Q: I rent an apartment in a central Harlem house. The building has three units, but I know that the owner has other properties, which are probably registered under different LLC. My lease is year after year, which causes me terrible concern. The New York Eviction Law exempts the owners who have less than 10 properties, and I simply do not know how many owners my owner really. How can I solve that, so that I can confirm that I am protected by law and I am not subject to punitive increases in rent?
TO: The eviction law of the good cause, which was approved last year, limits the increase in income and avoids arbitrary Provisions in certain market rate apartments. But as you point out, the law has exceptions, including apartments in condominium or cooperative buildings and certain buildings occupied by owners. In New York City, it also exempts “small” owners: those who have 10 units or less anywhere in the State. (In all other municipalities that have adopted this law, the definition of “small owner” is not more than one unit).
Therefore, the scope of your landlord’s holdings can determine if you are covered. Unfortunately, said Cea Weaver, director of the non -profit organization Justice Housing Justice for All, “it is not really easy to find this in publicly available data.”
The Government does not have a database for you, but the organization of Mrs. Weaver and Justfix, another non -profit organization, have published one in Goodcausenyc.org. You can enter your address and answer some questions to get more information about your lessor. “It gives you information you need to make an informed decision about how to negotiate a more fair lease,” Weaver said.
The two non -profit organizations built the database using information from government data sources, and can give it a good idea of ​​whether your apartment is covered. The results will not prove their case in court, but they could take it to documents that will. (Justfix also has a database “who possesses what” that can help tenants).
If you want to search for limited liability corporations, there is information available through the New York State Department. Otherwise, information on the state holdings of each owner is not easily available.
However, the law requires that the owners give the tenants to know if they are exempt from the law. So press yours to get an answer.
The eviction of good cause is a defense in court against eviction procedures, but hopefully does not go so far. Wait to see what your rental increase will be, and if it is too high, use non -profit tools to negotiate a fair increase.
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