Loft Tenant Wins Parking Space

New owner of a Brooklyn loft building demanded that resident vacate his parking space. Andrew Ohanesian, an artist, is the tenant of loft Unit 709, located at 475 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn.  Ohanesian signed a one-year lease with the building’s prior owner in February 2009 and has lived in the building ever since.  The prior owner verbally agreed that Ohanesian could use a designated parking space in the loading bay area of the building for an … <Read More>


Charter Revision: More on Council Member Term Limits

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Charter Revision Commission released its report on September 4, 2018 with three recommendations that will be on the ballot on November 6, 2018: downward adjustment of campaign contribution limits for City elected officials to reduce the influence of large contributors; a new commission to encourage greater civic engagement; and term limits and appointment procedures for community boards. All are worthy of concern, but none reach the level of major charter change.


COMPLETE VIDEO: 156th CityLaw Breakfast with Department of Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia

Department of Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia spoke at this morning’s 156th CityLaw Breakfast at New York Law School. Commissioner Garcia was introduced by Professor Ross Sandler, Director of the Center for New York City Law, with remarks by Dean Anthony W. Crowell. Commissioner Garcia spoke about “Taking on Big Plastic”. 


Subcontractor’s Claim Against Prime Contractor Upheld

Prime contractor agreed to process subcontractor’s extra work claim, but failed to file a timely claim. The Department of Sanitation in 200 awarded a contract to Arnell Construction Corp. to build two new sanitation garages for Districts 1 and 4 located at 161 Varick Street in Brooklyn. Arnell then signed a $3 million subcontract with Rad & D’Aprile, Inc. to perform masonry work on the project.


Owner Fined For Tenants’ Illegal Sublets

Tenants rented apartments for transient use without owner’s knowledge. Pamela Equities Corp. owns and operates a building with 94 apartments located at 132 East 45th Street, Manhattan.  On October 23, 2014, the Department of Buildings served Pamela Equities with a notice of violation for illegal conversion of apartments 4G and 9C from permanent residences to transient use.  Following a hearing, the Environmental Control Board imposed a civil penalty of $5,800 and an additional discretionary … <Read More>


Needed: Large Venues for Large Protest/Rallies in New York City

Peaceful protests, protected by the First Amendment, are fundamental to our constitutional system and to democracy. Peaceful protest marches and rallies have been instrumental in bringing about significant change in racial, gender, LGBTQ and economic equality; reproductive rights; climate policy; capital punishment; housing; criminal justice, and voting rights. Yet in recent years appropriate venues have been unavailable for large peaceful protests, raising the question of whether City practices inappropriately limit the exercise of First Amendment … <Read More>