Departments

City Council Passes Bill to Require Airbnb to Disclose Host Data

July 26, 2018    

The New York City Council recently passed a bill that requires Airbnb and other home-sharing sites to provide the names and addresses of its hosts to the city. Under state law, it’s illegal to rent out an apartment for less than 30 days unless the permanent tenant is there. If the host is...

Comptroller Issues Report on Security Deposits, Recommends Reforms

July 26, 2018    

City Comptroller Scott Stringer recently issued a report looking at the role security deposits play in the city’s housing market and outlines proposed statewide legislation that would help renters have access to apartments. According to the report, with minimal savings and rising rents...

Mayor Announces Housing Milestone, Formation of Tenant Anti-Harassment Unit

July 26, 2018    

Mayor de Blasio recently touted a new housing record. He said the city financed more than 32,000 low-income homes this past year, and nearly 110,000 since taking office. Of those, about 30 percent are new construction, while the rest have been preserved through subsidy. The mayor said the city...

Landlord v. Tenant: August 2018

July 26, 2018    

LEASES

Advisory Commission to Recommend Reforms to Property Tax System

June 20, 2018    

Mayor de Blasio and Council Speaker Johnson recently announced the formation of a new advisory commission to develop recommendations to reform NYC’s property tax system with the goal of making it simpler, clearer, and fairer, while ensuring that there is no reduction in revenue used to...

State Audit Finds False Elevator Inspections, Overlooked Safety Hazards

June 20, 2018    

An audit by state comptroller Thomas DiNapoli found that annual elevator inspections by outside contracted companies need stronger oversight. The audit looked at work done by certified elevator inspectors who worked for companies contracted by the DOB. While the DOB has 48 staff inspectors (as...

RGB Reports Changes to NYC's Rent-Stabilized Housing Stock

June 20, 2018    

The Rent Guidelines Board recently issued a report highlighting additions and subtractions of dwelling units to and from the rent stabilization system in 2017. These statistics are gathered from various city and state agencies. This report is an update of previous studies done annually...

Landlord v. Tenant: July 2018

June 20, 2018    

RENT OVERCHARGE

Landlord Failed to Prove Pre-Base Date Preferential Rent

Rent-stabilized tenant complained of rent overcharge. The DRA ruled for tenant and ordered landlord to refund an overcharge. The DRA found that, since landlord failed to provide pre-base date rent history...

Comptroller Reports on Airbnb’s Impact on Rents, Regulation Looms

May 22, 2018    

New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer recently issued a report detailing Airbnb’s effect on housing affordability from 2009 to 2016. The report says that when people put up their apartments for short-term stays, they are basically removing them from the rental market, lowering the...

Candidate Nixon Proposes Sweeping Overhaul of Rent Regulations

May 22, 2018    

Democratic gubernatorial challenger Cynthia Nixon recently released her plan to overhaul rent regulations. Nixon is promising to work with state lawmakers to reclaim and protect all units that were removed from rent stabilization through vacancy decontrol. She is seeking to re-regulate all of...

Water Board to Vote on FY 2019 Water Rate Proposal

May 22, 2018    

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently proposed increasing the New York City water and sewer rates by 2.36 percent to the NYC Water Board. Water Board rates are based on the cost of providing utility services and servicing outstanding debts that relate to water...

City Council Adopts Rent Regulations Resolutions Package

May 22, 2018    

The City Council recently passed several resolutions calling on the State Legislature to strengthen rent laws. Although the state law on rent regulation doesn’t expire until next June, it’s possible that the State Legislature may pursue the renewal of rent laws before the end of its...

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