§ 4. The emergency tenant protection act of nineteen hundred seventy-four is hereby enacted to read as follows: * EMERGENCY TENANT PROTECTION ACT OF NINETEEN SEVENTY-FOUR Section 1. Short title. 2. Legislative finding. 3. Local determination of emergency; end of emergency. 4. Establishment of rent guidelines boards; duties. 5. Housing accommodations subject to regulation. 5-a. High income rent decontrol. 6. Regulation of rents. 7. Maintenance of services. 8. Administration. 9. Application for adjustment of initial legal regulated rent. 10. Regulations. 10-a. Right to sublease. 11. Non-waiver of rights. 12. Enforcement and procedures. 12-a. Rent registration. 13. Cooperation with other governmental agencies. 14. Application of act. * NB Expires June 16, 2011 * Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "emergency tenant protection act of nineteen seventy-four". * NB Expires June 16, 2011 * § 2. Legislative finding. The legislature hereby finds and declares that a serious public emergency continues to exist in the housing of a considerable number of persons in the state of New York which emergency was at its inception created by war, the effects of war and the aftermath of hostilities, that such emergency necessitated the intervention of federal, state and local government in order to prevent speculative, unwarranted and abnormal increases in rents; that there continues to exist in many areas of the state an acute shortage of housing accommodations caused by continued high demand, attributable in part to new household formations and decreased supply, in large measure attributable to reduced availability of federal subsidies, and increased costs of construction and other inflationary factors; that a substantial number of persons residing in housing not presently subject to the provisions of the emergency housing rent control law or the local emergency housing rent control act are being charged excessive and unwarranted rents and rent increases; that preventive action by the legislature continues to be imperative in order to prevent exaction of unjust, unreasonable and oppressive rents and rental agreements and to forestall profiteering, speculation and other disruptive practices tending to produce threats to the public health, safety and general welfare; that in order to prevent uncertainty, hardship and dislocation, the provisions of this act are necessary and designed to protect the public health, safety and general welfare; that the transition from regulation to a normal market of free bargaining between landlord and tenant, while the ultimate objective of state policy, must take place with due regard for such emergency; and that the policy
herein expressed shall be subject to determination of the existence of a public emergency requiring the regulation of residential rents within any city, town or village by the local legislative body of such city, town or village. * NB Expires June 16, 2011 * § 3. Local determination of emergency; end of emergency. a. The existence of public emergency requiring the regulation of residential rents for all or any class or classes of housing accommodations, including any plot or parcel of land which had been rented prior to May first, nineteen hundred fifty, for the purpose of permitting the tenant thereof to construct or place his own dwelling thereon and on which plot or parcel of land there exists a dwelling owned and occupied by a tenant of such plot or parcel, heretofore destabilized; heretofore or hereafter decontrolled, exempt, not subject to control, or exempted from regulation and control under the provisions of the emergency housing rent control law, the local emergency housing rent control act or the New York city rent stabilization law of nineteen hundred sixty-nine; or subject to stabilization or control under such rent stabilization law, shall be a matter for local determination within each city, town or village. Any such determination shall be made by the local legislative body of such city, town or village on the basis of the supply of housing accommodations within such city, town or village, the condition of such accommodations and the need for regulating and controlling residential rents within such city, town or village. A declaration of emergency may be made as to any class of housing accommodations if the vacancy rate for the housing accommodations in such class within such municipality is not in excess of five percent and a declaration of emergency may be made as to all housing accommodations if the vacancy rate for the housing accommodations within such municipality is not in excess of five percent. b. The local governing body of a city, town or village having declared an emergency pursuant to subdivision a of this section may at any time, on the basis of the supply of housing accommodations within such city, town or village, the condition of such accommodations and the need for continued regulation and control of residential rents within such municipality, declare that the emergency is either wholly or partially abated or that the regulation of rents pursuant to this act does not serve to abate such emergency and thereby remove one or more classes of accommodations from regulation under this act. The emergency must be declared at an end once the vacancy rate described in subdivision a of this section exceeds five percent. c. No resolution declaring the existence or end of an emergency, as authorized by subdivisions a and b of this section, may be adopted except after public hearing held on not less than ten days public notice, as the local legislative body may reasonably provide. * NB Expires June 16, 2011 * § 4. Establishment of rent guidelines boards; duties. a. In each county wherein any city having a population of less than one million or any town or village has determined the existence of an emergency pursuant to section three of this act, there shall be created a rent guidelines board to consist of nine members appointed by the commissioner of housing and community renewal upon recommendation of the county legislature which
