The key is to cast the proposed legislation as only benefiting "wealthy Manhattan renters" at the expense of small, outer borough building owners.

It's attempting to rewrite the popular and well-documented narrative that cast landlords as rich and greedy, and their tenants as humble and scraping by.

The RSA's efforts were bolstered by an editor at the Atlantic, who wrote "most of the people I know who had rent controlled apartments were, in fact, extremely affluent."

One woman featured in the new ads is Constance Nugent-Miller, who says:

I provide six units of affordable renting housing in Crown Heights.

Vacancy and luxury decontrol? Not an issue in my neighborhood! There's no six-figure incomes in my building. My tenants are doubling and tripling, living with strangers, not as families like wealthy Manhattan renters can afford to do.

Who is Albany really protecting? Nobody in Brooklyn. Just wealthy Manhattan renters.

Scripts from three other ads after the jump.

Albert Corion:

Hey New York, I'm Albert Corion.

It's no secret some Albany lawmakers are pushing for tougher rent laws that would protect only wealthy Manhattan renters. The Daily News says expanding rent laws would protect families with six-figure incomes.

The Citizens Budget Commission says the regulation mostly benefits wealthy Manhattan renters, not the poor or middle-class in outer boroughs.

I provide affordable rental housing to 41 family in Flatbush. Vacancy and luxury de-control not an issue in my neighborhood. There is no six-figure income or rent near 2,000 in my building. Market rent is what people can afford.

Who is Albany really protecting? Nobody in Brooklyn or Queens. Just wealthy Manhattan renters.

More restriction limit my ability to maintain my building and pay my real estate taxes and water bill. That is not good for the city or my tenants.

Tell Albany, no more protection for wealthy Manhattan renters. No new restrictions on small building owners.

Trinh Eng:

My husband and I provide affordable rental housing to 15 families in Prospect Heights. Vacancy and luxury decontrol? Not an issue in our neighborhood. There's no six-figure incomes, or rents near $2,000 in our building. Market rent is what people can afford.

Who's Albany really protecting? Nobody in Brooklyn or Queens. Just wealthy Manhattan renters.

Peter Petrov:

I provide affordable rental housing to families in the northwest Bronx. Vacancy and luxury decontrol? Uh, not an issue in my neighborhood. There's no six-figure incomes, or rents near $2,000 in my building. Market rent is what people can afford.

 

So who is Albany really protecting? Nobody in the Bronx. Just wealthy Manhattan renters.

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Constance Nugent-Miller:

I provide six units of affordable renting housing in Crown Heights.

Vacancy and luxury decontrol? Not an issue in my neighborhood! There's no six-figure incomes in my building. My tenants are doubling and tripling, living with strangers, not as families like wealthy Manhattan renters can afford to do.

Who is Albany really protecting? Nobody in Brooklyn. Just wealthy Manhattan renters.