Feature Articles

RGB Issues Rent Freeze Amid Pandemic

June 26, 2020

The RGB freezes one-year renewal rents and sets a partial freeze for two-year renewals.

On June 17, in a 6 to 3 vote, the city’s Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) decided to freeze rents for rent-stabilized tenants with one-year leases. For two-year renewal leases, a 1...

New Filing Rules Aim to Manage Expected Deluge of Eviction Cases

June 26, 2020

On June 18, New York State Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks issued a memo and two administrative orders regarding residential and commercial eviction proceedings. According to the memo, the court is concerned about the public health consequences from a “sudden high-volume influx...

Follow Phase 2 Guidance for Showing Apartments

June 26, 2020

On June 22, New York City entered Phase 2 of Governor Cuomo’s phased approach to reopen industries and businesses in New York State. As part of Phase 2, real estate and rental-leasing industries are allowed to reopen their workplaces. This means brokerages, property managers, and...

File 2020 Rent Registrations Online by July 31

June 26, 2020

You must file an Annual Apartment Registration application with the DHCR for every rent-stabilized apartment you own by July 31, 2020, using the DHCR’s online Owner Rent Regulation Application system. As in past years, the penalty for not filing is stiff: You can’t collect a rent...

Facade Amnesty Program Begins July 1 for Limited Time

June 26, 2020

The DOB’s Facade Inspection and Safety Program (FISP) is offering an amnesty period beginning July 1, 2020. The amnesty period will give owners who didn’t file (No Report Filed - NRF) a Façade Report during Cycle 8 the opportunity to administratively close Cycle 8 with the Cycle 9...

DOB Modifies Tenant Protection Plan Form

June 26, 2020

Owners anticipating construction work in their occupied buildings must comply with Tenant Protection Plan (TPP) requirements and notices. These requirements came about in 2017 through a package of bills focusing on tenant harassment. At the time, among the bills signed into law was one for an...

Airbnb and City Settle Lawsuit Over Host Disclosure Rules

June 26, 2020

On June 12, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Airbnb announced a settlement of their years-long lawsuit regarding Local Law 146 of 2018.

How to Comply with Order Extending Eviction Moratorium

May 21, 2020

We explain which tenants are protected and how to let tenants tap security deposits for rent.

On May 7, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into effect New York State Executive Order No. 202.28, extending the eviction moratorium from June 20 through Aug. 20. The moratorium...

RGB Favors Rent Freeze in Preliminary Vote

May 21, 2020

In a preliminary vote held on May 7, the NYC Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) proposed guidelines for rent-stabilized apartments effective Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2021. The board voted 5-4 to endorse freezing rents on one-year leases and the first year of two-year leases signed on or after...

A Market Reinvigorated: The Impact of Regina Metropolitan on the Rental Building Market

May 21, 2020

By Arun Perinbasekar

How New Emergency Paid Leave Benefits Apply to Building Service Workers

April 23, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the local health department have encouraged workers who are sick to stay home. Benefits such as sick leave and family leave can help employees follow these guidelines during this precarious time....

RGB Issues Income & Expense Study, Annual Meetings to Continue

April 23, 2020

Despite Mayor de Blasio’s announcement in April that the city was working with the state to suspend the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) meetings, the meetings will be held remotely this year. The mayor said that there were some legal concerns with suspending the board. The RGB is mandated by...