recommendation shall be made within thirty days after the first local declaration of an emergency in such county; two such members shall be representative of tenants, two shall be representative of owners of property, and five shall be public members each of whom shall have had at least five years experience in either finance, economics or housing. One public member shall be designated by the commissioner to serve as chairman and shall hold no other public office. No member, officer or employee of any municipal rent regulation agency or the state division of housing and community renewal and no person who owns or manages real estate covered by this law or who is an officer of any owner or tenant organization shall serve on a rent guidelines board. One public member, one member representative of tenants and one member representative of owners shall serve for a term ending two years from January first next succeeding the date of their appointment; one public member, one member representative of tenants and one member representative of owners shall serve for terms ending three years from the January first next succeeding the date of their appointment and three public members shall serve for terms ending four years from January first next succeeding the dates of their appointment. Thereafter, all members shall serve for terms of four years each. Members shall continue in office until their successors have been appointed and qualified. The commissioner shall fill any vacancy which may occur by reason of death, resignation or otherwise in a manner consistent with the original appointment. A member may be removed by the commissioner for cause, but not without an opportunity to be heard in person or by counsel, in his defense, upon not less than ten days notice. Compensation for the members of the board shall be at the rate of one hundred dollars per day, for no more than twenty days a year, except that the chairman shall be compensated at the rate of one hundred twenty-five dollars a day for no more than thirty days a year. The board shall be provided staff assistance by the division of housing and community renewal. The compensation of such members and the costs of staff assistance shall be paid by the division of housing and community renewal which shall be reimbursed in the manner prescribed in section four of this act. The local legislative body of each city having a population of less than one million and each town and village in which an emergency has been determined to exist as herein provided shall be authorized to designate one person who shall be representative of tenants and one person who shall be representative of owners of property to serve at its pleasure and without compensation to advise and assist the county rent guidelines board in matters affecting the adjustment of rents for housing accommodations in such city, town or village as the case may be. b. A county rent guidelines board shall establish annually guidelines for rent adjustments which, at its sole discretion may be varied and different for and within the several zones and jurisdictions of the board, and in determining whether rents for housing accommodations as to which an emergency has been declared pursuant to this act shall be adjusted, shall consider among other things (1) the economic condition of the residential real estate industry in the affected area including such factors as the prevailing and projected (i) real estate taxes and sewer and water rates, (ii) gross operating maintenance costs
(including insurance rates, governmental fees, cost of fuel and labor costs), (iii) costs and availability of financing (including effective rates of interest), (iv) over-all supply of housing accommodations and over-all vacancy rates, (2) relevant data from the current and projected cost of living indices for the affected area, (3) such other data as may be made available to it. As soon as practicable after its creation and thereafter not later than July first of each year, a rent guidelines board shall file with the state division of housing and community renewal its findings for the preceding calendar year, and shall accompany such findings with a statement of the maximum rate or rates of rent adjustment, if any, for one or more classes of accommodation subject to this act, authorized for leases or other rental agreements commencing during the next succeeding twelve months. The standards for rent adjustments may be applicable for the entire county or may be varied according to such zones or jurisdictions within such county as the board finds necessary to achieve the purposes of this subdivision. The standards for rent adjustments established annually shall be effective for leases commencing on October first of each year and during the next succeeding twelve months whether or not the board has filed its findings and statement of the maximum rate or rates of rent adjustment by July first of each year. If such lease is entered into before such filing by the board, it may provide for the rent to be adjusted by the rates then in effect, subject to change by the applicable rates of rent adjustment when filed, such change to be effective as of the date of the commencement of the lease. Said lease must provide that, if the new rates of rent adjustment differ for leases of different terms, the tenant has the option of changing the original lease term to any other term for which a rate of rent adjustment is set by the board, with the rental to be adjusted accordingly. Where a city, town or village shall act to determine the existence of public emergency pursuant to section three of this act subsequent to the establishment of annual guidelines for rent adjustments of the accommodations subject to this act, the rent guidelines board as soon as practicable thereafter shall file its findings and rates of rent adjustment for leases or other rental agreements for the housing accommodations in such a city, town or village, which rates shall be effective for leases or other rental agreements commencing on or after the effective date of the determination. c. In a city having a population of one million or more, the rent guidelines board shall be the rent guidelines board established pursuant to the New York city rent stabilization law of nineteen hundred sixty-nine as amemded, and such board shall have the powers granted pursuant to the New York city rent stabilization law of nineteen hundred sixty-nine as amended. d. Maximum rates of rent adjustment shall not be established more than once annually for any housing accommodation within a board's jurisdiction. Once established, no such rate shall, within the one-year period, be adjusted by any surcharge, supplementary adjustment or other modification. * NB Expires June 16, 2011 * § 5. Housing accommodations subject to regulation. a. A declaration of emergency may be made pursuant to section three as to all or any class or classes of housing accommodations in a municipality, except:
