DD230091RO
                                  STATE OF NEW YORK
                      DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL
                            OFFICE OF RENT ADMINISTRATION
                                     GERTZ PLAZA
                               92-31 UNION HALL STREET
                                  JAMAICA, NY 11433





          ------------------------------------x
          IN THE MATTER OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE          ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
          APPEAL OF                                    DOCKET NO.: DD230091RO

                    1800 Realty Co.,
                                                       RENT ADMINISTRATOR'S
                                                       DOCKET NO.: CD230015B

                                   PETITIONER
          ------------------------------------x


            ORDER AND OPINION DENYING PETITION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW

          On April 12, 1989, the above-named petitioner-owner filed a 
          petition for administrative review of an order issued on March 13, 
          1989 by the Rent Administrator, concerning the housing 
          accommodation known as 1800 East 12 Street, Brooklyn, New York, 
          various apartments, wherein the Administrator issued an order 
          listing the specific services the owner failed to maintain, reduced 
          the rent for rent controlled and rent stabilized tenants, and 
          directed the owner to restore services.

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

          This proceeding was commenced by the filing by the tenants of a 
          complaint of a decrease in services building-wide.  A copy of the 
          tenants' complaint was served on the owner who responded, in 
          pertinent part, stating that the building is being converted to 
          coops and that the Attorney General's rules do not require the 
          removal of the asbestos.  The owner further advised that the 
          conditions complained of either had been or would be corrected.

          An inspection conducted by a DHCR staff inspector on November 29, 
          1988 confirmed several of the complained of conditions resulting in 
          the order herein appealed.  In the PAR, the owner requests that the 
          order be reversed and contends that the amount of the reduction is 
          excessive given the nature of the conditions found by the 
          Division's inspector, that vandalism is responsible for some of the 
          conditions, such as the cutting down of lobby fixtures, and that to 
          insure that all services are being provided, the owner has 












          DD230091RO


          installed bars on the basement windows to deter vandals.

          After careful consideration, the Commissioner is of the opinion 
          that the petition should be denied.

          The courts of this state have held that once the DHCR determines 
          that a diminution in services has occurred, it must order a rent 
          reduction.  (Hyde Park Gardens v DHCR, 140 A.D. 2d 351, 527 N.Y.S. 
          2d 841 (A.D. 2d. Dept. 1988), affd. 73 N.Y. 2d 998, 541 N.Y.S. 2d 
          345, 73 N.E. 2d 101 (Ct. App. 1989).  The Commissioner finds that 
          the Administrator properly reduced the rents in accordance with the 
          foregoing holding.

          With regard to the owner's contention that some of the service 
          decreases were the result of vandalism, the Commissioner notes that 
          an owner may not absolve itself of responsibility for conditions 
          existing by claiming that they were caused by the criminal acts of 
          third parties.  The owner is responsible for the conditions so 
          caused.

          The owner's petition does not establish any basis for modifying or 
          revoking the Administrator's order which determined, based on a 
          physical inspection confirming the existence of defective 
          conditions, that a rent reduction is warranted.

          The Division's records indicate that the owner applied for rent 
          restoration which was granted on April 13, 1990 under Docket # 
          DE230178OR.

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

          ORDERED, that this petition be, and the same hereby is, denied and 
          that the Administrator's order be, and the same hereby is, 
          affirmed.
                 


          ISSUED:


                                                                     
                                             JOSEPH A. D'AGOSTA
                                             Deputy Commissioner