Testimonies at the public hearing revealed concerns about the two bills and their impact on the City’s tenants and landlords. On April 28, 2020, the City Council Committee on Housing and Buildings, and Committee on Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing held a joint public hearing on two bills that will provide protection to residential and commercial tenants who are financially impacted by COVID-19. Introduction 1912, sponsored by Council Speaker Corey Johnson, will prohibit court … <Read More>
Search Results for: NYC Landlords
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>
Chief Administrative Judge Issues Statewide Moratorium on Eviction Proceedings in Wake of Corona Crisis
REBNY, Legal Aid and all parties united against evictions during Corona outbreak. On March 15, 2020, the New York State Court System issued an indefinite moratorium on eviction proceedings, effectively allowing many people and families throughout the state to stay in their homes and off the streets or in shelters. Tenant advocates and numerous elected officials argued housing insecurity and homelessness will only exacerbate the COVID-19 threat. The proceedings which a New York City … <Read More>
REBNY Challenges Department of State’s Memo Prohibiting Broker’s Fees
Real estate community in state of confusion over 2019 Rent laws. On February 10, 2020, the Real Estate Board of New York Inc. (“REBNY’”), the New York State Associations of Realtors (“NYSAR”) and a host of residential real estate brokerages were granted a temporary restraining order, blocking the New York State Department of State’s guidance on broker commissions. The TRO comes in conjunction with their Article 78 filing seeking to invalidate the memorandum’s entire section … <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>
Second Circuit Upholds Ruling that Loft Tenants Have Property Rights in Bankruptcy Proceedings
Loft Law prevents using bankruptcy as a tool to circumvent housing law. In 2002, Bridge Associates of Soho, Inc. (“Bridge Associates”) acquired 99 Vandam Street in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan. 99 Vandam is a seven-story residential loft building that has been governed by Article 7-C of the New York Multiple Dwelling Law (“Loft Law”) since approximately 1991. Loft Law governs the conversion of manufacturing and commercial use buildings to residential use buildings. The law … <Read More>