HPD Seeks Enhanced Enforcement Against City’s Worst Buildings

HPD picked 250 buildings with over 41,000 violations for enhanced enforcement. In 2019, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) launched the Anti-Harassment Unit (AHU) to keep tenants safe and to hold owners and landlords accountable for leaving homes in disrepair. On March 4, 2020, HPD announced that the AHU filed actions for nearly $400,000 against two building owners in court. Each building owner operates three buildings in Manhattan and the … <Read More>


Mayor’s Office Releases Blueprint for Future of Fair Housing

New Fair Housing Litigation Unit will use “secret shoppers” to test the housing market for discrimination and hold bad actors accountable. On January 7, 2020, the Office of the Mayor released the Where We Live NYC Draft Plan for public review. Where We Live NYC is a comprehensive plan to advance opportunity for New Yorkers by promoting fair housing and undo intentional policies and practices of segregation and inequity. The Draft Plan analyzes the state … <Read More>


Mayor Signs Legislation To Extend Rent-Stabilization Laws

Due to City’s low vacancy rate, rent stabilization laws have been extended. On March 27, 2018, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed legislation to extend rent regulation laws for the next three years. The laws will remain in effect until April 1, 2021. State rent stabilization laws continue to be effective when the vacancy rate is below 5%. The City’s vacancy rates are determined and measured by the Housing and Vacancy Survey, which is conducted every … <Read More>


Public Advocate’s Bill Creates a Centralized Database on the City’s Landlords

New Yorkers will now have access to detailed information on individual landlords in the City. On December 19, 2017, Public Advocate Letitia James’s legislation to create a centralized database on New York City’s landlords was passed unanimously in the New York City Council.


Expecting to Meet Goals Two Years Ahead of Schedule, Mayor de Blasio Expands the Housing Plan Objectives

The de Blasio administration increases goal to building and preserving 300,000 affordable units by 2026. On October 24, 2017, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the administration is on track with meeting the goal of 200,000 units and is expected to meet the goal by 2022, two years ahead of the 2014 plan’s original date. Using the City’s new tools, programs and funding, the City will work to secure 25,000 affordable units annually by 2021. … <Read More>


Schneiderman Announces Sentencing of Harassing Manhattan Landlord

Schneiderman announces one-year jail sentence and $5 million settlement with major New York City landlord who fraudulently refinanced loans and committed tax fraud. On October 3, 2017, New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced the sentencing of landlord Steven Croman who owns more than 140 apartment buildings across Manhattan. In June 2017, Croman pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Third, Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree and Criminal Tax Fraud in … <Read More>