DOCKET NUMBER: SJR 4953; EB 410165-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  SJR 4953
     IN THE MATTER OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE :  ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
     APPEAL OF                              DOCKET NO.:EB 410165-RT
                                         :  
                                            DRO DOCKET NO.:BL 410035-RP
                                                   TC 06842-G/CDR 28617
     RACHEL BONEM          PETITIONER    : 
     ------------------------------------X                             

       ORDER AND OPINION REOPENING PROCEEDING AND REMANDING ON APPEAL AFTER
              REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION PURSUANT TO JUDGMENT OF COURT

     The abovenamed petitioner  tenant  filed  a  Petition  for  Administrative
     Review  against  an  order  issued  on  November  14,  1989  by  the  Rent
     Administrator concerning the housing accommodations known as 171 West 71st 
     Street, Apartment 10C, Manhattan.

     On March 15, 1990 the Commissioner issued an order dismissing the petition 
     as untimely.  The tenant instituted an Article 78 proceeding.   The  court
     found that the petition was timely and remitted the proceeding.

     Since this proceeding was  originally  initiated  before  April  1,  1984,
     unless otherwise  indicated,  it  is  being  determined  pursuant  to  the
     provisions of the former Rent Stabilization Code in effect prior to May 1, 
     1987.

     The tenant filed a complaint of overcharges on February 14, 1983.  

     In response the owner alleged that the apartment had  been  occupied  rent
     free by a superintendent "from prior to 1969 until late  1974  (subsequent
     to July 1, 1974)" and remained vacant thereafter until rented to Ms. Bonem 
     commencing AUgust 1, 1977 at a rent of $25.00 per month.

     The owner submitted, among other things, copies of ledger  pages  reciting
     occupancy by a superintendent and no rent collected  throughout  1974  and
     1975 but a rent of $550.00 per  month  collected  (from  some  unspecified
     person) from October 1976 through May 1977 and no rent collected for  June
     1976.

     In subsequent correspondence the owner alleged that the abovenoted entries 
     showing rents collected for 1976 and 1977  were  erroneous  and  that  the
     owner at that time had become  incompetent  and  conservators  were  later
     appointed.

     The Rent Administrator issued an order on June  12,  1987  dismissing  the
     tenant's complaint based on a finding that there were no overcharges.  All 
     rent increases above the tenant's  initial  lease  rent  of  $525.00  were
     within the applicable Guidelines.











     DOCKET NUMBER: SJR 4953; EB 410165-RT

     The tenant filed a petition (BB 410500-RT) and the Commissioner issued  an
     order on  November  24,  1987  remanding  the  matter  and  directing  the
     Administrator, in substance, to examine the rental history  evidence  more
     closely.

     The herein appealed order of the Rent Administrator  was  issued  pursuant
     tot remand and  in  substance  affirmed  the  prior  order  finding  that,
     pursuant to Sections 2(g) and 66A of the former Code,  the  apartment  was
     not subject to the stabilization on June 30, 1974 and that the first  rent
     charged  the  tenant  thereafter  ($525.00)  became  the  base  rent   for
     stabilization purposes.

     In her petition, the tenant, among other things, urges that as the alleged 
     first stabilized tenant she was entitled to have her complaint treated  as
     a fair market rent appeal; that the Administrator  apparently  disregarded
     an answer she submitted after the proceeding was reopened;  and  that  the
     owner has not established when or under what circumstances  the  apartment
     became decontrolled and that it may even still be rent controlled.
                                                   
     The tenant also submits a copy of part of the schedule of a  1972  Maximum
     Base Rent order listing one J. Cohl as tenant  of  the  subject  apartment
     paying a December 1, 1971 rent of $241.05 with a 1972 Maximum Base Rent of 
     $307.57 and Maximum Collectible Rent of $259.13.

     The Commissioner is of the opinion that the proceeding should be  remanded
     for further processing.

     One of the few undisputed facts in the record  is  that  the  tenant  took
     occupancy  after  June  30,   1971.    The   apartments   is,   therefore,
     presumptively subject to stabilization rather than rent control unless the 
     tenant can somehow establish otherwise.

     The owner's allegations of occupancy by a superintendent from before  1969
     till after June 30, 1974 and vacancy until occupancy by the tenant in 1977 
     have not been substantiated and, in fact, are contradicted by MBR  records
     submitted by the tenant and by the owner's own ledger entries.

     It cannot be ascertained from the record with any degree of certainty when 
     the apartment first became subject to stabilization nor who, in fact,  was
     the first stabilized tenant.  Therefore, the matter cannot be treated as a 
     fair market rent appeal.

     However, since the apartment is in the First Judicial Department and since 
     the owner has failed to submit a complete rental history,  the  tenant  is
     entitled to have  her  complaint  determined  by  an  approximate  default
     procedure under Section 42(a) of the former Code  and  the  proceeding  is
     being remanded for the Administrator to do so after notice to all parties.

     THEREFORE, pursuant to the Rent Stabilization Law and Code and judgment of 
     Court, it is






     ORDERED, that this proceeding be, and the same hereby is,  reopened;  that
     the Commissioner's prior order of March 15, 1990 be, and the  same  hereby






     DOCKET NUMBER: SJR 4953; EB 410165-RT
     is, revoked; that this petition be, and the same hereby is, granted to the 
     extent of remanding this proceeding to the Rent Administrator for  further
     processing  in  accord  herewith;  and  that  the  order   of   the   Rent
     Administrator be, and the same hereby are, revoked.

     ISSUED:












                                                                              
                                                     ELLIOT SANDER 
                                                  Deputy Commissioner