been a notoriously expensive place to live, but it is quickly becoming impossible for many residents to stay. In fact, as of May 2022, Manhattan’s median rent price hit $4,000 a month, the highest it has ever been. What is even more concerning is that half of the New Yorkers who rent already spend more than 30% of their income on rent, while one third spends over half of their income on housing. Clearly, most people do not have any wiggle-room to budget for these increased prices. Sadly in Grace’s situation, the exorbitant rent prices were just too much to handle. She told The Daily Dot that after going back and forth with her landlord about pricing, they ultimately could not come to a price she was happy with, so she has decided to move back to Texas to be close to her family.
Grace is certainly not the only renter in NYC devastated by the current rent prices. 25-year-old Lauren Odioso told the BBC a very similar story, where her and her roommates’ rent was increased from $2,600 to $5,200 a month. “My first reaction was shock, and then immediately realizing that renewing my lease here was not an option,” Lauren said. “I felt pretty angry and helpless.” She ended up moving to a cheaper city as well.
In a follow-up video, Grace addressed the larger issue of housing becoming a privilege rather than a right
@vinegarwithap Reply to @woahnyc88 I have so many more thoughts on this but here’s a short reply :-) #fyp#housingcrisis#nyc♬ original sound – Grace Pinegar
Image credits: vinegarwithap
She also explained how heartbreaking moving will be, because it means leaving her community
Image credits: vinegarwithap
In theory, there are laws in New York to keep rent from being raised astronomically, but they don’t always work. Many apartments in NYC are rent controlled or rent stabilized, meaning landlords have limits on how much they can raise rent prices annually. The problem is that these regulations are slightly adjusted over time, and not surprisingly, the updates tend to benefit the property owners. For example, in 2019, a list of exceptions was implemented, causing many apartments to lose their status of “rent stabilized”. These included if the tenant earns a high enough income ($200,000 or more in 2019), if rent reached a certain threshold, and if the landlord had renovated the apartment.
In one of her follow-up videos, Grace said that she believes housing is a basic human right. Whether you agree with her or not, I’m sure nobody would enjoy renting the same exact apartment they’ve always lived in but paying hundreds of dollars more. We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Have you ever been in a situation like this? How are the rent prices where you live right now? If they’re low, you might be seeing some new faces soon!
Viewers echoed Grace’s frustration in the comments, agreeing that housing should never become unattainable
What do you think ?
Yo Momma 3 years ago
A lot of those comments didn't realize that the $700 was ON TOP OF what she currently pays. Not $700 a month.
Edward Gore 3 years ago
Duh I think ppl. Do realize the $700 is on top of what's she's paying. already. Who gets an apt. for $700 a mo. in NYC?!.. Not even Section 8!
Load More Replies...
Eric Mac Fadden 3 years ago
In the US looks like living is a luxury. Everything is paid and rights are for whoever leaves a trail of bills. Brazil still way worse than there but I wouldn't live there.
M 3 years ago
NY needs to pass statewide rent control, like CA did. Particularly for NYC, where a large percentage of properties are bought up by billionaires/multimillionaires, then left to sit empty as they're only one of many properties owned by rich folks who actually reside elsewhere — often in other countries. This is what drives artificial scarcity in NYC and raises market prices for all.
K G 3 years ago
Whether SF or NY, it's actually too much regulation that drives prices up. No one wants to build or develop there. In SF, we'll see where that stayewide rent control gets you when people start selling their property and no one maintains it. It'll be like yea state take that property and maintain yourself. The SF market is so expensive bcz homeowners regulate how many houses or units can be built to keep the value of their homes astronomical. Also partially why rent and price sin nyc so high. The apartments youre talking about are only luxury ones in high rises on billionaires row. No one is buying a pre war walk up for investment. That's just over regulation like youre demanding making buildings old limited and unlivable. Scarcity comes from government intervention in the market NOT from market forces. If you had free market, enough houses will be built to satisfy the demand.
Load More Replies...
