Recently in the news are stories about squatters taking over properties in New York. A recent blog post addressed the question of who is legally defined as a squatter, and how such a person could be evicted. The reason for this prior analysis is that, under then-current New York law,…
Articles Posted in Landlord and Tenant
New York Eviction Law – Who is a Squatter?
Recently in the news is a story about a couple who purchased a house in Queens after foreclosure. After they completed their purchase, they discovered a “squatter” living in the house. This story raises the question of who is legally defined as a squatter, and how can such a person…
Lengthy Delays in Landlord-Tenant Proceedings – Will a Lawsuit Help?
A recent case was filed in Supreme Court, Queens County by a group of corporations under the umbrella of the LeFrak Organization – one of the largest landlords in Queens. The lawsuit was brought as an Article 78 proceeding. An Article 78 proceeding is a lawsuit brought against a New…
Is there a Doctor in the Property?
We have represented both landlords and tenants with respect to commercial leases. This post will examine the particulars to be considered when a doctor or medical practice is the tenant. When evaluating a potential location, the proposed tenant should first determine whether the space is compliant with the Americans with…
Non-Payment Proceedings – Handling them the Right Way
A recent article in the New York Post reports on the tragic story of a New York City landlord who claimed he was “under pressure” and had “a lot of issues” with his tenants, namely, that they were late paying rent. Unfortunately, the landlord responded to the situation by murdering…
New York Real Estate- The Tenant Becomes the Owner
We have observed that the current inventory of houses available to purchase in the area serviced by our attorneys is low. In addition, many houses are rented. When the tenant and landlord have a good relationship, it is not unusual for the parties to agree that the tenant will buy…
Eviction Judgments and Warrants in New York
As the moratorium on eviction cases in New York State due to the COVID-19 pandemic fades into memory, our firm has resumed regular operations regarding landlord-tenant law. In general, this means eviction cases when a tenant may have stayed past the expiration of his lease (known as holdover actions), and…
Rental Housing and Federal Government – New Biden Administration Proposals
Recently in the news are proposals by the Biden administration regarding policies to allegedly protect rental tenants. According to the stories, multiple federal agencies are strongly considering taking actions that are designed to strengthen tenant protections and encourage rental affordability. Of course, experience has shown that well-intentioned government actions often…
Commercial Leases and the Pandemic – Who Pays?
As the COVID-19 pandemic fades, some legal cases that were temporarily postponed by the Courts, such as commercial evictions , are resuming and going forward in litigation. A recent case in the news involved the popular family restaurant Applebee’s, and its location in the heart of New York City, …
Couple or Throuple? Succession Rights in New York Rental Units
Our firm often fields inquiries from clients regarding successor rights in New York residential rental apartments. First, experienced counsel should determine whether the premises are subject to rent regulation. Rent regulation in New York State applies to many, but not all, residential units. It is more prevalent in New York…