New York habitually lets property owners begin construction without disclosing that their buildings are rent-stabilized or occupied by tenants.
Landlords throughout New York City have falsified more than 10,000 applications to renovate or expand their properties, according to a new report from the Housing Rights Initiative. The move is often part of a ploy to drive tenants out of rent-stabilized units so they can be replaced with market-rate, advocates explain.
The issue gained attention after Kushner Companies was fined $210,000 for the illegal practice, Politico reports. Kushner's practices also recently shed light on New York's lax enforcement of building codes.
Currently, a fine is the only penalty for applications that falsely report being unoccupied or exempt from rent stabilization; the permits are still routinely granted and construction allowed to proceed. Legislation from City Councilmember Ritchie Torres attempts to increase oversight by requiring the Buildings and Finance departments to improve their information-sharing practices.
New York has seen a net loss of nearly 150,000 rent-stabilized units since 1994, Politico notes.
FULL STORY: Kushner's false construction filings part of widespread city trend
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.