(1) housing accommodations subject to the emergency housing rent control law, or the local emergency housing rent control act, other than housing accommodations subject to the New York city rent stabilization law of nineteen hundred sixty-nine; (2) housing accommodations owned or operated by the United States, the state of New York, any political subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof, any municipality or any public housing authority; (3) housing accommodations in buildings in which rentals are fixed by or subject to the supervision of the state division of housing and community renewal under other provisions of law or the New York city department of housing preservation and development or the New York state urban development corporation, or, to the extent that regulation under this act is inconsistent therewith aided by government insurance under any provision of the National Housing Act; (4) (a) housing accommodations in a building containing fewer than six dwelling units, other than any plot or parcel of land in cities having a population of one million or more which had been rented prior to May first, nineteen hundred fifty, for the purpose of permitting the tenant thereof to construct or place his own dwelling thereon and heretofore or hereafter decontrolled, exempt, not subject to control or exempted from regulation and control under the provisions of the emergency housing rent control law or the local emergency housing rent control act and on which plot or parcel of land there exists a dwelling owned and occupied by a tenant of such plot or parcel; (b) for purposes of this paragraph four, a building shall be deemed to contain six or more dwelling units if it is part of a multiple family garden-type maisonette dwelling complex containing six or more dwelling units having common facilities such as a sewer line, water main or heating plant and operated as a unit under common ownership, notwithstanding that certificates of occupancy were issued for portions thereof as one- or two-family dwellings. (5) housing accommodations in buildings completed or buildings substantially rehabilitated as family units on or after January first, nineteen hundred seventy-four; (6) housing accommodations owned or operated by a hospital, convent, monastery, asylum, public institution, or college or school dormitory or any institution operated exclusively for charitable or educational purposes on a non-profit basis other than those accommodations occupied by a tenant on the date such housing accommodation is acquired by any such institution, or which are occupied subsequently by a tenant who is not affiliated with such institution at the time of his initial occupancy; (7) rooms or other housing accommodations in hotels, other than hotel accommodations in cities having a population of one million or more not occupied on a transient basis and heretofore subject to the emergency housing rent control law, the local emergency housing rent control act or to the New York city rent stabilization law of nineteen hundred sixty-nine; (8) any motor court, or any part thereof, any trailer, or trailer space used exclusively for transient occupancy or any part thereof; or any tourist home serving transient guests exclusively, or any part thereof;
The term "motor court" shall mean an establishment renting rooms, cottages or cabins, supplying parking or storage facilities for motor vehicles in connection with such renting and other services and facilities customarily supplied by such establishments, and commonly known as motor, auto or tourist court in the community. The term "tourist home" shall mean a rooming house which caters primarily to transient guests and is known as a tourist home in the community. (9) non-housekeeping, furnished housing accommodations, located within a single dwelling unit not used as a rooming or boarding house, but only if: (a) no more than two tenants for whom rent is paid (husband and wife being considered one tenant for this purpose), not members of the landlord's immediate family, live in such dwelling unit, and (b) the remaining portion of such dwelling unit is occupied by the landlord or his immediate family. (10) housing accommodations in buildings operated exclusively for charitable purposes on a non-profit basis; (11) housing accommodations which are not occupied by the tenant, not including subtenants or occupants, as his or her primary residence, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction. For the purposes of determining primary residency, a tenant who is a victim of domestic violence, as defined in section four hundred fifty-nine-a of the social services law, who has left the unit because of such violence, and who asserts an intent to return to the housing accommodation shall be deemed to be occupying the unit as his or her primary residence. For the purposes of this paragraph, where a housing accommodation is rented to a not-for-profit hospital for residential use, affiliated subtenants authorized to use such accommodations by such hospital shall be deemed to be tenants. No action or proceeding shall be commenced seeking to recover possession on the ground that a housing accommodation is not occupied by the tenant as his or her primary residence unless the owner or lessor shall have given thirty days notice to the tenant of his or her intention to commence such action or proceeding on such grounds. (12) upon issuance of an order by the division, housing accommodations which are: (1) occupied by persons who have a total annual income in excess of one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars per annum in each of the two preceding calendar years, as defined in and subject to the limitations and process set forth in section five-a of this act; and (2) have a legal regulated rent of two thousand dollars or more per month. Provided however, that this exclusion shall not apply to housing accommodations which became or become subject to this act (a) by virtue of receiving tax benefits pursuant to section four hundred twenty-one-a or four hundred eighty-nine of the real property tax law, except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (i) of paragraph (f) of subdivision two of section four hundred twenty-one-a of the real property tax law, or (b) by virtue of article seven-C of the multiple dwelling law. (13) any housing accommodation with a legal regulated rent of two thousand dollars or more per month at any time between the effective date of this paragraph and October first, nineteen hundred ninety-three which is or becomes vacant on or after the
