Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement Brings Lawsuit Over Illegal Short-Term Rental Operation

The lawsuit claims that at least 130 apartments were converted into illegal short-term rentals. On January 14, 2019, the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement announced that it filed a lawsuit against several defendants for converting apartments in 35 residential buildings into illegal short-term rentals through websites like Airbnb. The defendants include Metropolitan Property Group (MPG), five current or former MPG employees and 18 associated corporate entities. The lawsuit was filed on January 14, 2019, in … <Read More>


City Planning Considers Rezoning in the Bronx to Allow Nine Story Residential Building

City Planning staff recommend that the Commission adopt Borough President recommendation to reduce the size of the rezoning area. On December 19, 2018, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on a proposed redevelopment at 2712 Williamsbridge Road in the Allerton section of the Bronx. The applicant, 2712 Radcliff Yates Realty LLC, seeks to rezone to residential zoning with a commercial overlay a portion of an area comprised of seven lots bounded by Williamsbridge … <Read More>


Owner of SRO Denied Certificate

Owner of Manhattan brownstone sought to convert a single room occupancy building. Nicole and Clinton Simpson own a single non-occupancy building located at 107 West 122nd Street in Manhattan. The Simpsons purchased the building in September 2016 from the prior owner, who had owned the building from 2007-2016. The Simpsons applied to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development for a certificate of no harassment, a requirement which must be satisfied before the owner … <Read More>


Claim based on verbal request denied

Construction Company sought additional compensation related to the reconstruction of Washington Square Park. In May 2015, the Parks Department contracted with SH5 Construction Corp. to reconstruct perimeter sidewalks around Washington Square Park, Manhattan. SH5 alleged a Parks employee gave it verbal instructions to install a straight curb instead of a drop curb at the north side of the park between 5th Avenue and University Place.


Bronx Borough President Issues Proposal to Preserve Preferential Rent Housing

Borough President Diaz proposes new policy to prevent homelessness and displacement of tenants of preferential rent units. On December 13, 2018, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. issued a report titled “The Preferential Rent Crisis in New York City.” The report examines the scope of the preferential rent issue in all five boroughs and the risk tenants of preferential rent apartments face should landlords increase their rents to the legal registered rent for those units. … <Read More>


City Planning Approves Second-of-its-Kind Industrial Business Incentive Area Project

The project will provide much needed office space while preserving industrial space that is characteristic of the Greenpoint/Williamsburg area. On December 5, 2018, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on a proposed mixed-use development at 12 Franklin Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, located within the Greenpoint/Williamsburg Industrial Business Zone.  The applicant is proposing to build a seven story, approximately 134,222 square foot building that will contain a mix of light industrial, office, and retail … <Read More>