HPD ramps up enforcement against landlords with multiple violations. Image Credit: NYC HPD

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 Bronx. (read more…)

Council Members Vanessa Gibson and Mark Levine and activists celebrate the anniversary of the passage of the Right to Counsel bill in September 2018. The program will now be expanding to include more ZIP codes. Image Credit: Official NYC Council Photo by William Alatriste

The expansion provides free legal assistance for tenants in five additional ZIP codes. On December 13, 2019, the Mayor’s Office announced an expansion of the Right to Counsel program that provides free legal assistance to New Yorkers fighting eviction. The Right to Counsel program, implemented by a ZIP code by ZIP code approach, will be expanded to five more ZIP codes across the City. (read more…)

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. (read more…)

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman speaking at New York Law School. Image credit: CityLaw

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 the Fourth Degree. Croman was sentenced to serve one year at Rikers Island. As part of his guilty plea, Croman also agreed to a $5 million tax settlement with the State. (read more…)

Lobby at 47-55 39th Place in Sunnyside, Queens. Image credit: Office of Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer

City will investigate property manager who decorated condo lobby with Nazi and other fascist regalia. On August 29, 2017, the City’s Commission on Human Rights announced that it had launched an investigation into the claims of tenant harassment at 47-55 39th Place in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Queens. The investigation stems from the display of Nazi and Confederate imagery, swastikas and other hate symbols in the lobby. Tenants, condo owners and Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer have all alleged tenant harassment by the manager, Neal Milano, in connection to the offensive displays in the common area lobby. The lobby is also plastered with hyper-patriotic posters supporting Trump and the NRA. Other posters include, but are not limited to, Lincoln, Mount Rushmore, and Uncle Sam. (read more…)

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. (read more…)