effective date of this paragraph, or any housing accommodation with a legal regulated rent of two thousand dollars or more per month at any time on or after the effective date of the rent regulation reform act of 1997 which is or becomes vacant on or after the effective date of the rent regulation reform act of 1997. This exclusion shall apply regardless of whether the next tenant in occupancy or any subsequent tenant in occupancy actually is charged or pays less than two thousand dollars a month. Provided however, that this exclusion shall not apply to housing accommodations which became or become subject to this act (a) by virtue of receiving tax benefits pursuant to section four hundred twenty-one-a or four hundred eighty-nine of the real property tax law, except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (i) of paragraph (f) of subdivision two of section four hundred twenty-one-a of the real property tax law, or (b) by virtue of article seven-C of the multiple dwelling law. This paragraph shall not apply, however, to or become effective with respect to housing accommodations which the commissioner determines or finds that the landlord or any person acting on his or her behalf, with intent to cause the tenant to vacate, has engaged in any course of conduct (including, but not limited to, interruption or discontinuance of required services) which interfered with or disturbed or was intended to interfere with or disturb the comfort, repose, peace or quiet of the tenant in his or her use or occupancy of the housing accommodations and in connection with such course of conduct, any other general enforcement provision of this act shall also apply. (14) (i) housing accommodations owned as a cooperative or condominium unit which are or become vacant on or after the effective date of this paragraph, except that this subparagraph shall not apply to units occupied by non-purchasing tenants under section three hundred fifty-two-eee of the general business law until the occurrence of a vacancy. (ii) This paragraph shall not apply, however, to or become effective with respect to housing accommodations which the commissioner determines or finds the landlord or any person acting on his or her behalf, with intent to cause the tenant to vacate, engaged in any course of conduct (including, but not limited to, interruption or discontinuance of required services) which interfered with or disturbed or was intended to interfere with or disturb the comfort, repose, peace or quiet of the tenant in his or her use or occupancy of the housing accommodations. In connection with such course of conduct any other general enforcement provision of this act shall also apply; b. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, nothing shall prevent the declaration of an emergency pursuant to section three of this act for rental housing accommodations located in buildings or structures which are subject to the provisions of article eighteen of the private housing finance law. * NB Expires June 16, 2011 * § 5-a. High income rent decontrol. (a) For purposes of this section, annual income shall mean the federal adjusted gross income as reported on the New York state income tax return. Total annual income means the sum of the annual incomes of all persons whose names are recited as the tenant or co-tenant on a lease who occupy the housing accommodation and all other persons that occupy the housing accommodation as their primary residence
on other than a temporary basis, excluding bona fide employees of such occupants residing therein in connection with such employment and excluding bona fide subtenants in occupancy pursuant to the provisions of section two hundred twenty-six-b of the real property law. In the case where a housing accommodation is sublet, the annual income of the tenant or co-tenant recited on the lease who will reoccupy the housing accommodation upon the expiration of the sublease shall be considered. (b) On or before the first day of May in each calendar year, the owner of each housing accommodation for which the legal regulated rent is two thousand dollars or more per month may provide the tenant or tenants residing therein with an income certification form prepared by the division of housing and community renewal on which such tenant or tenants shall identify all persons referred to in subdivision (a) of this section and shall certify whether the total annual income is in excess of one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars in each of the two preceding calendar years. Such income certification form shall state that the income level certified to by the tenant may be subject to verification by the department of taxation and finance pursuant to section one hundred seventy-one-b of the tax law, and shall not require disclosure of any information other than whether the aforementioned threshold has been exceeded. Such income certification form shall clearly state that: (i) only tenants residing in housing accommodations which had a legal regulated rent of two thousand dollars or more per month are required to complete the certification form; (ii) that tenants have protections available to them which are designed to prevent harassment; (iii) that tenants are not required to provide any information regarding their income except that which is requested on the form and may contain such other information the division deems appropriate. The tenant or tenants shall return the completed certification to the owner within thirty days after service upon the tenant or tenants. In the event that the total annual income as certified is in excess of one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars in each such year, the owner may file the certification with the state division of housing and community renewal on or before June thirtieth of such year. Upon filing such certification with the division, the division shall, within thirty days after the filing, issue an order providing that such housing accommodation shall not be subject to the provisions of this act upon the expiration of the existing lease. A copy of such order shall be mailed by regular and certified mail, return receipt requested, to the tenant or tenants and a copy thereof shall be mailed to the owner. (c) 1. In the event that the tenant or tenants either fail to return the completed certification to the owner on or before the date required by subdivision (b) of this section or the owner disputes the certification returned by the tenant or tenants, the owner may, on or before June thirtieth of such year, petition the state division of housing and community renewal to verify, pursuant to section one hundred seventy-one-b of the tax law, whether the total annual income exceeds one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars in each of the two preceding calendar years. Within twenty days after the filing of such request with the division, the division shall notify the tenant or tenants that such tenant or tenants named on the lease must
