On April 7, State Senators Brad Hoylman and Liz Krueger along with Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz introduced the “Tenant Safe Harbor Act,” which would prohibit owners from evicting tenants for nonpayment of rent during New York’s current state of emergency and for six months...
On April 14, New York State Senator Brian Kavanagh, Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, and over 200 state senators, Assembly members, City Council members, county executives, city-wide elected officials, tenant advocates, and owner organizations sent a letter to Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten...
Recently, a New York State judge temporarily blocked the state’s guidance that had effectively barred tenants from having to pay a broker fee. The judge’s order prevents legal action against brokers who collect a fee, until both sides can present their case on March 13, 2020.
City Comptroller Scott Stringer recently issued a policy brief calling for a “Tenant Bill of Rights” to be provided in every lease packet. He’s calling for legislation that would mandate this communication. Stringer believes current leases are confusing to tenants and can hide...
The de Blasio administration recently announced the expansion of free legal services to more New York residents facing eviction. This expansion represents the next phase in the right-to-counsel initiative, originally passed in 2017 by the City Council, which became the first-in-the-nation plan...
As New York City grapples with record numbers of homeless people, city officials have agreed to force developers of designated low-income projects to set aside 15 percent of the units for the homeless. The requirement will be the centerpiece of a bill that has broad support among City Council...
The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) recently asked the city to help owners cover the costs of lead abatement in their buildings in testimony submitted to the City Council. The industry group argued that changes to the state’s rent law hinders owners’ abilities to pay for lead...
Former owners of a rental building in Far Rockaway have agreed to pay $1 million to settle a federal lawsuit accusing them of discriminating against people who had been incarcerated. The lawsuit claimed that the owner refused to rent apartments to applicants who had served time in prison. The...
The City Council’s Committee on Housing and Buildings recently received a bill that would require building owners to provide residents with mechanical keys to their buildings and individual apartments. This would allow residents to bypass keyless entry systems, which can include facial...
Privacy concerns by tenants and civil liberties experts have prompted the New York City Council to consider legislation that would regulate the use of facial recognition technology by both business owners and landlords. The KEYS (Keep Entry to Your Home Surveillance Free) Act, introduced by...
An administrative judge recently ruled that a landlord had violated the city’s human rights law for threatening to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on a tenant. The judge recommended she pay $17,000 in a fine and damages. New York’s Commission on Human Rights...
On Aug. 14, 2019, the City Council passed Intro 30-A, which gives HPD liens a stronger position. It establishes that outstanding charges resulting from relocation expenses incurred by HPD following the issuance of certain vacate orders constitute a tax lien on a property. In other words, after...
