New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman speaking at New York Law School. Image credit: CityLaw
Attorney General Schneiderman announces new legislation to crack down on rent regulated tenant harassment. On May 24, 2017, New York State Attorney General Eric. T. Schneiderman introduced the Tenant Protection Act of 2017. The new legislation is aimed at providing a criminal crack down landlords who harass their tenants. The legislation will be sponsored by Senator Liz Krueger and Assembly Member Joseph Lentol, and is another step in the Attorney General’s work regarding this topic. (more…)
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman speaking at New York Law School. Image credit: CityLaw
Schneiderman announces guilty verdict for Brooklyn landlord who harassed rent-stabilized tenants. On June 20, 2017, New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced the guilty verdict of Brooklyn landlord Daniel Melamed on three counts of Unlawful Eviction of rent-stabilized tenants. Melamed is scheduled to be sentenced on September 13, 2017 and could face up to one year in jail. (more…)
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman speaking at New York Law School. Image credit: CityLaw
A New York City landlord was indicted for mortgage fraud scheme in Lower Manhattan, stemming from tenant harassment investigation. On April 6, 2017, New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced the indictment of Dean Galasso, a New York City landlord. Galasso was indicted on six felony charges in relation to an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain a multi-million-dollar mortgage to finance the acquisition of a rental building. Galasso faces one count of Grand Larceny, two counts of Forgery, two counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument, and one count of Falsifying Business Records. If convicted, Galasso could face up to 25 years in prison. (more…)
Image Credit: Council Member Dan Garodnick
City Council Members seek to strengthen tenant protections from predatory equity landlords. On October 31, 2016, City Council’s Committee on Housing and Buildings held a five-hour public hearing on a complement of five bills, two of which related to predatory equity.
Since the mid-2000s and largely due to the housing bubble, predatory equity has become a metastasis on the New York City housing market. The predatory equity get-rich-scheme works as thus: private investment money is used to purchase a portfolio of affordable housing with the goal of immediate and substantial returns by replacing rent stabilized tenants with market value renters. The expulsion of the rent stabilized tenants is done through means both legal, by abusing technical loopholes in State law, and illegal, by dangerous living conditions and intimidation. The proposed legislation also sought to mandate HPD to create a list of favored contractors to address prevailing wage violations. (more…)
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman speaking at New York Law School, March 18, 2014. Image credit: CityLaw
The new Real Estate Enforcement Unit will be in charge of investigating tenant harassment and related complaints. On July 7, 2016, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced his new plan to create a new legal enforcement team to combat tenant harassment and related housing issues affecting New York residents. These new initiatives come in the wake of several crackdowns on housing related incidents.
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