27 West 96th Street in Manhattan. Image Credit: Google Maps.

Landlord not responsible for more than four years of overcharged rent. On August 16, 2018, the Appellate Division for the First Department held that the landlord for 27 West 96^th Street in Manhattan did not engage in a fraudulent scheme to evade the Rent Stabilization Law and therefore the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) had miscalculated the amount of overcharged rent that was due back to tenants.

Rendering of 599 Courtlandt Avenue. Image Credit: Procida/CPC

New development on current vacant lot will include eight affordable units and ground floor commercial space. On September 5, 2018, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on an application by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) for the acquisition of property at 599 Courtlandt Street in the Melrose section of the Bronx. The property is located between East 150^th and East 151^st Streets. The applicants plan to build a mixed-use residential and commercial building.

New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson spoke at this morning’s 155^th CityLaw Breakfast at New York Law School. Council Speaker Johnson was introduced by Professor Ross Sandler, Director of the Center for New York City Law, with remarks by Dean Anthony W. Crowell.

429 East 64th Street. Image credit: Google Maps.

Building owners claimed landmark status caused financial hardship. Stahl York Avenue Co., LLC, tenement development owner of 429 East 64th Street and 430 East 65th Street in the Upper East Side, sued the City and the Landmark Preservation Commission in January 2016, asking the court to release the property landmark status in order to permit demolition and construct new high-rises for larger profits. Stahl York Avenue sought to demolish the two buildings, which are part of six walk up buildings known as “First Avenue Estate,” after claiming financial hardship. The First Avenue Estate, was designated as a landmark in August 1990 by the Commission. In 2007, the Commission approved and adopted resolution to include Stahl York Avenue’s buildings as part of the landmark status. The tenement developments are “light-court” tenements which are designed so that every room in each apartment has natural light from exterior windows, or interior courtyards, which in turn makes the apartments appear larger.

Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar rendering. Image credit: Mayor’s Office.

New light rail will bring much-needed connectivity to other existing modes of transportation. On August 30, 2018, the de Blasio Administration announced plans to move forward with the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) streetcar project. The emissions-free light rail system will help serve the continuously growing Brooklyn-Queens Waterfront communities that are underserved by existing transportation.

Spring Creek Towers. Image credit: Google Maps.

Rental Assistance program sought to establish lease renewal and limit rent increases based on rent stabilization regulations. In 2015, prospective tenants Regina Alston and Sandra Vaughn-Cooke inquired about apartment vacancies at Spring Creek Towers. Starrett City, Inc. owns Spring Creek Towers, located in the East New York neighborhood in Brooklyn. Spring Creek Towers is an apartment complex with 5,881 apartments. Alston and Vaughn-Cooke both had Living in Communities (LINC) rental vouchers. Starrett City, Inc. did not accept the LINC rent vouchers.