provide the division with such information as the division and the department of taxation and finance shall require to verify whether the total annual income exceeds one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars in each such year. The division's notification shall require the tenant or tenants to provide the information to the division within sixty days of service upon such tenant or tenants and shall include a warning in bold faced type that failure to respond will result in an order being issued by the division providing that such housing accommodations shall not be subject to the provisions of this act. 2. If the department of taxation and finance determines that the total annual income is in excess of one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars in each of the two preceding calendar years, the division shall, on or before November fifteenth of such year, notify the owner and tenants of the results of such verification. Both the owner and the tenants shall have thirty days within which to comment on such verification results. Within forty-five days after the expiration of the comment period, the division shall, where appropriate, issue an order providing that such housing accommodation shall not be subject to the provisions of this act upon expiration of the existing lease. A copy of such order shall be mailed by regular and certified mail, return receipt requested, to the tenant or tenants and a copy thereof shall be sent to the owner. 3. In the event the tenant or tenants fail to provide the information required pursuant to paragraph one of this subdivision, the division shall issue, on or before December first of such year, an order providing that such housing accommodation shall not be subject to the provisions of this act upon the expiration or the current lease. A copy of such order shall be mailed by regular and certified mail, return receipt requested, to the tenant or tenants and a copy thereof shall be sent to the owner. 4. The provisions of the state freedom of information act shall not apply to any income information obtained by the division pursuant to this section. (d) This section shall apply only to paragraph twelve of subdivision a of section five of this act. (e) Upon receipt of such order of decontrol pursuant to this section, an owner shall offer the housing accommodation subject to such order to the tenant at a rent not in excess of the market rent, which for the purposes of this section means a rent obtainable in an arm's length transaction. Such rental offer shall be made by the owner in writing to the tenant by certified and regular mail and shall inform the tenant that such offer must be accepted in writing within ten days of receipt. The tenant shall respond within ten days after receipt of such offer. If the tenant declines the offer or fails to respond within such period, the owner may commence an action or proceeding for the eviction of such tenant. * NB Expires June 16, 2011 * § 6. Regulation of rents. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any lease or other rental agreement, no owner shall, on or after the first day of the first month or other rental period following a declaration of emergency pursuant to section three, which date shall be referred to in this act as the local effective date, charge or collect any rent in excess of the initial legal regulated rent or adjusted initial legal regulated
rent until such time as a different legal regulated rent shall be authorized pursuant to guidelines adopted by a rent guidelines board pursuant to section four. b. The initial legal regulated rents for housing accommodations in a city having a population of less than one million or a town or village as to which a declaration of emergency has been made pursuant to this act shall be: (1) For housing accommodations subject to the emergency housing rent control law which become vacant on or after the local effective date of this act, the rent agreed to by the landlord and the tenant and reserved in a lease or provided for in a rental agreement; provided that such initial legal regulated rent may be adjusted on application of the owner or tenant pursuant to subdivision a of section nine of this act; and provided further that no increase of such initial regulated rent pursuant to annual guidelines adopted by the rent guidelines board shall become effective until the expiration of the first lease or rental agreement taking effect after the local effective date, but in no event before one year from the commencement of such rental agreement. (2) For all other housing accommodations, the rent reserved in the last effective lease or other rental agreement; provided that an initial rent based upon the rent reserved in a lease or other rental agreement which became effective on or after January first, nineteen hundred seventy-four may be adjusted on application of the tenant pursuant to subdivision b of section nine of this act or on application of either the owner or tenant pursuant to subdivision a of such section; and further provided that if a lease is entered into for such housing accommodations after the local effective date, but before the effective date of the first guidelines applicable to such accommodations, the lease may provide for an adjustment of rent pursuant to such guidelines, to be effective on the first day of the month next succeeding the effective date of such guidelines. c. The initial legal regulated rents for housing accommodations in a city having a population of one million or more shall be the initial rent established pursuant to the New York city rent stabilization law of nineteen hundred sixty-nine as amended. d. Provision shall be made pursuant to regulations under this act for individual adjustment of rents where: (1) there has been a substantial modification or increase of dwelling space or an increase in the services, or installation of new equipment or improvements or new furniture or furnishings, provided in or to a tenant's housing accommodation, on written tenant consent to the rent increase. In the case of a vacant housing accommodation, tenant consent shall not be required. The permanent increase in the legal regulated rent for the affected housing accommodation shall be one-fortieth of the total cost incurred by the landlord in providing such modification or increase in dwelling space, services, furniture, furnishings or equipment, including the cost of installation, but excluding finance charges. Provided further than an owner who is entitled to a rent increase pursuant to this paragraph shall not be entitled to a further rent increase based upon the installation of similar equipment, or new furniture or furnishings within the useful life of such new equipment, or new furniture or furnishings.
