Building owners denied certification may not significantly alter their buildings for five years. On October 12, 2018, the de Blasio Administration announced the application of the Certification of No Harassment (CONH) Pilot Program, which seeks to expand tenant harassment protections. The program will require buildings to meet certain criteria to certify that no previous tenant-harassment has occurred prior to obtaining construction permits for significant alterations to their property. CONH currently applies to more than 1,000 buildings, totaling to approximately 26,000 units protected under the program. (more…)
PS 163 in Manhattan. Image credit: Citylaw.
Non-profit developer sought to build residence for the elderly in Manhattan adjacent to a public school. In 2012, Jewish Home Lifecare, a non-profit providing health care services, applied to the New York State Department of Health for a permit to construct a residential facility for the elderly and disabled to be located on West 97th Street in Manhattan next door to P.S. 163. After Lifecare submitted an environmental assessment statement and an environmental impact statement, pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act, the Health Department approved the facility. Parents from P.S. 163 and nearby tenants objected and filed an article 78 petition seeking to annul the Health Department’s approval. The parents and tenants claimed that the Health Department had failed to address adequately the risks of exposure to hazardous materials and noise-levels. (more…)
226-08 141st Avenue. Image credit: Google Maps.
Owner’s house was fraudulently listed on the City register by a stranger who broke into the house and took possession. Jennifer Merin was left a house by a testamentary gift. The house is located at 226-08 141st Avenue in Queens County. In March of 2014, Darrell Beatty, without Merin’s knowledge, filed a fraudulent real property transfer report and a fraudulent deed with the City register that gave the property to himself. Beatty then broke into the house, changed the locks and took up residency. Upon going to the house, Merin discovered that Beatty had illegally taken possession. Merin called the police. When the police arrived, Beatty presented the fraudulent deed to officers. The officers refused to arrest Beatty for burglary and left. (more…)
View of Worth Street from New York Law School. Image credit: CityLand
After judge finds operator at fault of fatal collapse, agency revokes license. On May 2, 2018, the Department of Buildings announced it permanently revoked the Hoist machine Operator license of crane operator Kevin J. Reilly. Reilly was involved in the fatal crane collapse in February 2016 on Worth Street in TriBeCa adjacent to New York Law School. Reilly’s license was suspended in December 2016 and DOB filed an action to permanent revocation. CityLand previously covered the crane collapse here and here. (more…)
Image credit: Jeff Hopkins.
New York City changed the rules on the enforcement of low-level crimes when, on June 13, 2017, the Council-passed Criminal Justice Reform Act became effective. The new local law adds a new civil summons in lieu of issuing a criminal summons returnable in criminal court. (more…)
