Both tenants and landlords are voicing their objections to the Rent Guidelines Board's preliminary vote last night on rent hikes for the city's regulated apartments.

The Board suggested a range of increases yesterday, including an increase of between 3.5 and 7 percent on one-year leases, and between 5.5 and 9.5 percent hikes on two-year leases.

Last week, building owners asked for at least a 10 to 15 percent increase on one-year leases and an even higher raise on two-year leases. They say maintenance costs for services like water and fuel have gone up dramatically.

A report by the Rent Guidelines Board showed that overall operating costs have increased nearly 8 percent.

“It not go so easy because fuel is super expensive, and [building] insurance rise sometimes 10 percent up to 20 percent,” said landlord Joe Ray.

Other landlords, like Frank Anelante, said the hike was not high enough. He had hoped for a 10 to 15 percent hike, saying the rents from the 40-unit building won't cover the repair costs needed. The average rent for a three-bedroom, rent-stabilized apartment in his buildings is less than $900.

"But I'm not fighting for the guys getting $2,000 or $3,000 for their rent-stabilized apartments," said Anelante. "I'm fighting for the guys like me getting $600, $700, or $800 for rent-stabilized apartments and could barely make ends meet."

But tenants say landlords are still making a healthy profit in the robust city real estate market.

They say living costs are up for everyone, and raising the rent will serve to drive out long-time tenants who can't afford to keep up with double-digit increases.

"It's set up automatically against the tenants, there's no way tenants can ever win,” said tenant Jeannie Dubnau. “Now everybody knows, everybody who lives in New York City knows damn well that the rents are absolutely out of reach.”

"At one point you're going to have to say, I have to leave Manhattan and there goes the middle class," said tenant William Kelly.

"People are already starting to talk about it in the elevators," said Greg Bailen, a third tenant. "I see worried faces, especially the old citizens, and it does bother me a lot".

New Yorkers who spoke with NY1 say landlords are still making a healthy profit, and worry higher rents will force people out of the city.

"The middle class is totally shrinking in this city," said one New Yorker. "It's either little pockets of housing for the poor and everything else is for the rich. It's just not fair."

"Unfortunately in the profit-driven city we live in now I'm actually not surprised about it," added another.

A series of public hearings will be held starting June 3, with a final vote expected June 19.

While the hearings have been packed in prior years, many tenants NY1 spoke with said they were not planning on going this year, saying they believe it won't make a difference in what the board decides.

Increases would take effect for any renewal on or after October 1.