January 16, 2023
When a co-op board learns that a hoarder is residing in the building, what should it do—and not do? Take these actions:
The first step in any co-op board hoarder response NYC plan is to formally notify the shareholder. This notice should:
Clear documentation is essential if the situation escalates legally.
Co-op boards typically have the right to access units under specific conditions outlined in the building’s bylaws.
If the shareholder refuses access, the board may need to seek a court order to gain entry.
Once inside, the board or property management team should evaluate:
Understanding the severity helps determine the next course of action.
In many cases, direct communication is not enough.
Boards may:
There are specialized companies that handle hoarding situations safely and discreetly.
If no family support is available, co-op boards can involve city agencies.
For example:
👉 Learn more about housing and safety enforcement through the NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD):
https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/index.page
If the shareholder does not respond to notices or continues unsafe behavior:
This step requires legal documentation and court involvement.
Eviction should always be the final option in a co-op board hoarder response NYC case.
Boards may proceed if:
The process includes:
Because this process is complex and time-consuming, it should only be used when all other options fail.
Professional property management companies play a key role in resolving hoarding situations by:
👉 Explore our Brooklyn property management services for co-op building support
👉 Learn more about Queens property management solutions for long-term building stability
Boards can reduce the risk of future issues by:
Early intervention is the most effective way to prevent escalation.
January 9, 2023
A mound of greasy rat carcasses sat in front of Eric Adams. He describes his strategy for ridding the city of its vermin issue in the late summer of 2019.
The then-Borough President of Brooklyn remarked that “many people have accepted having rats in their community.” He goes on, “What’s truly holding our city back is the refusal to go outside the box?”.
It’s a well-known fact that rats are taking over New York in growing numbers. Rat sighting reports increased by more than two-thirds in 2021 compared to the same period in 2019. According to city records, that pattern has persisted this year. Last month saw the largest number of rat complaints in April in at least ten years.
The city’s Health Department hasn’t yet returned to full strength. More than two years after the early stages of the epidemic forced a halt to pest control inspections. The agency performed 20% fewer inspections throughout the first four months of this year. Comparing to the same time in 2019.
Rat eradication attempts in New York City have failed repeatedly throughout the years. The New York Times issued a dire warning in 1865. The city was “quickly earning an awful renown” for breeding more rats than “any other metropolis in the Union.” Guns, birth control, scented garbage bags, and terriers have all been used as forms of defense over the years.
The surge in outdoor dining has contributed to the increase in food waste. This is to blame for the increase in rat activity. The representative also stated that the organization was concentrating on increasing enforcement and education. While pleading with the city’s property owners to help reduce rat-feeding sources. Officials and rodent mitigation specialists said that the city isn’t doing enough to reduce the rat population. For starters, the Adams administration has reduced plans for composting growth. A crucial environmental project that would also lessen on-street rat banquets.
An early epidemic rule required large residential structures to containerize their garbage. This has been dropped by the Department of Sanitation. Similar efforts to supply containers to companies that depend on independent carters have likewise failed. It has long been difficult to quantify the rat problem in New York City, let alone solve it. According to one statistical research, the number of above-ground rats is most likely about 2 million. Some estimates place the number closer than 250,000.
Currently, the Council is asking the mayor’s office to increase its existing budget by $22 million. In order to increase basket pick-up service to twice daily from once per day. This would allocate an extra $5 million for rodent control services.
Recently, it was revealed that Eric Adams is looking to hire someone to deal with the rat issue.
Someone who is “slightly bloodthirsty” and devoted to the “wholesale murder” of vermin to lead the city’s war on rats.
The new position will be paid between $120,000 and $170,000 per year and report to the deputy mayor for operations. It was formerly known as the director of rodent mitigation. A “swashbuckling attitude, clever humor, and general air of badassery” are among the requirements for the position.
Will this “Rat Czar” be what NYC needs? Positive outcomes are all we can hope for.
January 5, 2023
Winter heating tips help apartment residents save money, improve comfort, and reduce unnecessary heat loss during colder months.
Read below to get some new ideas.
1. Clear The Way
Today, the most typical apartment heating methods are radiators and duct-connected vents. Examine your apartment for heat registers. Are radiators obstructed by sofas, chairs, bed frames, tables, or other furniture, preventing warm air from circulating uniformly across the room? Similarly, are heat vents clean and unobstructed, enabling optimal airflow?
Vents near floor frames or above floor crown molding are especially troublesome. Apartment furniture may easily block off floor-side air vents without your knowledge. This winter, channel your inner HGTV interior designer by rearranging apartment objects to create obvious heat resister channels.
