DHCR Petition for Administrative Review (PAR) Decisions
In 1994, under pressure from tenant advocates, DHCR released approximately 6,000 PAR decisions. After Governor Pataki took office in 1995, DHCR refused to release other decisions in bulk. These decisions generally cover the 1990-1994 period and in many cases do not reflect current law or DHCR practice. The reader is cautioned to be aware of changes to the Rent Stabilization Law, the Rent Stabilization Code and DHCR practice since 1994. Also this database does not include all decisions prior to 1994 as DHCR intentionally withheld many decisions for unknown reasons.

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DHCR Decisions







          ADM. APPEAL DOCKET NO.: BH-110068-RT

                                  STATE OF NEW YORK
                      DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL
                            OFFICE OF RENT ADMINISTRATION
                                     GERTZ PLAZA
                               92-31 UNION HALL STREET
                               JAMAICA, NEW YORK 11433

          ------------------------------------X 
          IN THE MATTER OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE :  ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL
          APPEAL OF                              DOCKET NO.:               
                                                 BH - 110068 - RT
                                              :
                                                 DRO DOCKET NO.:          
                                                 049260                   
                SHIRLEY GREENBERG            
                                                  

                              PETITIONER      : 
          ------------------------------------X                             

                  ORDER AND OPINION GRANTING ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL
                                       IN PART

               On August 25, 1987, the above-named petitioner-tenant filed an 
          Administrative Appeal against an order issued on July 28, 1987 by 
          the District Rent Administrator, 92-31 Union Hall Street, Jamaica, 
          New York, concerning the housing accommodations known as 260-07 
          74th Avenue, Glen Oaks, New York, Apartment No. 2.

               The issue herein is whether the District Rent Administrator 
          properly determined the services the owner is obligated to and does 
          provide to the tenant in the subject building and whether the 
          registration statement was properly amended to reflect those 
          services.

               The Commissioner has reviewed all of the evidence in the 
          record and has carefully considered that portion of the record 
          relevant to the issues raised by the administrative appeal.  

               On October 2, 1984, the tenant commenced the original 
          proceeding by filing with the Division a tenant's objection form to 
          the services registration statement filed by the owner. The tenant 
          alleged that the owner did not include therein a number of 
          apartment and building services.  Specifically, the tenant stated 
          that the owner omitted a stove, refrigerator, shades, garage 
          linoleum, toilet seat, light fixtures, screens, extermination 
          services, and a master antenna outlet as apartment services and 
          electricity, storage space, front desk, exterior door locks,   
          benches, exterior lighting, snow removal and salting, security, 
          landscaping, parking spaces, outside water-spigots, clotheslines, 
          and community rooms as building-wide services.














          ADM. APPEAL DOCKET NO.: BH-110068-RT

               In answer to the tenant's objections, the owner asserted that 
          a stove and refrigerator are provided with the apartment; 
          electricity is not required to be registered; shades are not 
          provided; storage space outside the apartment is not provided; 
          garages are the property of the co-op corporation; there is no 
          front desk; linoleum, toilet seat, fixtures, screens, and 
          exterminator are provided with the apartment; and exterior door 
          locks, benches, parking, community rooms, snow removal, security 
          landscaping, outside water spigots, and clotheslines are provided 
          by the co-op corporation for the common areas and are not required 
          to be listed on the apartment registration.   

               On July 28, 1987, the District Rent Administrator issued an 
          order in which it amended the registration to include a stove, 
          refrigerator, window shades, luggage room and screens.  It also 
          noted that the right of rent stabilized tenants to rent garage 
          space was established in an earlier order (Docket Nos. 57577-B, 
          58299-B and 62622-B issued on July 8, 1985).

               In the petition for Administrative Review, the tenant urges 
          that the Administrator's order should be amended to include all the 
          items contained in the original objection form or specify which do 
          not need to be listed because they are either required by law or 
          fall within the definition of normal maintenance. 

               The Commissioner is of the opinion that the tenant's petition 
          should be granted in part. 

               According to Section 2528.1 of the Rent Stabilization Code, an 
          owner was required to register all housing accommodations subject 
          to the Rent Stabilization Law on April 1, 1984 and to include in 
          that registration all services provided for in the last lease or 
          provided or required to be provided on the applicable base date or 
          thereafter.  No service may be discontinued except by mutual 
          agreement between the owner and the tenant and the approval of the 
          Division with an appropriate adjustment in the rent.

               Required services are defined by Section 2520.6(r) of the Code 
          and include ancillary services for which there is a separate 
          charge.

               Applying these principles to the instant proceeding the 
          Commissioner finds that electricity for common and exterior areas 
          and exterminator services are required by law and did not have to 
          be listed on the registration.  Snow removal, salting, landscaping, 
          security and a front desk do not have to be listed on the 
          registration since they are apartment and building maintenance 
          requirements.


               As for benches, parking spaces and community meeting rooms, 
          the owner has not denied that these are services provided to the 






          ADM. APPEAL DOCKET NO.: BH-110068-RT

          apartment or building on the applicable base date.  The fact that 
          some of them may be provided by the co-op corporation does not 
          relieve the owner of the obligation to include these items on the 
          registration and to assure their continued availability.  
          Accordingly, the registration should be amended to reflect these 
          facts.

               The owner has also not denied that toilet seats, exterior door 
          locks, linoleum, light fixtures in public areas, outside water 
          spigots, and clotheslines are provided.  However, because of the 
          minor nature of these items, the Commissioner finds that they do 
          not have to be specifically listed on the registration statements.  
          They are required services, though, and any attempt to eliminate 
          these items will be justification for a rent reduction application.  
          Any prior order issued by the Commissioner finding that these 
          services had to be registered were the result of the owner's 
          attempt to disclaim liability for these items.  In order to be 
          consistent with this order, the prior orders should be construed as 
          finding that these minor services are required to be provided but 
          need not be registered.

               The Commissioner notes that the issues of whether playgrounds, 
          storage space and front desk/maintenance crew are required services 
          and whether these services are being provided by the owner are the 
          subjects of other proceedings filed with this agency and the 
          parties are advised to refer to the determinations made in those 
          proceedings (FH 130079 RT and FH 130039 RO, e.g.).

               THEREFORE, in accordance with the Rent Stabilization Law and 
          Code, it is

               ORDERED, that this petition be and the same hereby is granted 
          in part and that the Administrator's order be, and the same hereby 
          is modified as provided hereinabove.

          ISSUED:


                                                                        
                                          JOSEPH A. D'AGOSTA
                                          Acting Deputy Commissioner




                                                    






    
   

The New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) is the state agency that administers the Rent Stabilization and Rent Control systems. DHCR has jurisdiction over many aspects of the landlord-tenant relationship, including the legal rent, the providing of various services and complaints of landlord harassment. In addition, landlords are able to apply to DHCR for increases in rent based on Major Capital Improvements or for other reasons.

Tenants and Landlords may initiate proceedings by filing complaints or applications with DHCR. After the agency collects evidence from both the tenant and landlord, it renders a decision by the District Rent Administrator (DRA) -- sometimes referred to as the District Rent Office (DRO).

Either party may then appeal the decision at the agency level by filing a Petition for Administrative Review (PAR) within 35 days. A PAR decision -- or sometimes called a Commissioner's Decision -- represents the final decision of the agency before parties may appeal in the state courts.

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