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The Red Flags Rule is a regulation published by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under its consumer protection authority to compel businesses to develop written plans to combat identity theft. It was created under the authority of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) and the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
On March 2, 2010, New York City enacted the Tenant Fair Chance Act (TFCA). It places new disclosure requirements in connection with applications for renting apartments on owners and managers of buildings with six or more apartments.
Governor Paterson recently signed into law a bill aimed at helping prospective tenants combat the bedbug epidemic. The Bedbug Disclosure Act requires owners and managing agents to notify new rental tenants of bedbug infestations that have plagued the building and the tenant's individual apartment during the previous year.
On July 6, 2010, the final amendments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rule went into effect. These amendments added new requirements to the relatively new rules that went into effect in April of this year and were discussed in detail in the May 2010 issue of the Insider.
Choosing the right tenant is one of the most important decisions an owner can make. The right tenants pay their rent on time, do not cause any legal problems, and keep their apartments in good condition. To choose the best tenant among applicants, an owner should rely on a thorough screening process that includes checking references, verifying employment, and obtaining credit and background reports.
On April 22, 2010, a new federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lead-based paint rule called “The Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule” took effect. The new rule requires owners to follow lead safe work practices when disturbing a painted surface in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities. Disturbances can occur when painted surfaces are sanded, demolished, renovated, or repaired.
On Sept. 3, 2009, Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a new local law that requires the uniform color-coding of standpipe and sprinkler systems, and professional certification that these systems have been properly color-coded. This law was among a series of laws introduced in response to the Deutsche Bank building fire that killed two firefighters.
In an exclusive interview with ALI, Noel Miller, Deputy Chief Inspector of the New York City Fire Department, explains what apartment building owners can do to avoid the most common fire code violations and how to comply with the new fire code requirements.
Deputy Chief Inspector Miller has been with New York City Fire Department's Bureau of Fire Prevention for 25 years. In 1999, Mr. Miller was assigned the duties of “Trainer”...
The environmental fallout from toxic vapors has been in the news recently. According to the New York Times, toxic vapors are intruding into homes in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is having difficulty assessing the problem because many residents will not allow their homes to be tested.
Building owners are responsible for maintaining their properties in a clean manner, and this includes public sidewalks that are 18 inches from the curb line and abutting their properties. The new Lawn Litter Law may help owners with this responsibility, since unsolicited advertisements that are deposited on doorsteps or other areas of private property can be blown away by the wind, causing litter to accumulate on the streets and sidewalks next to buildings.
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