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Mayor Bloomberg recently signed legislation moving the deadline to file the annual real property income and expense statement with the DOF's property division from Sept. 1 to June 1.

According to statements made by Mayor Bloomberg, "moving the filing deadline will provide the Finance Department with more time to review the information submitted, yielding more accurate and transparent assessments for these properties."

The DOB recently announced the start of the Department’s No-Penalty Deck and Porch Inspection Program, a citywide initiative that allows New Yorkers to request a free inspection of their decks and porches without the threat of receiving a violation. This is the fourth consecutive year the Department has offered free “no-penalty” inspections to ensure that New Yorkers enjoy a healthy and safe summer season. Property owners can request an inspection thro...

A Bronx County Housing Court judge issued a warrant for an owner's arrest on July 3, ordering him remanded until the violations at his apartment building are corrected. The owner has ignored the city’s requests to make dozens of repairs needed to fix up the building. This is not the first time the city has arrested a property owner for letting a building fall into disrepair. There have been four previous cases since 2006, including the arrest of three Brooklyn...

Hot temperatures during summer and early fall months make it tempting for tenants to go up on the roof and sunbathe, barbecue, or just cool off from their hot apartments. Unfortunately, allowing tenants on the roof of your building can cause you many problems, such as code violation citations and liability for property damage and injuries.

Recently, an administrative judge levied a fine against a resident who rented out his apartment on a short-term basis through Airbnb, a company that facilitates short-term rentals. The administrative law judge with the New York City Environmental Control Board stated that he had violated a city law against operating illegal hotels. According to a 2010 law, it’s illegal in NYC to rent out a home for fewer than 29 days.

The federal government has approved New York City’s plan to spend the first $1.77 billion in aid for Hurricane Sandy recovery, with the money expected to start flowing by early summer to homeowners, businesses, and others in need. According to the city’s plan, approximately $648 million will go to programs to rebuild homes and make them more storm-resistant. That amount also includes $9 million for rental subsidies for up to 24 months intended mostly for low...

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio has cleared up a recent report that he, as one of the most liberal candidates in the mayor's race, was opposed to freezing rents on rent-stabilized properties. The recnet news report quoted a de Blasio aide expressing the public advocate’s concern about the potential impact on small landlords, and reported that he had not called on the Rent Guidelines Board to keep rents from increasing. All of his Democratic rivals had made such...

Actress Amanda Bynes was recently evicted from her New York City apartment following her May 23 arrest. On that day, when cops arrived at her apartment, the 27-year-old allegedly threw a bong out the window. She was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment and taken for a psychiatric evaluation, but no bong was ever found. Residents in the building have allegedly complained about her numerous times already due to her reported marijuana use and rude behavior.

Local Law 6 of 2013 was recently amended by the city council to allow HPD to issue an order requiring a building owner to correct underlying conditions in a building that have caused or are causing a violation of the Housing Maintenance Code or of other state and local laws that impose requirements on dwellings.