We noted in a recent Himmelstein, McConnell, Gribben, Donoghue & Joseph blog post the hyped yet necessarily muted excitement of many NYC tenant advocates concerning recently passed housing legislation. That law is formally denoted as the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019.
Pro-renter groups spanning a diverse spectrum have great hopes concerning the specifics of many provisions in that bill.
At the same time, though, they counsel patience and a close watch on actors who they say will test the law and seek to unlawfully circumvent its protections. A recent article in the publication Curbed reports, “Outlets have already reported on instances of landlords [and other management principals] flouting the new rules.” We spotlight immediately below some prominently stated concerns.
- Background/credit check processing-fee irregularities
- Shortchanging of tenants in matters linked to security deposits
- Rental hikes exceeding statutorily imposed limits
- Maintenance deficiencies that imperil tenants’ health and safety
A key concern related to the initial bullet points above is the confirmed attempt by management entities to jack up application fees far in excess of the $20 charge now allowed by the new legislation. A close watch will now also focus on attempts to manipulate the tighter controls on apartment security deposits. Material changes of a restrictive nature have also been made to the allowable increases permitted following the expiration of a so-called “preferential rent” lease.
The above bullet points underscore what is merely a skeletal spotlighting of myriad additional concerns harbored by tenants across New York City and attached areas.
A central point advanced by Curbed is its recommendation for a renter to “always” consult with a proven pro-tenant legal team when a material dispute rises with a landlord or other management principal.
We welcome contacts to HMGJ concerning matters relevant to real estate matters and tenant-linked representation.