2. Add Reflectors
Radiators radiate heat in all directions, including the wall directly behind them. Heat-directed there does nothing for your apartment. Fortunately, radiator reflectors come in handy here.
These heat-resistant sheets slide behind radiators and nearby walls, diverting warmth back into the space rather than absorbing it. Find heat-resistant reflecting sheets online or in your local hardware shop, where they cost between $20 and $40.
Please keep in mind that reflectors only operate when placed between a radiator and an outside wall. Interior walls, such as those separating rooms in your flat, will not contribute as much to overall heat loss.
3. Buy a Humidifier
Using humidifiers in the winter helps more than only prevent dry skin and chapped lips. Humidity acts as a heat amplifier as well.
Humid air captures and holds heat more effectively than dry air. Including a humidifier in your bedroom and living area will assist control warmer temperatures while also providing additional benefits such as less dry skin.
The Department of Energy recommends testing the relative humidity levels in your unit. The ideal relative humidity values for your house should be between 20 and 40%. When the moisture levels in your house are acceptable, you may lower your thermostat a few degrees without feeling a significant change.
4. Keep Those Curtains Under Control
Allow sunshine to enter your flat by leaving the curtains open during the day. Windows towards the east, south, and west should be kept open during the day to capture the most natural heat and light. Draw your curtains or blinds around sundown to trap in the heat that has gathered during the day.
If you buy quilted curtains for your home, you’ll get extra points. Quilted drapes’ thicker fabric is ideal for trapping more heat at night.
5. Purchase a Thermostat
Examine your lease, then inquire with your landlord about installing a programmable or “smart” thermostat in your house. Programmable thermostats change heat settings automatically throughout the day based on the parameters you choose.
You may configure a programmable thermostat to reduce the temperature while you sleep, increase it about an hour before you get up, lower it again before you leave for work, and warm it again when you return home. Smart thermostats learn your patterns and begin to program themselves. A pre-programmed heat moderator like this may save you 3-10% on your heating expenditures for every degree you reduce over the course of 24 hours.
This equates to $100-150 saved every year.
6. Weatherstrip Windows and Doors
The average home loses between 25 and 30% of its entire heat usage. Who is the major offender? Windows that are old, unsealed, or incorrectly locked.
Weatherstrips around windows, external doors, and even attic hatchways help to seal those heat-leaking panes. Use adhesive-backed weatherstrips for simple installation, and be sure to clean all surfaces before applying the strips.
If your home doesn’t have double-paned storm windows, consider constructing your own by wrapping plastic wrap over your windows.
8. Close Your Doors
Leaving doors open during the day may not appear to be a waste of energy. However, locking the doors to separate rooms helps to keep heat inside. It’s a simple and straightforward method, especially in bigger buildings with many bedrooms.
Apply the same rationale to rooms that aren’t commonly used. Consider gradually lowering the thermostat throughout your flat, utilizing closed doors to block and trap in the existing warm air as temps decrease.
9. Keep Heat On
Your heating system will actually cost more to operate if it is constantly turned off and on than if the temperature is changed. While turning off the heat appears to be the most straightforward approach to saving money on your bills, you wind up spending more in the process of restarting.
As a general guideline, avoid regularly turning off your heat. If you’re going to be gone for a lengthy amount of time, turn the thermostat down but not completely off to prevent pipes from freezing.
10. Always Put On Socks
Sorry, barefoot enthusiasts. Winter is not the time to strut about the house like it’s a day at the beach. In fact, the feet are particularly sensitive to temperature changes in the body. Cold feet make it harder to feel warm in other regions of the body.
As a consequence, even if your thermostat is set to a suitable temperature, you will feel cold in your home. Make it a house rule that everyone must wear socks, trousers, and long sleeves before turning on the heat. Even so, you may always add another layer or a blanket.
15. Spruce Up
Forget about spring cleaning: the cooler months leading up to winter are ideal for giving your apartment’s HVAC components some TLC. Dust radiators and vent holes, particularly those near the floor baseboards. Clean the window glass before closing and locking them
These little steps not only preserve heat components in good working order, but they also enhance apartment air quality, making your house healthier.
January 3, 2023
Do you want to know if your apartment is or was rent stabilized? The state’s Housing and Community Renewal agency will have the rent history information.
This is how:
You will receive a printed copy of your rental history in the mail. View here!
According to tenant advocates, the techniques listed above are the simplest ways to obtain your rent history. If you want your rent history immediately, receiving it in person is also possible.
You can find the addresses and phone numbers for each office here.
You must provide identification with a photo and your lease agreement. An energy statement, a rent receipt, or a copy of your lease are all acceptable examples. When you arrive, be ready to fill out a records request form.
