No Monthly Rent Reduction for Tenants

Rent-stabilized tenants complained of a reduction in building-wide services based on a dirty entrance and stairways due to construction crews; a decrease in lobby security service; cardboard planks left in hallways with mold under them; unavailability of the service elevator during construction; an accumulation of dust, crystalline silica, lead, and mold in hallways and some apartments; fewer porters; and less cleaning of hallways, laundry rooms, and recycling rooms. The DRA ruled for tenants, finding that the floors were covered with cardboard, that all four passenger elevators were dirty, and that there was construction debris and trash on the 15th floor of the building. Both tenants and landlord appealed and lost. If tenants received no rent reduction because the most recent guidelines rent increase was zero, no further rent reduction was prescribed by the Rent Stabilization Code. An asbestos abatement issue raised in tenants' complaint must be referred to the NYC Department of Health. Landlord's claim that it performed regular cleaning and trash collection at the building was contradicted by the DHCR inspector's findings.

Various Tenants of 305-315 East 86th Street/CSFM E86 Manager, LLC: DHCR Adm. Rev. Docket Nos. ET410070RT, EU410001RO (6/27/17) [6-pg. doc.]