(2) there has been since January first, nineteen hundred seventy-four an increase in the rental value of the housing accommodations as a result of a substantial rehabilitation of the building or the housing accommodation therein which materially adds to the value of the property or appreciably prolongs its life, excluding ordinary repairs, maintenance, and replacements, or (3) there has been since January first, nineteen hundred seventy-four a major capital improvement required for the operation, preservation or maintenance of the structure. An adjustment under this paragraph shall be in an amount sufficient to amortize the cost of the improvements pursuant to this paragraph over a seven-year period, or (4) an owner by application to the state division of housing and community renewal for increases in the rents in excess of the rent adjustment authorized by the rent guidelines board under this act establishes a hardship, and the state division finds that the rate of rent adjustment is not sufficient to enable the owner to maintain approximately the same ratio between operating expenses, including taxes and labor costs but excluding debt service, financing costs, and management fees, and gross rents which prevailed on the average over the immediate preceding five year period, or for the entire life of the building if less than five years, or (5) as an alternative to the hardship application provided under paragraph four of this subdivision, owners of buildings acquired by the same owner or a related entity owned by the same principals three years prior to the date of application may apply to the division for increases in excess of the level of applicable guideline increases established under this law based on a finding by the commissioner that such guideline increases are not sufficient to enable the owner to maintain an annual gross rent income for such building which exceeds the annual operating expenses of such building by a sum equal to at least five percent of such gross rent. For the purposes of this paragraph, operating expenses shall consist of the actual, reasonable, costs of fuel, labor, utilities, taxes, other than income or corporate franchise taxes, fees, permits, necessary contracted services and non-capital repairs, insurance, parts and supplies, management fees and other administrative costs and mortgage interest. For the purposes of this paragraph, mortgage interest shall be deemed to mean interest on a bona fide mortgage including an allocable portion of charges related thereto. Criteria to be considered in determining a bona fide mortgage other than an institutional mortgage shall include; condition of the property, location of the property, the existing mortgage market at the time the mortgage is placed, the term of the mortgage, the amortization rate, the principal amount of the mortgage, security and other terms and conditions of the mortgage. The commissioner shall set a rental value for any unit occupied by the owner or a person related to the owner or unoccupied at the owner's choice for more than one month at the last regulated rent plus the minimum number of guidelines increases or, if no such regulated rent existed or is known, the commissioner shall impute a rent consistent with other rents in the building. The amount of hardship increase shall be such as may be required to maintain the annual gross rent income as provided by this paragraph. The division shall not grant a
hardship application under this paragraph or paragraph four of this subdivision for a period of three years subsequent to granting a hardship application under the provisions of this paragraph. The collection of any increase in the rent for any housing accommodation pursuant to this paragraph shall not exceed six percent in any year from the effective date of the order granting the increase over the rent set forth in the schedule of gross rents, with collectability of any dollar excess above said sum to be spread forward in similar increments and added to the rent as established or set in future years. No application shall be approved unless the owner's equity in such building exceeds five percent of: (i) the arms length purchase price of the property; (ii) the cost of any capital improvements for which the owner has not collected a surcharge; (iii) any repayment of principal of any mortgage or loan used to finance the purchase of the property or any capital improvements for which the owner has not collected a surcharge; and (iv) any increase in the equalized assessed value of the property which occurred subsequent to the first valuation of the property after purchase by the owner. For the purposes of this paragraph, owner's equity shall mean the sum of (i) the purchase price of the property less the principal of any mortgage or loan used to finance the purchase of the property, (ii) the cost of any capital improvement for which the owner has not collected a surcharge less the principal of any mortgage or loan used to finance said improvement, (iii) any repayment of the principal of any mortgage or loan used to finance the purchase of the property or any capital improvement for which the owner has not collected a surcharge, and (iv) any increase in the equalized assessed value of the property which occurred subsequent to the first valuation of the property after purchase by the owner. This subdivision shall apply to accommodations outside a city of one million or more. e. Notwithstanding any contrary provisions of this act, on and after July first, nineteen hundred eighty-four the legal regulated rent shall be the rent registered pursuant to section twelve-a of this act subject to any modification imposed pursuant to this act. f. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, rule, regulation, contract, agreement, lease or other obligation, no owner, in addition to the authorized collection of rent, shall demand, receive or retain a security deposit or advance payment which exceeds the rent of one month for or in connection with the use or occupancy of a housing accommodation by (i) any tenant who is sixty-five years of age or older for any lease or lease renewal entered into after July 1, 1996 or (ii) any tenant who is receiving disability retirement benefits or supplemental security income pursuant to the federal social security act for any lease or lease renewal entered into after July 1, 2002. g. Notwithstanding any provision of this act to the contrary in the case where all tenants named in a lease have permanently vacated a housing accommodation and a family member of such tenant or tenants is entitled to and executes a renewal lease for the housing accommodation if such accommodation continues to be subject to this act after such family member vacates, on the occurrence of such vacancy the legal regulated rent shall be increased by a sum equal to the allowance then in effect for vacancy leases, including the amount allowed by subdivision
