Feature Articles

Stop Collecting Retroactive MCI Increases If Tenants Appeal

January 25, 2019

Several new and re-elected state senators have made eliminating rent increases tied to major capital improvements (MCIs) important parts of their housing agenda. Last year, State Senator Mike Gianaris and Assemblyman Brian Barnwell introduced a bill in their respective chambers that would repeal...

Provide Indoor Allergen Hazard Information to Prospective and Current Tenants

January 25, 2019

Local Law 55 of 2018, the Asthma-Free Housing Act, became effective on Jan. 19. Under this law, an owner of multiple dwellings will be required to inspect units annually for indoor allergen hazards, such as mice, cockroaches, rats, and mold. And it requires owners to prevent and remove these...

DOF Publishes FY 2020 Tentative Assessment Roll

January 25, 2019

On Jan. 15, the New York City Department of Finance (DOF) announced the publication of the tentative property assessment roll for fiscal year (FY) 2020, which shows the total market value of all New York City properties for the upcoming year at about $1.323 trillion, an increase of $72 billion,...

City Council Considers Tenant Protection Bill Package

December 18, 2018

Speaker Corey Johnson recently introduced a package of bills that focus on protecting tenants in rent-stabilized apartments from harassment by the owners. With the speaker in support of them, the bills have a good chance of passage in the Democrat-controlled Council with some minor revisions and...

Complete Annual Bedbug Filing with HPD by Jan. 31

December 18, 2018

HPD’s bedbug portal is now available and, for this current filing period, owners have until Jan. 31, 2019, to complete their annual bedbug filing. You can find the online application through HPD’s homepage under the Quick Links section at...

How to Tell If Tenant Has Corrected Illegal Sublet

November 26, 2018

Before you sue to evict a tenant for illegally subletting an apartment, you must send the tenant a legal document called a “notice to cure,” which gives the tenant a chance to correct the illegal sublet. If you end up in court on your illegal sublet claim and win, the court will...

Stovetop Knob Cover Law Goes into Effect on Dec. 6

November 26, 2018

Effective Dec. 6, 2018, per Local Law 117, the owner of a multiple dwelling must provide stove knob covers for gas-powered stoves where the owner knows or reasonably should know that a child under 6 years of age resides. Owners must also provide stove knob covers in a unit without a child under...

Asthma-Free Housing Act Goes into Effect Jan. 19

November 26, 2018

This past January, the New York City Council passed Local Law 55, the Asthma-Free Housing Act. The law intends to combat rising asthma rates and improve the quality of life for more than one million New Yorkers who have been diagnosed with asthma. Effective Jan. 19, 2019, under Local Law 55 of...

Take Complaints About Tenants’ Secondhand Smoke Seriously

November 9, 2018

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), secondhand smoke exposure contributes to approximately 41,000 deaths among nonsmoking adults and 400 deaths of infants each year. Secondhand smoke causes stroke, lung cancer, and coronary heart disease in adults. And children who...

Check to Make Sure Person Who Signs Renewal Lease Is the Tenant

October 24, 2018

Generally, tenants in rent-stabilized apartments must be offered renewal leases. The renewal lease can be for a term of one or two years, at the tenant’s choice and is at a rate set by the Rent Guidelines Board. The renewal lease offer must be made on a form created by or on a facsimile...

DHCR Increases Air-Conditioner Rent Surcharge for 2018–19

October 24, 2018

The Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) recently announced an increase in this year’s air-conditioner rent surcharge for owners who pay for electricity. It set the monthly surcharge at $26.42, up 40 cents from $26.02 last year. This year’s decrease reflects a 1.5 percent...

Building Owner Heating Obligations as 'Heat Season' Begins

October 24, 2018

During the previous “heat season,” the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) fielded 215,138 heat complaints, an increase of 7.8 percent as compared to the previous heat season. The current heat season begins on Oct. 1 and continues through May 31, 2019. During...