City Council Members Torres and Levine Introduce Bill to Create Affordable Housing Watchlist and Online Map

The watchlist and online map would keep track of affordable housing rental units at-risk of becoming unaffordable, as defined by specified criteria. On April 7, 2016, New York City Council Members Ritchie Torres and Mark Levine introduced a bill to implement the creation of a watchlist for affordable residential rental units Citywide that are at risk of losing their affordable-housing status.  The bill provides the requisite criteria to be met by a residential rental unit … <Read More>


HPD Proposes to Implement Extension of Existing 421-a Affordable Housing Tax Abatement Program

HPD brought charges of tenant harassment against an Aimco-owned building in the Upper West Side. Image credit: HPD

The “421-a Extended Affordability Program Rules” would provide a 10 to 15 year extension to eligible buildings enrolled in the program prior to its expiration. On March 14, 2016, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development proposed two agency rules to extend the 421-a real property tax exemption program for those who already had been benefiting from the program prior to its expiration in June 2015. The State authorized HPD to promulgate the new rules … <Read More>


Airbnb Opposition Makes for Strange Bedfellows

There are some things you can always count on here in New York: alternate side of the street parking, the subways always running (except when they’re not, like late nights and weekends), the Yankees making the playoffs (except when the Mets do) and landlords and tenants being diametrically opposed. Like Superman and Kryptonite, oil and water, landlords and tenants have always had one thing in common – a mutual distrust of one another.

That is … <Read More>


Legislation Proposed in NY State Assembly Would Put an End to Online Advertising of Illegal Short-Term Apartment Rentals

Elected officials and affordable housing activists unite at State capitol in support of the legislation.  On February 24, 2016, 300 members and supporters of the Share Better coalition rallied at the State capitol in support of Assembly Bill A08704, which would ban most online listings advertising rental apartments for less than thirty days per renter. Bill A08704 was proposed to the State Assembly approximately one month after a report was released to the public that … <Read More>


City Council Holds Rally, Public Hearing on Illegal Hotel Legislation

The proposed laws seek to enforce existing State regulations by increasing illegal hotel fines and reporting requirements.  On October 30, 2015, the City Council Committee on Housing and Buildings heard testimony on three proposed laws that seek to ramp up enforcement of state laws that prohibit the operation of illegal hotels.  The proposed legislation would regulate only those residential units located in multiple-dwelling buildings—not one- to four-family homes.  The proposed legislation is intended to address … <Read More>


BSA Permits Penthouse Addition

Board found complying with Multiple Dwellings Law prohibited full development of zoned area.  On May 19, 2015 the Board of Standards and Appeals voted to grant the applicant, BBD & D Inc, a permit to construct a penthouse at 237 East 72nd Street in the Upper East Side of Manhattan.  The penthouse unit will expand the current building from four stories in height to five.

On April 8, 2014 the Department of Buildings denied … <Read More>