Two years ago, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a new flood map for the New York City region, one that substantially expanded what’s known as the “100-year floodplain”—areas where there is at least a 1 percent chance of flooding in any given year. The...
State investigators have launched an investigation into an East Village owner who has been accused of intimidating tenants into vacating their rent-regulated units. The state’s Tenant Protection Unit recently served subpoenas as part of an investigation into claims of tenant harassment....
Faced with a rising number of complaints from tenants, particularly in New York City’s fastest growing neighborhoods, Attorney General Schneiderman, Mayor de Blasio, and Governor Cuomo created a joint Tenant Harassment Prevention Task Force in February to investigate and bring enforcement...
The Democrat-controlled New York State Assembly recently approved legislation to extend and strengthen rent regulations, setting up a battle with the Republican-controlled State Senate. The Assembly’s bill would extend city rent regulations—which expire in June—for another four...
Building on Mayor de Blasio’s “One New York: The Plan for a Strong and Just City,” the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the New York City Housing Development Corporation recently announced the new Green Housing Preservation Program to assist owners...
Mayor Bill de Blasio recently proposed a sweeping overhaul of the 421-a tax program to spur a new wave of housing with rent-restricted apartments in New York City. The mayor called for tough new provisions in the 421-a program that will expand requirements citywide, double the amount of rent-...
On May 5, the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) held a preliminary vote on rent increases for rent-stabilized apartments. The chair’s proposal passed by five votes, allowing for 0 to 2 percent increases for one-year leases, 0.5 to 3.5 percent for two-year leases, and 10 percent for sublets. This...
The de Blasio administration has made recent efforts to increase protections for rent-stabilized tenants, including free legal representation for tenants in up to 15 neighborhoods. It’s also launching a new Tenant Harassment Prevention Task Force with State Attorney General Eric...
On March 27, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) formally recommended a water rate increase of 3.24 percent to the New York City Water Board. This marks the second consecutive annual increase since Mayor de Blasio took office, but the lowest one in a decade.
Two Brooklyn owners were arrested for intentionally wrecking apartments in order to drive tenants out of their rent-stabilized buildings. The owners, who are brothers collectively known as JBI Management, had destroyed the kitchens and bathrooms of two ground-floor apartments with a sledgehammer...
Mayor Bill de Blasio recently appointed a new chair of the City Commission on Human Rights (CHR): Carmelyn Malalis, a partner at the law firm Outten & Golden LLP. He also appointed eight new commissioners to the agency. Ms. Malalis replaces Patricia Gatling.
As the annual fight on increases nears, Mayor de Blasio has appointed three new members to the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) that sets rents for about one million rent-stabilized apartments in the city, completing the process of filling all nine seats with his selections.