Remember that the HCR won’t have a rent history for you if your unit has never been rent stabilized. It’s worth checking if you’re uncertain! Only the landlord or current renter of a property may ask HCR for one. Doing so is free of charge.
What should you do after you have your rent history, or if you believe you have been overcharged? It can occasionally be challenging to determine what your legal rent should be without legal counsel. A lawyer may be in the best position to assist.
Legal Aid and Legal Services provide low-income New Yorkers with consultations. Aas well as legal clinics if one chooses to seek legal advice from a housing attorney or tenant rights organization.
For anyone who would like to receive legal advice, the NYC Bar Association has an online form and a phone number:(212-626-7373 or 917-832-1927 for Spanish).
December 27, 2022
According to an agreement made between the state and lawyers who fought to keep the program running, New York’s rental assistance program might close to new applicants as early as next month.
The agreement lifts a temporary injunction that allowed renters to avoid eviction proceedings while they awaited rulings on their cases and maintained the Emergency Rental Assistance Program operational through 2022 despite funds being in short supply.
The committee agreed with the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance that there is insufficient funding to assist struggling New Yorkers who petition for rent relief beyond January 15, 2023.
The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance says that applications from New Yorkers who have fallen behind on their rent since the pandemic started, lost income, and are in low- to moderate-income families be turned in before January 15, 2023.
Certain tenants may apply for money through the ERAP program to assist with back rent payments. Landlords receive the payments, which are made using state and federal funding. While applications are being processed, tenants cannot be kicked out.
The state has mentioned the application may reopen in the future for tenants, in the event new state or federal money became available.
December 26, 2022
A co-op sublet policy in NYC determines when shareholders can rent out their apartment, what fees apply, and whether board approval is required. When a New Yorker is interested in acquiring a NYC co-op unit, one of the most common concerns is: what is the sublet policy?
Even though you may have long-term plans to stay, it’s critical that you understand how the subletting policy will impact you personally as a shareholder. Before you decide to invest in a co-op, ask the necessary questions to understand how rigid the policy is.
You buy shares in the company that owns the building when you buy a co-op unit. These shares grant you an exclusive lease on your apartment. You have two options if you leave the apartment but keep ownership of your shares:
You have two options if you leave the apartment but keep ownership of your shares: Sublease is just a different name for a sublet.
You should first be aware of the limitations imposed by the policy on your usage of the unit. Second, you should be aware of the financial implications of subletting the unit. Co-ops’ restrictions on subletting are designed to encourage high owner occupancy and minimal turnover. Although the rule may appear excessive, most buildings and co-op boards believe that shareholders will look after the unit better than tenants.
Your use as a resident may not be impacted by the rules, but you have to know the re-sale potential.
Your co-op building’s rules may discourage potential buyers of your unit depending on how strictly they are imposed.
Additionally, if you are subletting, many co-ops charge you extra fees. These costs can easily mount up. A co-op with reduced costs is obviously preferred if there’s a chance you’ll sublet.
Because sublet restrictions limit the capacity of shareholders to sublease the unit, co-ops are typically not seen as desirable rental properties for investment buyers. Additionally, if you keep ownership of your shares, the additional costs offset any possible earnings or cost savings.
Minimum Number of Occupants Necessary: In many co-op buildings, shareholders must occupy the unit for a predetermined period of time before they are permitted to sublet the apartment. Shareholders are frequently required to occupy the apartment for one to three years before being permitted to rent.
Minimum Sublet Term: Co-ops demand minimum sublet durations of at least 1 year in order to discourage short-term rentals. Some cooperatives permit a two-year period
Maximum Subletting Allowance For a Shareholder: Most co-ops establish limits over time. In most co-ops, you are only permitted to sublet for two of every five years as long as you have met the minimum residency requirement. You will be among the fortunate if you come across a building with no limits.
Board approval: The right to sublet your flat is typically subject to board approval, much like when you purchase a co-op. As a result, it takes longer to rent out your property while you wait for permission, and there is no assurance the board will accept the applicant.
Percentage of Monthly Maintenance: An ongoing increase in your monthly maintenance constitutes the most typical sublet charge. This sublet surcharge varies for each co-op and, on average, can account for 10% to 30% of your monthly maintenance.
Fixed Fee Per Number of Shares Owned: While this structure is less prevalent, shareholders are charged a set fee. The extra expense is computed by multiplying the number of shares by a co-op-determined fee. The shareholder pays this cost upfront, and it is charged to the sublet each year.
A Higher Fee Every Year of Subletting: If your co-operative has a cap on the number of years you can sublet, you might be subject to a maintenance fee that changes each year. For instance, you might have to pay 10% of yearly maintenance in the first year, 15% of annual maintenance in the second year, and so forth with further rises in upcoming years.
