You can now buy an urban umbrella instead of an old-fashioned sidewalk shed. E-mail urbanumbrella@agenciegroup.com to order one.
Two constitutional cases on rent regulation were in the news this week. The Queens League of United Tenants challenge to whether owners could apply guidelines to legal rents when they had leases for lower preferential rents was rejected by state courts. Meanwhile, the city has until January 4th to answer a challenge by upper West Side property owner James Harmon in the US Supreme Court. Unfortunately, at this time, the high court is only considering whether an owner can make certain types of arguments rather than the direct question of whether decades of regulations have become a taking. If Harmon wins, however, he can go back to the lower courts on the takings issue.
Wondering what to do with your energy benchmarking information? City officials, NYSERDA and Con Edison are presenting a free workshop on interpreting the results, prioritizing improvements, and financial assistance for multifamily buildings December 12th and commercial buildings December 13th. Both programs are from 3-5 at REBNY, 570 Lexington Ave. E-mail Zachary.shelin@cadmusgroup.com with your name and company for info or reservations.
Governor Cuomo’s budget and tax deal was taken up in the Senate just 26 minutes after publication and then approved by both houses Wednesday night. The Governor was the first to note how he had achieved bipartisan action on issues that Washington could not. The next day he doled out a billion dollars for economic development projects statewide, including a few million for affordable housing and accessibility programs in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn. About $845,000 will go to the Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council, founded by Assemblyman Vito Lopez (chair of the Assembly housing committee), despite multiple investigations of the Council for corruption.
If you missed last week’s terrific ABO gala, or just want to relive it in pictures, check out these photo galleries. Gallery 2 has most of the table shots.