(a-1) of section ten of this act. Such increase shall be in addition to any other increases provided for in this act including an adjustment based upon a major capital improvement, or a substantial modification or increase of dwelling space or services, or installation of new equipment or improvements or new furniture or furnishings provided in or to the housing accommodation, pursuant to section six of this act and shall be applicable in like manner to each second subsequent succession. * NB Expires June 16, 2011 * § 7. Maintenance of services. a. In order to collect a rent adjustment authorized pursuant to the provisions of subdivision b of section four, the owner of housing accommodations subject to this act located in a city having a population of less than one million or a town or village must file with the state division of housing and community renewal on a form which it shall prescribe, a written certification that he is maintaining and will continue to maintain all services furnished on the date upon which this act becomes a law or required to be furnished by any law, ordinance or regulation applicable to the premises. In addition to any other remedy afforded by law, any tenant may apply to the state division of housing and community renewal for a reduction in the rent to the level in effect prior to its most recent adjustment, and the state division of housing and community renewal may so reduce the rent if it finds that the owner has failed to maintain such services. The owner shall be supplied with a copy of the application and shall be permitted to file an answer thereto. A hearing may be held upon the request of either party, or the state division of housing and community renewal may hold a hearing upon its own motion. The state division of housing and community renewal may consolidate the proceedings for two or more petitions applicable to the same building. If the state division of housing and community renewal finds that the owner has knowingly filed a false certification, it shall, in addition to abating the rent, assess the owner with the reasonable costs of the proceeding, including reasonable attorneys' fees, and impose a penalty not in excess of two hundred fifty dollars for each false certification. The amount of the reduction in rent ordered by the state division of housing and community renewal under this subdivision shall be reduced by any credit, abatement or offset in rent which the tenant has received pursuant to section two hundred thirty-five-b of the real property law, that relates to one or more conditions covered by such order. b. In order to collect a rent adjustment authorized pursuant to the provisions of subdivision c of section four, the owner of housing accommodations located in a city having a population of more than one million shall comply with the requirements with respect to the maintenance of services of the New York city rent stabilization law of nineteen hundred sixty-nine. * NB Expires June 16, 2011 * § 8. Administration. a. Whenever a city having a population of less than one million, or a town or village has determined the existence of an emergency pursuant to section three of this act, the state division of housing and community renewal shall be designated as the sole administrative agency to administer the regulation of residential rents as provided in this act. The costs incurred by the state division of housing and community renewal in administering such regulation shall be paid by such
city, town or village. Such local resolution shall forthwith be transmitted to the state division of housing and community renewal and shall be accompanied by an initial payment in an amount previously determined by the commissioner of housing and community renewal as necessary to defray the division's anticipated first year cost. Thereafter, annually, after the close of the fiscal year of the state, the commissioner of housing and community renewal shall determine the amount of all costs incurred and shall certify to each such city, town or village its proportionate share of such costs, after first deducting therefrom the amount of such initial payment. The amount so certified shall be paid to the commissioner by such city, town or village within ninety days after the receipt of such certification. In the event that the amount thereof is not paid to the commissioner as herein prescribed, the commissioner shall certify the unpaid amount to the comptroller, and the comptroller shall withhold such amount from the next succeeding payment of per capita assistance to be apportioned to such city, town or village. b. The legislative body of any city, town or village acting to impose regulation of residential rents pursuant to the provisions of this act may impose on the owner of every building containing housing accommodations subject to such regulation an annual charge for each such accommodation in such amount as it determines to be necessary for the expenses to be incurred in the administration of such regulation. c. Whenever a city having a population of one million or more has determined the existence of an emergency pursuant to section three of this act, the provisions of this act and the New York city rent stabilization law of nineteen hundred sixty-nine shall be administered by the state division of housing and community renewal as provided in the New York city rent stabilization law of nineteen hundred sixty-nine, as amended, or as otherwise provided by law. The costs incurred by the state division of housing and community renewal in administering such regulation shall be paid by such city. All payments for such administration shall be transmitted to the state division of housing and community renewal as follows: on or after April first of each year commencing with April, nineteen hundred eighty-four, the commissioner of housing and community renewal shall determine an amount necessary to defray the division's anticipated annual cost, and one-quarter of such amount shall be paid by such city on or before July first of such year, one-quarter of such amount on or before October first of such year, one-quarter of such amount on or before January first of the following year and one-quarter of such amount on or before March thirty-first of the following year. After the close of the fiscal year of the state, the commissioner shall determine the amount of all actual costs incurred in such fiscal year and shall certify such amount to such city. If such certified amount shall differ from the amount paid by the city for such fiscal year, appropriate adjustments shall be made in the next quarterly payment to be made by such city. In the event that the amount thereof is not paid to the commissioner as herein prescribed, the commissioner shall certify the unpaid amount to the comptroller, and the comptroller shall, to the extent not otherwise prohibited by law, withhold such amount from any state aid payable to such
