A proposed State bill seeks to give City broad flexibility to increase floor area ratio in residential developments. The New York Senate has introduced bill S6760 by including language in their budget resolution that will amend the State’s Multiple Dwelling Law to provide an exception for the floor area ratio (FAR) cap. Currently, the law provides for a floor area ratio not to exceed 12.0 in New York City. The amendment will introduce language to … <Read More>
legislation
State Legislature Passes Bill to Ban Online Advertisements of Illegal Short-Term Apartment Rentals
The legislation, which is the first of its kind in the Nation, represents New York’s newest tool in its battle with Airbnb. On June 17, 2016, the New York State Legislature passed the first state bill in the Nation to ban online advertisements for illegal apartment rentals. The bill, sponsored by Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal and Senator Andrew Lanza, seeks to protect the at-risk stock of the City’s affordable housing units, which are illegally rented … <Read More>
New York State Assembly Housing Committee Chair Keith Wright Proposes Bill to Subsidize Affordable and Senior Housing
The bill seeks to fill the gap left open by the expiration of 421-a, the decades-old tax exemption program that expired on January 1, 2016. On March 15, 2016, New York State Assembly Housing Committee Chair Keith Wright, who represents Manhattan, introduced Assembly bill A9537, which would provide for new, taxpayer-funded affordable housing subsidies and job training programs. If enacted, the bill would incentivize the construction of affordable housing and affordable senior housing through subsidies, … <Read More>
City Council Member Ben Kallos Proposes Bill to Unify the City Government’s Interactive Websites, Including the City’s Affordable Housing Site
If enacted, all governmental online services and portals will be centralized in one manageable location online and on a mobile phone app. On March 9, 2016, City Council Member Ben Kallos issued a press release announcing the proposal of a bill to streamline New York City’s interactive websites to one location. By utilizing Single Sign-on, or SSO, technology, users would be required to remember only one username and password to gain access to their own … <Read More>
City Council Proposes Important Changes to Landmarks Law
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (“LPC”) has designated more than 1,400 individual landmarks and 107 historic districts. Approximately 29,000 buildings are under LPC regulation. With only five percent of that total comprising individual landmarks,95 percent are subject to LPC regulation solely because they are located within historic districts, regardless of individual merit.
With the proliferation of buildings subject to LPC regulation, both as individual landmarks and within historic districts, attention has increasingly focused … <Read More>
Local law preserves stalled construction site permits
- A stalled construction site at 150 North 12th Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Photo: CityLand
Owners of stalled sites participating in new DOB safety monitoring program can renew permits for up to four years. On October 14, 2009, the City Council passed legislation creating a construction site maintenance program, to be administered by the Department of Buildings, for sites where permitted work has been suspended or has not commenced.
Currently, construction permits issued by Buildings … <Read More>