New York Loft Law reformists want action from NYC Mayor de Blasio

Time passes quickly, and advocates for material changes in the state’s Loft Law who were clearly buoyed by NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s rhetoric late last autumn now want to see resulting action.
The mayor addressed Brooklyn residents at a town hall meeting in October, using the forum to announce “big changes” his administration would make to the law this year.
Advocates for reform — which they say is long overdue and must bring material revisions more protective to tenants — are now waiting.
And, given de Blasio’s words, they are expectant. The mayor is on record as decrying a Loft Law philosophy pushed under predecessor Michael Bloomberg’s administration that he alleges inadequately protected loft tenants while unfairly favoring landlords.
That approach “was wrong,” de Blasio said. He has voiced support for eliminating obstacles that undercut support for affordable housing generally, and particularly for “artists and cultural workers” seeking unit conversion under the Loft Law.
Although the Loft Law is partially understand by many, provisions addressing it are notably complex. The law contains a number of legal twists and turns, as well as nuanced language that can make full comprehension a studied task. There is a timing requirement relevant to filing registration applications, as well as varied eligibility periods set forth for residents who lived in buildings potentially subject to the law in different decades.
Additionally, any building sought to be covered by the law cannot possess a residential certificate of occupancy, and it must have been used at one time for commercial, warehouse or manufacturing purposes.
Questions or concerns regarding the Loft Law and the process for converting a building space into a legal residence can be directed to an experienced NYC tenants’ rights law firm.