EA 430046-RO
                                  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




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          IN THE MATTER OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE     ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
          APPEAL OF                               DOCKET NO.:   
                                                  EA 430046-RO               
                      ANN ELLIS,                       
                                                  RENT ADMINISTRATOR'S      
                                                  DOCKET NO.: 
                                  PETITIONER      DA 430006-B
          ----------------------------------x



              ORDER AND OPINION DENYING PETITION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
                                            

            On January 4, 1990, the above-named petitioner-owner filed a 
            petition for administrative review of an order issued on December 
            15, 1989, by the Rent Administrator, concerning the housing 
            accommodation known as 323 West 74th Street, New York, New York, 
            wherein the Administrator ordered a rent reduction upon a finding 
            of a decrease in services building-wide.

            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 of a complaint al- 
            leging, among other things, that no garbage cans are provided for 
            the tenants' use and that there is inadequate water pressure.

            On November 13 & 14, 1989, a Division staff member made a physical 
            inspection and reported that no garbage cans were provided for 
            tenants' use and that tenants put their garbage on the sidewalk. 
            With regard to water pressure, the inspector was unable to gain 
            access to one apartment, a second tenant cancelled the appointment, 
            and a visit to the third apartment revealed adequate water pres- 
            sure.  As a result an order reducing the rent on the basis of a 
            decrease in services building-wide for inadequate trash collection 
            was issued on December 15, 1989.

            In the PAR, the owner contends that there are three trash cans for 
            the three tenants in the building, that it is sufficient for a 72 
            hour period as required by law and that the Division's inspector 
            failed to notice the garbage cans because on days of non-collection 












          EA 430046-RO



            they are stored at the bottom of the stairs by the basement 
            entrance.  The owner submitted a snapshot of the garbage cans.  The 
            owner also says that the inspection may not have been properly 
            conducted and may have actually occurred at a Bronx address which 
            was erroneously typed by Division personnel on the "List of Tenants 
            Affected by This Order", a separate page accompanying the order.

            All tenants filed answers to the owner's PAR, each saying that the 
            garbage cans were not provided until after the Administrator's 
            order was issued.

            The Commissioner is of the opinion that the owner's petition should 
            be denied.  The inspection report was prepared by a Division 
            employee who is neither a party to the proceeding nor an adversary 
            to the owner or tenants.  The report is signed and dated and was 
            properly placed in the record for the Administrator's considera- 
            tion.  The owner is correct that a supplemental page attached to 
            the Administrator's order showed a wrong address.  However, this 
            would have had no bearing on the inspection since the typing error 
            occurred after the date of inspection.  The inspection report it- 
            self bears the correct address.  The snapshot submitted is undated 
            and shows three garbage cans; one designated for recyclables, bears 
            the address of the building and one other bears an address which is 
            hidden from view. Had the can been turned around to reveal the 
            building number, this piece of evidence would have been all the 
            more compelling, but not determinative.


            THEREFORE, in accordance with the provisions of the Rent Stabiliza- 
            tion Law and Code, it is,

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


            ISSUED:



                                                                         
                                               JOSEPH A. D'AGOSTA
                                               Deputy Commissioner