The details of each co-op in New York City will vary. If you ask the appropriate questions, you will get the right information you need to choose a building with a sublease policy that suits your requirements.
December 21, 2022
New York was listed as one of the ten most expensive cities in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) last year using the Worldwide Cost of Living Index.
The city has actually topped that list this year for the first time ever, officially becoming the most expensive city to live in the whole globe, matching in first place with Singapore, given the steady growth in our average rent rates and living expenditures.
This is a major deal, especially given that New York was ranked sixth in 2021.
The EIU examines more than 400 distinct prices across 200 different items and services with a spectrum of shape and function in 172 different locations to produce the yearly list.
According to the report, the pandemic’s impacts and the Russian war in Ukraine are mostly to blame for the average cost of living increase of about 8%.
Fuel costs rose significantly in cities (as they did last year), but city residents are also paying more for food, utilities, and household products.
1. New York and Singapore (tied)
2. Tel Aviv, Israel
3. Hong Kong and Los Angeles (tied)
4. Zurich, Switzerland
5. Geneva, Switzerland
6. San Francisco, California
7. Paris, France
8. Copenhagen, Denmark
NYC green building compliance is becoming essential as owners respond to new environmental laws and energy efficiency standards affecting condominiums, co-ops, and multifamily properties across New York City.
As the younger generation attempts to assist clean up our environment through greener efforts, sustainability in the United States is growing in popularity every year. Even major cities nowadays are making every effort to combat climate change.
For instance, New York City’s Local Law 97 plan (LL97) went into force in 2019. It mandates that most structures larger than 25,000 square feet must comply with new energy-efficiency requirements and gas emission reductions by 2024. This regulation has the greatest impact on NYC’s condominiums and other co-ops. Thus the owners of these kinds of buildings must find out how to modify and adapt their standard operating procedures in order to comply with the new rules.
We’ll go through some of the finest ways owners can follow this regulation by becoming green in the sections below.
An excellent approach to support energy conservation is through solar electricity. In fact, utilizing solar energy in any way may have an impact on the environment, whether it be a simple modification like putting solar-powered lights around the house or a major undertaking like installing solar panels. The LL97’s primary objective is to cut emissions from the biggest buildings in the city by 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2050.
A typical multifamily rental building uses around 60% less power than a condo or co-op, according to some research, in New York City. LL97 helps to address problems like this. Going solar might lower the amount of greenhouse gas emissions created by each kilowatt-hour of solar energy produced by these structures.
In the United States, energy waste is a concern, particularly in major cities like New York City. This is due to the fact that many building owners are unaware of the negative environmental impacts of operating their electrical, air conditioning, and heating systems continuously. A/C and heating systems, for instance, utilize so much power that they significantly contribute to global warming. According to some estimates, air conditioning and heating systems will account for around 25% of the cause of global warming by the year 2050.
Residents and employees, especially in a condo or co-op, frequently forget to turn off a light when they leave a room. Even while it might not seem like much now, this will eventually result in a greater problem. One possible fix for this is to put smart home technologies in each condo or co-op unit. Making use of this technology has a number of advantages. There would be no need to remember to switch off the lights, faucets, or heat, which keeps you and the building under control. The installation of various forms of smart home technologies can also help you conserve energy. In actuality, smart houses with technology may save energy use by up to 45%.
-Smart thermostats may help each room use up to 20% less energy. -Automatic lighting can save energy usage by up to 45%.
-Automatic faucets can save 700 gallons of water annually.
Start Recycling
Recycling, despite what some people may believe, has a significant positive impact on the environment, especially in large places like New York City where garbage is a concern. Building owners lose a lot of money every year as a result of frequent material waste and replacement, in addition to creating the misleading impression that New York is a “filthy” city. However, recycling would enable owners to cut costs and abide by the new regulation.
Additionally, recycling is a relatively simple process to adopt in buildings. Building owners would only need to provide recycling bins in clearly accessible locations throughout the facility. Along with bins for certain metals, plastics, and glasses, they could also feature bins for paper or cardboard boxes. Owners and boards have a responsibility to educate the community on the value of recycling. To help promote better recycling, they could even provide incentives or awards.
Conserve Water
In the US, water waste has long been a problem. Every year, homes, companies, and other structures misuse millions of tons of water. Approximately 5% of the nation’s total carbon emissions are attributable to water use for household or commercial purposes. Water waste exacerbates the problem in New York City. New York City utilizes 1 billion gallons of water on average per day.
