Feature

How to Prove a Case for Owner Occupancy Destabilization

December 19, 2012    
An owner may want to move into a rent-stabilized apartment in a building he owns for many reasons. He may desire a place to live in New York City; he may seek an apartment for a family member; he may want to expand the size of an apartment he already occupies in the building.
Landlord v. Tenant

Landlord v. Tenant: January 2013

December 19, 2012    
DOB Violations: Landlord Exempt from Filing Local Law 11 Report DOB issued a violation notice to landlord for failing to file an amended report to confirm the correction of unsafe building facade conditions described in the initial report he filed under Local Law 11 of 1998. Landlord claimed that...
In the News

Tenants Sue Owner for Smelly Aftermath

December 19, 2012    
A group of tenants in Manhattan Beach recently went to court to make their building’s owner get rid of a foul smell that Superstorm Sandy left behind. According to tenants, a smell has permeated the 49-unit property ever since sea water flooded the basement and sprang leaks in stored fuel...
Feature

DOB Issues Placards, Waives Application Fees for Repair Work

November 26, 2012    
On Nov. 12, Mayor Bloomberg signed an emergency order to waive all Department of Buildings (DOB) application and permit fees for repair work to buildings damaged by Hurricane Sandy. To help New Yorkers affected by the storm, buildings with significant structural damage in need of demolition,...
Management Basics

DOB Extends Boiler Inspection and Report Deadline to Dec. 31

November 26, 2012    
The Department of Buildings (DOB) recently announced that the inspection and report deadlines for low- and high-pressure boilers have been extended to Dec. 31. In addition, reports for these inspections are now due no later than Feb. 15, 2013.
Feature

How to Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste Resulting from Hurricane Damage

November 26, 2012    
Household hazardous waste (HHW) generated as a result of damage from Hurricane Sandy includes such things as contaminated petroleum products, paint, and pesticides. HHW should be disposed of properly to protect people’s health and the environment. The New York State Department of...
Management Basics

Follow Five Safety Tips When Using Backup Generators After a Disaster

November 26, 2012    
Hurricane Sandy was the largest Atlantic hurricane on record, as well as the second-costliest Atlantic hurricane in history, surpassed only by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. According to recent accounts, victims of Hurricane Sandy have been streaming into temporary emergency rooms and relief centers...
In the News

FEMA Increases Temporary Housing Rental Assistance for NY Hurricane Victims

November 26, 2012    
State and federal officials are worried about an increase in the number of those displaced by Hurricane Sandy seeking temporary shelter. Although many people have stayed home despite having neither heat nor hot water, particularly in city housing projects in Coney Island and the Rockaways,...
Landlord v. Tenant

Landlord v. Tenant: December 2012

November 26, 2012    
Attorney's Fees: Tenant Gets Attorney's Fees in Discrimination Case Prospective tenant, a 45-year-old disabled man with AIDS, sued a real estate broker for housing discrimination after it refused to show him any apartments. Tenant had disclosed that he had a subsidy to help pay the rent....
Feature

DHCR Will Approve MCI Rent Hikes for Backflow Prevention Devices

October 23, 2012    
New York City’s water purity is protected by many layers of laws and regulations. Protecting the water supply is important because clean water is essential for good health and contaminated water can spread diseases and death over large populations. In the past few years, we’ve seen a...