 Rich Bamberger |
Kivvit is representing the Alliance for Rental Excellence NY, a group backed by landlords and business owners, that seeks to thwart an overhaul of rent regulations in the Empire State.
The PA firm has close ties with Governor Andrew Cuomo, who counts the real estate sector as a top campaign donor.
Kivvit's Rich Bamberger was Cuomo's communications director and Maggie Moran advised the then NY Attorney General during his successful 2010 run for Governor.
The Alliance maintains that it wants "responsible rent reform," according to a statement released by Kivvit.
It reads: "The Alliance for Rental Excellence is fighting on behalf of New Yorkers who work hard every day to build and maintain our city’s apartments. We can all agree responsible rent reform is good for New York, but we can’t afford to put tens of thousands of hard-working people out of their jobs.”
The Alliance's website features pictures of plumbers, electricians and other contractors protesting at rent reform hearings, holding signs saying "Protect Tenants and Contractors," "Keep Us Employed," "I Need My Job," and "Protect MCIs."
The Gothamist reports that MCIs (major capital improvements) allow landlords to put "permanent rent increases in place to recoup the cost of renovations, but which housing activists have criticized as being a tool to push out rent-regulated tenants."
Housing advocates have asked Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to keep Cuomo out of the rent reform process.
Ballard Partners has signed to a represent the US unit of Rheinmetall, Germany’s biggest defense contractor, on Army procurement issues.
BGR Group signs on to provide lobbying and PR services for Terzo, an AI financial intelligence platform. Douglas Lute, chair of BGR’s international and defense practices, will join Terzo’s board of directors.
Avoq has landed Palantir Technologies, the controversial surveillance company founded by right-wing billionaire Peter Thiel, as a client.
Anne Kierig, who was senior manager of public policy at Amazon, has joined the American Advertising Federation as VP-government affairs. She takes over for Clark Rector, who is retiring after a 37-year run at AAF.
TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, which was established in compliance with the executive order signed by President Trump, has hired Valcour LLC, which has close ties with his administration.