Installing automated faucets in every unit can aid in water conservation because they turn off when not in use. Alternatively, they might politely request that homeowners turn off the faucets when not in use in order to raise awareness. ‘
Conclusions
NYC green building compliance requires owners to adopt practical sustainability measures that lower emissions, improve efficiency, and help buildings move closer to Local Law 97 goals.
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Owners should review official Local Law requirements through New York City Department of Buildings.
Owners can also explore our building compliance services through our internal management resources.
December 16 2022
December 12, 2022
The New York City Council is in the process of voting to end criminal background checks for potential tenants. Those who are in favor of the law claim that it provides poor New Yorkers with a second opportunity. Opponents propose there is a significant safety concern.
The Fair Chance For Housing Act prohibits landlords from asking about a tenant’s criminal background at any point in the application process. Two exclusions from the law exist. You may check the sex offender registry. Although, out-of-state sex offender registries are not addressed, so landlords are at risk of renting to individuals who committed sex crimes in other states under the bill’s present wording.
Two-family house landlords and landlords of rooms in owner-occupied housing are permitted to check a tenant’s criminal record. Tenant criminal behavior is not the responsibility of the landlord.
The proposed law has the support of 30 of the council’s 51 members, including Mayor Adams,
Many people have argued in favor of this bill. They say we must avoid stigmatizing those with criminal records. Once someone has completed their sentence, they shouldn’t continue to be punished.
Councilman Keith Powers is one of the people in support of this bill. He states that regardless of whether they have found a solid job or undergone self-rehabilitation, or whether they have a family, there is a barrier in the way when they come in to attempt to rent an apartment. People are being told that they cannot obtain an apartment in a housing market that is extremely competitive
He continues to say, “We want to strike a balance between public safety and solving the housing crisis, but it’s evident that background checks aren’t being used efficiently and that too many individuals are being denied homes because of an error in their history”.
People against the bill have argued that society has always believed in justice and second chances, but it’s not acceptable to take away one’s power to keep our people safe. You’re going to drive the middle class and working class out of New York City.
A person who has committed a violent crime should not live next door to one of our elderly neighbors, who may look like an easy target.
If we can’t guarantee safety and the knowledge of who lives next door to us in our own houses, people will go elsewhere to feel safe.
It is true that everyone deserves a second chance, but at what cost?
What happens if a portion of these people recommits crimes, particularly those that landlords weren’t aware of because of this law? Is it not a safety risk to those who live among the individuals?
Is it necessary to test that at all?
With crime on the rise in all five boroughs, is this a smart move for the council to make? People already don’t feel safe.
There must be a solution; might it be the Fair Chance for Housing Act?
To read the full breakdown of this act, go to the Fair Chance for Housing Act’s website.
NYC e bike safety has become increasingly important as lithium-ion battery fires continue affecting apartments, public housing, and delivery riders across the city.
What Are E-Bikes?
Electric bikes employ a motor to help the pedaling, reducing the strain of cycling. Some designs enable the bike to advance on the motor’s power
The market for e-bikes is currently experiencing a quite large surge.
They are fantastic modes of transportation for reducing global warming, and they are also highly safe if you only buy high-quality goods.
If the quality is bad; you get what you paid for. There is a far larger chance that buying batteries that are cheap and available only on the illicit market would end in disaster.
In the last two years alone, e-bikes fires, that are the result of badly maintained or broken lithium-ion batteries, have resulted throughout more than 200 injuries and 10 fatalities in the five boroughs.
During the pandemic, the number of e-bike-related fires increased along with the rise in riders utilizing battery-powered devices to transport takeout using apps like GrubHub and DoorDash. The Fire Department found that 44 fires in 2020 and 104 in 2021 were brought on by malfunctioning e-bike batteries. This year there have been 191 so far.
• Corona and Sunnyside in Queens
Sunset Park, Brownsville, and Bushwick in Brooklyn
• Williamsbridge and Morrisania in the Bronx
• Lower East Side in Manhattan
Since January 1, 2021, there have been 14 of these fires within one ZIP code in Corona, which is the most of any ZIP code in the city. An average of one occurs every six weeks.
The fires have severely damaged public housing. 31 e-bike-related fires have occurred in NYCHA homes during the past two years, mostly in Manhattan neighborhoods with several NYCHA housing projects.
• When gadgets are charging, never leave them alone, and never leave them charging overnight.
• Purchase products that have undergone testing at an accredited facility
• Use only the chargers and batteries that came with your e-bike from the manufacturer.
• Keep batteries away from anything combustible and at room temperature.
• Keep your bike away from exit-blocking doors and windows.
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Residents should follow battery safety guidance from New York City Fire Department.
December 10, 2022