Kate Jones 3 years ago
Rent is the single reason a lot of people aren't buying homes anymore. We can't afford it and we can't save because there's no wiggle room anymore. Rent costs have gone up to such an astronomical extent that unless you have 2 incomes coming in, you are going to have an issue affording anything outside of your rent. It's just ridiculous. Places with bars or cardboard on the windows and rat problems are going for 1800 a month. I understand that when taxes on the property go up that those costs are passed on to the renters- kind of crappy but I get it. But my last building would go up over 300 a year and there were over 50 apartments in the complex. I find it hard to believe taxes went up 15k. There really should be laws about raising rent an amount that is unreasonable to expect anyone to afford.
aubergine10003 3 years ago
30-year NYC resident here. Yes, this increase sucks... but even when I was her age (guessing around 30?) I didn't live alone because that really IS a luxury and a privilege in NYC- nothing new there! So if she's living alone as she seems to be, she's leaving that out of the equation. She could get a nicer place AND pay less rent if she moved into a shared apartment (I mean a 2 BR, not sharing a studio or some nonsense like that).
Bex 3 years ago
Having a roommate never saved me money. They always found way to screw me over financially and aren't worth the emotional and mental stress. Some were a threat to my safety, bringing home strangers and doing unsafe things ( unlocked doors, unattended candles). They were throughly vetted. A frigging studio apt should be affordable to any working person, no excuses.
Load More Replies...
Anna 3 years ago (edited)
Holy s**t, my sister has just moved into a apartment in Melbourne CBD, new build only 6 months old with all granite countertops new allppliances 2 bedroom...for $500 week, I thought that was expensive, this is insane. World's gone f*****g mad when rent is so expensive, my mortgage is only $1200/month
El Dee 3 years ago
This is why council housing is so important. In my country we had all of our good stock sold off and then the rest went to housing associations. But now they have ended the right to buy and started building new, better houses. Rents are now reasonable here. It can be done..
M 3 years ago
Where are you, if you don't mind me asking. And are you saying no one can buy a home now but everyone must rent? If so, what happened to those who owned homes before this was done? I'm throughly intrigued.
Load More Replies...
Damon Smithwick 3 years ago
Housing is a right. But dictating what house you will have and what price you will pay is not. If NYC is too expensive, move to another town, which I know, she did. But to demand that others manage their property to suit her needs? That's not how it works. The problems she highlighted, however, those are things that need fixed. If a landlord can't provide a clean and safe environment, that landlord needs to have their properties shut down until problems are fixed to the satisfaction of inspectors. Housing is a right. And there is housing out there for her. Just not in NYC apparently.
Juan Ghote 3 years ago
I'm thinking that a lot of people are unable get places to rent full time due to the holiday rental markets like AirBnB / Stayz / etc. Places sitting empty for most of the year and then only used for the few tourist season...
D C 1 year ago
She contradicted herself.. she said she never would go to a steakhouse expecting McDonald's prices but then talks about wanting to live next to coffee shops, movie theaters etc after stating housing is a human right. That's like saying everyone deserves eat so they are entitled to a gourmet steak dinner every day. Everyone does need shelter (I don't believe it's a human right) but there are plenty of dirt cheap places to live and have a stable living situation.
Yo Momma 3 years ago
A lot of those comments didn't realize that the $700 was ON TOP OF what she currently pays. Not $700 a month.
Edward Gore 3 years ago
Duh I think ppl. Do realize the $700 is on top of what's she's paying. already. Who gets an apt. for $700 a mo. in NYC?!.. Not even Section 8!
Load More Replies... Eric Mac Fadden 3 years ago
In the US looks like living is a luxury. Everything is paid and rights are for whoever leaves a trail of bills. Brazil still way worse than there but I wouldn't live there.
M 3 years ago
NY needs to pass statewide rent control, like CA did. Particularly for NYC, where a large percentage of properties are bought up by billionaires/multimillionaires, then left to sit empty as they're only one of many properties owned by rich folks who actually reside elsewhere — often in other countries. This is what drives artificial scarcity in NYC and raises market prices for all.
