DHCR yesterday published a revised Notice of Apartment Deregulation Pursuant to High Rent Vacancy and Rent Control and Stabilization Fact Sheet #1 indicating that while the Deregulation Rent Threshold remains $2700 in New York City for 2016 due to the 0% one year renewal guideline, the threshold increased in the ETPA counties. Significantly, the Deregulation Notice still implies that a unit is deregulated if the vacancy rent that could be collected exceeds the threshold, despite the Altman decision and some interpretations of the 2015 Rent Law changes implying that the last tenant must have paid the threshold amount.
Mayor de Blasio trumpeted a water-bill break for low-income homeowners in time for Christmas, but neglected to mention that by targeting a reduction to one group of ratepayers he denied a cut to everyone else, including rental building owners.
We previously reported that Pan Am Equities was suing the City over fines levied on the building owner when a tenant illegally rented their apartment on Airbnb. Last week another building owner reacted to similar fines by suing the tenant for $300,000.
Pro Publica reported yesterday that landlords with 421a tax incentives on buildings with 50 units or more are widely ignoring prevailing wage requirements for building service workers and Comptroller Scott Stringer promised a crackdown.
More than 60,000 people applied to rent 14 below-market micro-units, ranging from 265 to 360 square feet, that were approved under former Mayor Bloomberg as an experiment. Mayor de Blasio’s proposed zoning changes for Housing Quality and Affordability would eliminate the current 400 square foot minimum.
Extell’s $6.5 million in damages for the crane that collapsed over 57th Street during Hurricane Sandy were not covered by its builder’s risk insurance, according to a decision by the Appellate Division in Lend Lease Construction vs. Zurich American. The court said the crane was a “contractor’s tool, machinery, plant, or equipment” not specifically endorsed in the builder’s policy.
The City Human Rights Commission has issued a detailed guidance on transgender discrimination issues. Owners may not, of course, discriminate against renters based on gender, but the guidance also says it is a violation to refer to someone as Miss or Mister if they express a preference for the other, and also allows individuals to self-identify for purposes of using public restrooms or locker areas.
CHIP and ABO are sponsoring a new Registered in Apartment Management class beginning January 19th. Contact brent@registeredmanager.com for details.
The latest exhibitor to sign up for our BuildingsNY trade show May 24-25th is Flir Instruments thermal imaging equipment.
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