Soon to be a legal view? Bogart and Siegel. — Photo by Jeremy Sapienza
The New York Senate today passed an extension to the 1982 Loft Law, which grants tenants living in commercially or industrially zoned buildings the same legal rights as those in residentially zoned buildings. The legislation, sponsored in Albany by Bushwick Assemblyman Vito J. Lopez, now awaits the governor’s signature.
In recent years, many Bushwick conversions, which house perhaps thousands of people, have taken place without sanction from City bodies. The Loft Law extension bill, S.7178A, will now protect tenants in about 3600 more units in around 300 buildings which have seen residential use since the last extension in 1987. Landlords of affected properties will be required to bring units up to code in all areas including the health, safety, and fire standards required of all residential units. Tenants will also be afforded protection from sudden eviction and commercial rent increases, which are unrestricted by law.
Building owners must register their converted loft spaces with the New York City Loft Board within nine months of the law’s passage. Landlords must comply with City fire and safety codes within 18 months and seek a residential certificate of occupancy within 36 months. Owners having trouble with compliance beyond his or her control can be granted two 12-month extensions by the Loft Board.
The Bushwick area’s State Senator Martin Malavé Dilan defends the ability of New Yorkers to convert underused former industrial spaces into more housing in a city with a famously short supply.
“Lofts offer a unique opportunity to convert defunct manufacturing space into livable, revenue generating space,” said the senator in a press release. “Tenants who have moved into these older, vacant buildings, have sparked new life in what were at one time bustling commercial hubs. In doing so, they have rebuilt communities and in some instances built new ones.” In Bushwick, the industrial areas around the Jefferson and especially Morgan L subway stops are examples of this change of usage.
Loft Laws are an attempt by the State to catch up legislatively to facts on the ground — manufacturing areas in New York have for decades been turning into residential neighborhoods despite zoning that prohibits this use. The laws are understood to be a step toward complete legalization of residential use for previously commercial properties.
Local community-based organization Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council — connected to law sponsor Assemblyman Lopez — holds occasional workshops to inform Bushwick loft tenants of their rights. The extension of the Loft Laws will help defuse some of the legal problems these residents may face connected to the zoning status of their lofts.
Karl June 9th, 2010 at 7:21 pm
This has been 20 years in the making. Once the governor signs the bill into law the State will have actually done something substantial and historic for the arts community. This is a landmark bill.
No more headlines of loft dwellers being thrown into the streets or their heat and water cut off in the middle of winter.
Thanks to all the people in Brooklyn and Queens and the New York Live Work Coalition that have been working for this relentlessly.
Katie June 9th, 2010 at 9:08 pm
This is a big deal.
Once this becomes law though, that’s when the real work begins. That’s when we all actually have to start getting the law enforced in the face of tremendous opposition from landlord who are accustomed to living without basic tenant protections.
I would say too, and I know this might get me into trouble with some of the folks that read this website, but this law would not have gotten to this point without the hard work of Assemblyman Vito J. Lopez. He is a tireless advocate for his constituents, and as this bill makes clear, that includes loft dwellers as well.
Sally Robinson June 10th, 2010 at 6:28 am
We at RBSCC are very excited about the prospects that this new bill may have in store for loft tenants.
We invite loft tenants to contact us by email with loft tenant issues at srobinson@rbscc.org
Nast June 11th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Add one more demographic group to the Lord Lopez’ fold (“Star Wars – The Imperial March” playing in the background). Classic “carrot on a stick” move. Bravo, Vito.
John Dereszewski June 12th, 2010 at 6:12 am
Vito has actually been very strong on this issue during his entire legislative career.
Soon after being elected in 1984, he vigilantly and successfully opposed the eviction of the residential loft residents in the big complex situated on Morgan Ave. between Metropolitan and Grand. (These are the buildings that were featured in the recent BushwickBK article regarding early air conditioning.) As an officer of Community Board 1 at the time and a strong opponent of the evictions, I fondly remember working closely with Vito and his staff on this issue. Out of this controversy, I believe that the seeds of the loft law that was recently enacted were initially planted.
So, however you may otherwise feel about Vito, you must acknowledge that he has long and consistently been strong advocate for loft residents.
Karl June 21st, 2010 at 1:31 pm
And now the mayor has come out to block the law and pushes the Governor to veto the law.
(see NY Observer today)
Don’t let that happen! Call the Governor NOW – TODAY – MONDAY June 21st:
518 474 8390
Nino June 22nd, 2010 at 2:32 pm
This totally sucks.
A bum tenant can make up any excuse for not paying rent, break things, have friends, boyfriends & girlfriends, drugs move in.
It already takes over 3 months to evict somebody as the good tenants and landlords suffer.
I have no problem with tenants having certain rights but in this shod deal the welfare brats & bums get the better end of the shit stick.
Evictions will be harder to do and that’s BS !!
Albany passed this because they know they are out of Sec 8 money and want to stick all those people on the landlords wallet.
God help anybody with a Sec 8 or any government subsidized housing. No landlord or developer is going to want it and that’s why the mayor is pissed.