Feature

Follow State and Federal Laws After Terminating an Employee

September 23, 2016    
You may unknowingly break the law each time you fire or lay off an employee. That’s because there are several state and federal laws that employers must follow when they terminate an employee. These laws involve a lot of paperwork, especially if the terminated employee participated in a group...
Related Tools: Notice of Termination for Union Employee
Management Basics

Building Owner Obligations as Heating Season Begins

September 23, 2016    
During the previous “heat season,” the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) fielded 200,904 heat complaints. The current heat season begins on Oct. 1 and continues through May 31, 2017. During this time period, residential building owners with tenants are required by...
Violations

DOF Begins ECB Judgment Amnesty Program

September 23, 2016    
The Department of Finance (DOF) has officially launched the “Forgiving Fines: ECB Amnesty Program.” The program started on Sept. 12, 2016, and continues through Dec. 12, 2016. Local Law 45, which was signed by Mayor de Blasio in April, authorized the DOF to create this program for...
Landlord v. Tenant

Landlord v. Tenant: October 2016

September 23, 2016    
Major Capital Improvements MCI Rent Hike Granted for Building-Wide Carpet Installation Landlord applied for MCI rent hikes based on building-wide carpet installation. The DRA ruled for landlord, and tenants appealed. Tenants argued that carpet was previously installed in 1995 and that the replaced...
Feature

NYS Cooling Tower Regs Go into Effect to Reduce Legionella Infections

August 19, 2016    
On July 6, 2016, the New York State Department of Health’s final regulations applicable to all owners of buildings with cooling towers went into effect. The new regulations grew out of emergency regulations the Department adopted last summer when 138 residents of the South Bronx fell ill with...
Rent Increases

How to Calculate RGBO #48 Vacancy Lease Increases

August 19, 2016    
If you sign a vacancy lease with a tenant between Oct. 1, 2016, and Sept. 30, 2017, the new order issued on June 27 by the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB)—RGBO #48—lets you collect the vacancy increases permitted under the Rent Regulation Reform Act of 1997 (RRRA).
Related Tools: RGBO #48 Rent Computation Form for Vacancy Leases
Rent Increases

HCR Simplifies Obtaining MCI Increases for Accessibility Ramps

August 19, 2016    
In May 2016, the New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) issued a processing directive allowing applications for a rent increase for installing accessibility ramps as a major capital improvement (MCI). An MCI is a permanent increase in rent for a rent-stabilized or rent-controlled tenant,...
Landlord v. Tenant

Landlord v. Tenant: September 2016

August 19, 2016    
MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS Tenant Refused Access for Window Installation Landlord applied for MCI rent hikes based on building-wide installation of new windows. The DHCR ruled for landlord. One tenant filed an Article 78 appeal, claiming that the DHCR’s decision was unreasonable because she...
Feature

HUD's Criminal Background Screening Guidelines May Limit Tenant Screening Policies

July 13, 2016    
In April, HUD’s Office of General Counsel (OGC) issued guidance addressing how refusing to rent or renew a lease based on an individual’s criminal history could violate the Fair Housing Act (FHA). Although the guidance does not have the force of law, it shows how HUD intends to...
Rent Increases

RGB Approves Back-to-Back One-Year Rent Freeze, Sets Two-Year Increase at 2 Percent

July 13, 2016    
On June 27, the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) voted for a 0 percent increase on one-year leases, and a 2 percent increase on two-year leases. The nine-member board voted 7-0, with two abstentions from the members representing the interests of landlords, to approve a 0 percent increase on one-year...
Related Tools: RGBO #48 Rent Computation Form for Renewal Leases
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