K G 3 years ago
Whether SF or NY, it's actually too much regulation that drives prices up. No one wants to build or develop there. In SF, we'll see where that stayewide rent control gets you when people start selling their property and no one maintains it. It'll be like yea state take that property and maintain yourself. The SF market is so expensive bcz homeowners regulate how many houses or units can be built to keep the value of their homes astronomical. Also partially why rent and price sin nyc so high. The apartments youre talking about are only luxury ones in high rises on billionaires row. No one is buying a pre war walk up for investment. That's just over regulation like youre demanding making buildings old limited and unlivable. Scarcity comes from government intervention in the market NOT from market forces. If you had free market, enough houses will be built to satisfy the demand.
Load More Replies... Kate Jones 3 years ago
Rent is the single reason a lot of people aren't buying homes anymore. We can't afford it and we can't save because there's no wiggle room anymore. Rent costs have gone up to such an astronomical extent that unless you have 2 incomes coming in, you are going to have an issue affording anything outside of your rent. It's just ridiculous. Places with bars or cardboard on the windows and rat problems are going for 1800 a month. I understand that when taxes on the property go up that those costs are passed on to the renters- kind of crappy but I get it. But my last building would go up over 300 a year and there were over 50 apartments in the complex. I find it hard to believe taxes went up 15k. There really should be laws about raising rent an amount that is unreasonable to expect anyone to afford.
aubergine10003 3 years ago
30-year NYC resident here. Yes, this increase sucks... but even when I was her age (guessing around 30?) I didn't live alone because that really IS a luxury and a privilege in NYC- nothing new there! So if she's living alone as she seems to be, she's leaving that out of the equation. She could get a nicer place AND pay less rent if she moved into a shared apartment (I mean a 2 BR, not sharing a studio or some nonsense like that).
Bex 3 years ago
Having a roommate never saved me money. They always found way to screw me over financially and aren't worth the emotional and mental stress. Some were a threat to my safety, bringing home strangers and doing unsafe things ( unlocked doors, unattended candles). They were throughly vetted. A frigging studio apt should be affordable to any working person, no excuses.
Load More Replies... Anna 3 years ago (edited)
Holy s**t, my sister has just moved into a apartment in Melbourne CBD, new build only 6 months old with all granite countertops new allppliances 2 bedroom...for $500 week, I thought that was expensive, this is insane. World's gone f*****g mad when rent is so expensive, my mortgage is only $1200/month
El Dee 3 years ago
This is why council housing is so important. In my country we had all of our good stock sold off and then the rest went to housing associations. But now they have ended the right to buy and started building new, better houses. Rents are now reasonable here. It can be done..
M 3 years ago
Where are you, if you don't mind me asking. And are you saying no one can buy a home now but everyone must rent? If so, what happened to those who owned homes before this was done? I'm throughly intrigued.
Load More Replies... Damon Smithwick 3 years ago
Housing is a right. But dictating what house you will have and what price you will pay is not. If NYC is too expensive, move to another town, which I know, she did. But to demand that others manage their property to suit her needs? That's not how it works. The problems she highlighted, however, those are things that need fixed. If a landlord can't provide a clean and safe environment, that landlord needs to have their properties shut down until problems are fixed to the satisfaction of inspectors. Housing is a right. And there is housing out there for her. Just not in NYC apparently.
Juan Ghote 3 years ago
I'm thinking that a lot of people are unable get places to rent full time due to the holiday rental markets like AirBnB / Stayz / etc. Places sitting empty for most of the year and then only used for the few tourist season...
D C 1 year ago
She contradicted herself.. she said she never would go to a steakhouse expecting McDonald's prices but then talks about wanting to live next to coffee shops, movie theaters etc after stating housing is a human right. That's like saying everyone deserves eat so they are entitled to a gourmet steak dinner every day. Everyone does need shelter (I don't believe it's a human right) but there are plenty of dirt cheap places to live and have a stable living situation.
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