Removal of Public Telephones in SRO Building Was Reduction in Services

Tenants complained of a reduction in building-wide services, claiming that building-wide security was decreased because there was no 24/7 desk coverage, visitors were no longer screened, the desk clerk stayed in a separate office, the night porter left the front desk to perform other duties, and the building front door was left unlocked until 9 p.m. The DRA ruled for tenants and reduced their rents. Among other things, the DRA found that landlord wasn't maintaining the security-intercom and the hotel telephone service.

Landlord appealed and lost. The DRA properly relied on its administrative file, including inspection results to determine that required services weren't maintained. Landlord acknowledged that several public telephones, the front desk telephone, the switchboard, telephone service to the rooms, and the hall telephone service had been removed. The DRA correctly determined that removal of the public telephones from the building was a decrease in service to this SRO building. Landlord failed to obtain prior DHCR approval to eliminate this service. 

342 West 71 Realty LLC: DHCR Adm. Rev. Docket No. ER430037RO (8/25/17) [6-pg. doc.]