Rent-control has a long history, especially in New York. These days, though, rent-controlled apartment units are slowly becoming history. And, increasingly, the elderly is left clinging to these rent-controlled apartments that are cramped and rotting.

Though supposedly cheap, rent-controlled apartments in New York City have turned out to be more expensive. Complains some of tenants in rent-controlled units, landlords may have been keeping rents low but landlords are also leaving the units in decrepit conditions.

Let us take the case of 97-year old Magnus Saethre and his live-in caregiver Devron King. They live in a 75-square foot, one bedroom apartment on the fourth floor walk-up in Fourth Avenue, Sunset Park and pay only $63 per month. To date, though, Saethre has already spent $25,000 in legal fees.

Aside from Saethre’s unit being in a worn-out condition – the walls are peeling so badly that one can be forgiven for mistaking them for stalactites – he and his caregiver are also facing the landlord Jack Geula’s attempts at throwing them out. Caregiver King reveals that Geula has contacted the Adult Protective Services, hinting that the caregiver might be taking advantage of Saethre. The tenants’ lawyer John Hlavaty also said that Geula claims the neighbors have been complaining of the noise.

“Magnus is 97 years old and hard of hearing. They yell. That’s how they communicate,” explains the lawyer.

DHCR spokesman Andrew O’Rourke says though there is no other resolve for such cases but civil court for neglect and harassment, ninety-five percent of landlords participate in the face of a legal case. Some, though, stay stubborn. And there’s nothing to be done as, technically, what the landlords are doing are not criminal.

From the 155,361 rent-controlled units in New York City in 1987, the number has declined to a mere 39,901 in 2008. This is a number that pales in comparison to the two million units that are currently in the city.