Departments

City Council Speaker Airs Concerns Over Canceling Rent

May 21, 2020

On May 14, when asked about canceling rent on WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer show, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson called for federal financial assistance to help struggling residents pay their rent. He noted that a cancellation of rent could further disrupt the city’s budget, which is...

DHCR Extends Processing and Procedures Deadlines

May 21, 2020

On April 20, the DHCR updated Advisory Opinion 2020-2 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance with respect to processing and other procedures affecting the Office of Rent Administration (ORA) and Tenant Protection Unit (TPU).

All agency matters that weren’t final as of March 13, 2020...

State Lawmakers Seek to Extend Eviction Moratorium

April 23, 2020

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...

NYS Coalition Calls for $10B for Emergency Housing and Rental Assistance

April 23, 2020

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...

Will Insurance Cover COVID-Related Business Losses?

April 7, 2020

The Insider spoke with Allen Wolff, a shareholder in the law firm Anderson Kill.

Q: Landlords are bracing for a drop in rental income as more and more tenants who lose their jobs stop paying rent. Would standard insurance that most landlords carry...

Landlord v. Tenant: April 2020

March 19, 2020

PASSING ON APARTMENTS

Rent-Stabilized Tenant’s Daughter Forged Tenant’s Name on Renewal Leases

Landlord sued to evict rent-stabilized tenant and his daughter. Landlord claimed that tenant left the apartment in 2004 and began living elsewhere, without notifying...

Think Twice Before Upgrading to Biometric Entry System

February 21, 2020

If you have rent-stabilized tenants in your building and you’re considering switching from a key- or fob-based entry system to a biometric fingerprint system, you may want to reconsider.

Judge Temporarily Blocks State Guidance Barring Brokers' Fees

February 21, 2020

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 Proposes 'Tenant Bill of Rights' Flyer with Every Lease

February 20, 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...

Landlord v. Tenant: March 2020

February 20, 2020

LANDLORD’S NEGLIGENCE

Landlord Not Required to Inspect Smoke Detector

Tenant sued landlord after he was injured during a fire in his apartment. Tenant claimed that landlord failed to provide an operable smoke detector because it didn’t regularly inspect the smoke...

NYC's Right-to-Counsel Program Expands to Five More Neighborhoods

December 17, 2019

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...

Bill Requires Units for Homeless in City-Backed Projects

December 17, 2019

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...