city. In no event shall the amount imposed on the owners exceed ten dollars per unit per year. d. The failure to pay the prescribed assessment not to exceed ten dollars per unit for any housing accommodation subject to this act or the New York city rent stabilization law of nineteen hundred sixty-nine shall constitute a charge due and owing such city, town or village which has imposed an annual charge for each such housing accommodation pursuant to subdivision b of this section. Any such city, town or village shall be authorized to provide for the enforcement of the collection of such charges by commencing an action or proceeding for the recovery of such fees or by the filing of a lien upon the building and lot. Such methods for the enforcement of the collection of such charges shall be the sole remedy for the enforcement of this section. e. The division shall maintain at least one office in each county which is governed by the rent stabilization law of nineteen hundred sixty-nine or this act; provided, however, that the division shall not be required to maintain an office in the counties of Nassau, Rockland, or Richmond. * NB Expires June 16, 2011 * § 9. Application for adjustment of initial legal regulated rent. a. The owner or tenant of a housing accommodation described in paragraph one or two of subdivision b of section six may, within sixty days of the local effective date of this act or the commencement of the first tenancy thereafter, whichever is later, file with the state division of housing and community renewal an application for adjustment of the initial legal regulated rent for such housing accommodation. The state division of housing and community renewal may adjust such initial legal regulated rent upon a finding that the presence of unique or peculiar circumstances materially affecting the initial legal regulated rent has resulted in a rent which is substantially different from the rents generally prevailing in the same area for substantially similar housing accommodations. b. The tenant of a housing accommodation described in paragraph two, subdivision b, of section six may file with the state division of housing and community renewal, within ninety days after notice has been received pursuant to subdivision c of this section, an application for adjustment of the initial legal regulated rent for such housing accommodation. Such tenant need only allege that such rent is in excess of the fair market rent and shall present such facts which, to the best of his information and belief, support such allegation. The rent guidelines board shall promulgate as soon as practicable after its creation guidelines for the determination of fair market rents for housing accommodations as to which an application may be made pursuant to this subdivision. In rendering a determination on an application filed pursuant to this subdivision b, the state division of housing and community renewal shall be guided by such guidelines. Where the state division of housing and community renewal has determined that the rent charged is in excess of the fair market rent it shall order a refund, of any excess paid since January first, nineteen hundred seventy-four or the date of the commencement of the tenancy, whichever is later. Such refund shall be made by the landlord in cash or as a credit against future rents over a period not in excess of six months.
c. Upon receipt of any application filed pursuant to this section nine, the state division of housing and community renewal shall notify the owner or tenant, as the case may be, and provide a copy to him of such application. Such owner or tenant shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to respond to the application. A hearing may be held upon the request of either party, or the division may hold a hearing on its own motion. The division shall issue a written opinion to both the tenant and the owner upon rendering its determination. d. Within thirty days after the local effective date of this act the owner of housing accommodations described in paragraph two of subdivision b of section six, as to which an emergency has been declared pursuant to this act, shall give notice in writing by certified mail to the tenant of each such housing accommodation on a form prescribed by the state division of housing and community renewal of the initial legal regulated rent for such housing accommodation and of such tenant's right to file an application for adjustment of the initial legal regulated rent of such housing accommodation. e. The initial legal regulated rents for housing accommodations in a city having a population of one million or more shall be subject to adjustment in accordance with the provisions of the New York city rent stabilization law as amended. * NB Expires June 16, 2011 * § 10. Regulations. a. For cities having a population of less than one million and towns and villages, the state division of housing and community renewal shall be empowered to implement this act by appropriate regulations. Such regulations may encompass such speculative or manipulative practices or renting or leasing practices as the state division of housing and community renewal determines constitute or are likely to cause circumvention of this act. Such regulations shall prohibit practices which are likely to prevent any person from asserting any right or remedy granted by this act, including but not limited to retaliatory termination of periodic tenancies and shall require owners to grant a new one or two year vacancy or renewal lease at the option of the tenant, except where a mortgage or mortgage commitment existing as of the local effective date of this act provides that the owner shall not grant a one-year lease; and shall prescribe standards with respect to the terms and conditions of new and renewal leases, additional rent and such related matters as security deposits, advance rental payments, the use of escalator clauses in leases and provision for increase in rentals for garages and other ancillary facilities, so as to insure that the level of rent adjustments authorized under this law will not be subverted and made ineffective. Any provision of the regulations permitting an owner to refuse to renew a lease on grounds that the owner seeks to recover posses