Photo Credit: Jeff Hopkins.
On August 11, 2017, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed legislation, the first of its kind in the nation, which guarantees legal representation for low-income tenants who face eviction. The new law has two major innovations with respect to eviction petitions brought in Housing Court. (more…)
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman speaking at New York Law School, March 18, 2014. Image credit: New York Law School
Upper West Side developer must pay $540,000 dollars in settlement costs. On June 6, 2016 New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced reaching a settlement for $540,000 with 165 West 91st Street Holdings, LLC for the loss of two rent-controlled apartments in an Upper West Side building, while it was being converted into a condominium, as a result of prohibited agreements to buy-out tenancy rights. The LLC owns an apartment building at 165 West 91st Street in Manhattan. (more…)
The Tenants Bill of Rights is signed into law. (l to r) Council Member Margaret Chin, Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, and Council Member Fernando Cabrera. Image credit: Office of Council Member Fernando Cabrera
Laws require tenants to be informed of landlord responsibilities and increase penalties for tenant harassment. On September 30, 2014 Mayor Bill de Blasio signed Local Law 45 and Local Law 47 of 2014 into law. The bills, referred to as the Tenants’ Bill Of Rights, were sponsored by Council Member Fernando Cabrera and Council Member Margaret Chin respectively, and are directed to increase protection of New York City tenants.
Coalition rallies to save the Williams Memorial Residence, June 18, 2014. Image Credit: CityLaw.
The City of New York experienced a massive influx of unmarried immigrants prior to World War II. For many of these men and women, hotel-style accommodations were more convenient and affordable than rental apartments. Such units generally did not include kitchens, but some included bathrooms. Many City newcomers preferred the old-world comforts of a communal kitchen.
For many New Yorkers without the physical or socio-economic resources necessary to maintain their own homes, single-room occupancy accommodations (SROs) became preferred housing options. Over the years, SRO units have been found in hotels, apartment buildings and even private homes. Today, SRO units are becoming increasingly difficult to identify and, thus, preserve as a viable form of affordable housing.
The rights of SRO tenants are better defined than is the category of individuals entitled to assert them. No single body of law has been formally cultivated for purposes of governing SRO housing. The web of laws and code sections applicable to SROs has become increasingly difficult to penetrate and apply. Consequently, SRO housing is in danger of vanishing despite historically strong and often well-founded support. The current controversy surrounding The Williams, a 15-story senior residence on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, is a case in point.
Illustration: Jeff Hopkins.
The United States Supreme Court’s June 25, 2013 decision, Shelby County v. Holder, struck down Section 4 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, eliminating a “preclearance” coverage formula that had subjected numerous jurisdictions with checkered voting rights histories to the U.S. Department of Justice’s oversight. Although the decision allows Congress to create a new coverage formula, in today’s political climate that appears unlikely. While the preclearance system was often associated with deep Southern states like Alabama and Mississippi, in 1971 three New York City counties – Bronx, Kings and New York – were added as covered jurisdictions, and since then the DOJ has blocked New York voting laws on several occasions to protect the rights of minority voters. This article examines Shelby County v. Holder, its consequences for minority voting rights across the country, particularly in New York, and possible local remedies in the event of Congressional inaction.
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