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Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, and Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced a first-of-its-kind settlement between the Tenant Harassment Prevention Task Force and ICON Realty Management. This settlement provides tenants broad relief, requiring the owner to end harassment and hazardous living conditions for the hundreds of tenants in buildings owned and managed by ICON.

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman recently announced the sentencing of Steven Croman, a landlord who owns more than 140 apartment buildings across Manhattan, for fraudulently refinancing loans and committing tax fraud. Croman was taken into custody and will serve one year of jail time on Rikers Island. As part of his guilty plea, he is also paying a $5 million tax settlement to the state; Croman paid the first $3 million of that settlement last month.

On Aug. 30, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed 18 pieces of legislation focusing on tenant harassment. The new laws make it easier for tenants to take abusive owners to court, and increase penalties and enforcement against dangerous and illegal construction.

A lawsuit, which seeks class action status, against Kushner Companies alleges that the company violated rent stabilization laws at a Brooklyn Heights building. The lawsuit puts a spotlight on Jared Kushner, the former CEO of the firm and top White House adviser who continues to hold a stake in the Brooklyn Heights property.

On Sept. 7, the City Council unanimously approved a 22-block rezoning and development plan for Downtown Far Rockaway, Queens. The rezoning plans to bring more than 3,000 residential units to Far Rockaway, on land that is owned by the city, and all of these units would be affordable. The plan covers 23 blocks in total and will cost roughly $288 million, including about $126 million of city funds. The rest will come from the federal government and private groups.

According to analysis by the New York Building Congress (NYBC), despite the expiration of the 421a tax incentive program and community resistance to portions of the mayor’s rezoning plan, New York City is roughly on pace to meet de Blasio’s 10-year target for the construction of new low-income units throughout the five boroughs.

Boiler compliance filings for 2017 and beyond will be launched on Aug. 14, 2017, on DOB’s online platform for owners to submit their compliance filings, DOB Now: Safety. Currently, 2017 Boiler Inspection Cycle compliance filings submitted in person or via mail are no longer accepted. However, 2016 Boiler Inspection Cycle compliance filings will continue to be accepted in person on the 4th and 6th Floors at 280 Broadway or via mail through Dec. 31, 2017. This inclu...

HPD has proposed rules to clarify what should be included on notices informing residents about emergency procedures in case of a gas leak. The proposed rule is intended to clarify for owners what information should be provided on required notices informing tenants of procedures to be followed in the event of a suspected gas leak, as well as notices for smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms, which may be combined with the suspected gas leak notice.

Local Law 84, the benchmarking law, was enacted eight years ago and currently affects all buildings larger than 50,000 square feet. The goal of benchmarking is to encourage landlords to be more energy efficient by forcing them to track their energy and water usage, and to see how their buildings compare to similar buildings in terms of consumption

Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York City Economic Development Corporation President and CEO James Patchett, and City Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez recently unveiled the Inwood NYC 2017 Action Plan, which outlines neighborhood-wide goals and strategies to address outdated zoning and rising rents, antiquated infrastructure, support for small businesses, workforce development, and access to the Harlem River waterfront.

A defined list of community priorities has been lai...