258 West 97th Street. Image Credit: Google Maps
Upper West Side residential building converted to hotel. On May 29, 2014, a Department of Buildings inspector cited the owner of a residential building, located at 258 West 97th Street, Manhattan, with illegally converting the building into a hotel for temporary lodging. The building was originally divided into apartment units for three or more families to live independently from one another. The owner converted the building into temporary one-room and two-room lodging. The Buildings inspector also charged the owner with a failure to provide legally required exits for each floor and for commercial operations in a residential zone. (more…)
Nostrand Avenue Pub, right, was fined for noise complaints from tenants in the adjacent building. Credit: Google Maps
Music from a Crown Heights Pub violated music noise level limits inside a residential building. A new tenant moved into a residential building in Crown Heights and complained about the music coming from the adjacent building, the Nostrand Avenue Pub located at 658 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn. The residential building owner had recently renovated the residential units. The Pub’s sound system included four Infinity speakers and one iPhone. Prior to the new tenant’s complaints, the Pub operated with the same sound system for seven years without any complaint. (more…)
Image Credit: NYC DOB.
The new tools help show which buildings are subject to new energy efficiency regulations. On May 12, 2021, the Department of Buildings released new digital resources to assist building owners in complying with building sustainability requirements. (more…)
280 Mulberry Street. Image Credit: Google Maps.
Tenant advertised apartment for transit use on Airbnb; building owner charged. On May 2, 2019, Building Inspector Botticelli, in response to a complaint, visited 280 Mulberry Street, Manhattan, owned and operated by 280 Mulberry Realty, LLC. Inspector Botticelli was given access to apartment 2E by four guests from France staying there who had gained access to the apartment by making a reservation on Airbnb.com from April 26 – May 6, 2019. The tenant of apartment 2E, Alex, had listed the apartment with Airbnb but was not present. Inspector Botticelli, in a test after his visit, made a reservation of his own from May 29th – 30th, 2019. Based on the information, Inspector Botticelli served summonses against 280 Mulberry Realty, charging the illegal conversion of apartment 2E from a permanent residence into a multi-purpose dwelling unit, and for various additional safety violations. (more…)
Image credit: New York City Council.
Free representation in housing court for low income tenants will now be available citywide. On April 29, 2021, the City Council passed three bills advancing tenants rights. Two of the bills focus on expanding the right to counsel in housing court for tenants citywide and an outreach program to notify tenants of their rights. The third bill focuses on tenant data privacy. All three bills were sponsored by Council Member Mark Levine. (more…)
