New York Rent Laws
EHRCL Table of Contents

The Local Emergency Housing Rent Control Act [1962]

Section 7.  INVESTIGATIONS.

The city housing rent agency is authorized to make such studies
and investigations, to conduct such hearings, and to obtain such
information as it deems necessary or proper in prescribing any
regulation or order under a local law adopted pursuant to
subdivision five of this section or in administering and
enforcing such local law and the regulations and orders
thereunder or the state emergency housing rent control law and
the regulations and orders thereunder.

The city housing rent agency is further authorized, by regulation
or order, to require any person who rents or offers for rent or
acts as broker or agent for the rental of any housing
accommodations to furnish any such information under oath or
affirmation, or otherwise, to make and keep records and other
documents, and to make reports, and the city housing rent agency
may require any such person to permit the inspection and copying
of records and other documents and the inspection of housing
accommodations. Any officer or agent designated by the city
housing rent agency for such purposes may administer oaths and
affirmations and may, whenever necessary, by subpoena, require
any such person to appear and testify or to appear and produce
documents, or both, at any designated place.

For the purpose of obtaining any information under this
subdivision, the city housing rent agency may by subpoena require
any other person to appear and testify or to appear and produce
documents, or both, at any designated place.

The production of a person's documents at any place other than
his place of business shall not be required under this
subdivision in any case in which, prior to the return date
specified in the subpoena issued with respect thereto, such
person either has furnished the city housing rent agency with a
copy of such documents certified by such person under oath to be
a true and correct copy, or has entered into a stipulation with
the city housing rent agency as to the information contained in
such documents.

In case of contumacy by, or refusal to obey a subpoena served
upon, any person referred to in this subdivision, the supreme
court in or for any judicial district in which such person is
found or resides or transacts business, upon application by the
city housing rent agency, shall have jurisdiction to issue an
order requiring such person to appear and give testimony or to
appear and produce documents, or both; and any failure to obey
such order of the court may be punished by such court as a
contempt thereof. The provisions of this paragraph shall be in
addition to the provisions of paragraph (a) of subdivision nine
of this section.

Witnesses subpoenaed under this subdivision shall be paid the
same fees and mileage as are paid witnesses under article eighty
of the civil practice law and rules.

Upon any such investigation or hearing, the city housing rent
agency, or an officer duly designated by the city housing rent
agency to conduct such investigation or hearing, may confer
immunity in accordance with the provisions of section 50.20 of
the criminal procedure law.

The city housing rent agency shall not publish or disclose any
information obtained under this section that the city housing
rent agency deems confidential or with reference to which a
request for confidential treatment is made by the person
furnishing such information, unless the city housing rent agency
determines that the withholding thereof is contrary to the public
interest.

Any person subpoenaed under this section shall have the right to
make a record of his testimony and to be represented by counsel.