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Re: Lottery (80/20) apartment tenants amenities...??

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Re: Lottery (80/20) apartment tenants amenities...??

Postby TenantNet » Tue Dec 01, 2020 12:39 pm

Note: this post was in reply to a question regarding apartment amenities in 80/20 buildings. The original post, and it's author, were deleted due to spam issues.

God hath created no greater scam than the 80/20 or 421a plans. In recent years it's been joined by Mayor de Blasio's Inclusionary Housing program. They all rely on the Area Median Income (AMI) index that is pushed towards the wealthier neighborhoods. Where "affordable" in our view should be for families making less than $50,000, most of these schemes are for tenants earning a lot more. I recently found a building in Queens with an affordable component where the tenants can make up to $225,000.

I can't give you a quick answer. I have seen new articles or other reports on cases such as this, where they make the tenants with so-called affordable units pay for use of amenities that market rate tenants enjoy using for free. The other things they do is the "poor door" where the riff-raff must use another door to leave and enter a building. The market rate tenants get the entrance with marble and a concierge.

The world of 80/20 can get complicated due to the various programs that appear to be similar. Do you know if this is a NYS 80/20 program, a 421a program (using the old name 421a or the newer name (Affordable New York)? Or is it under the NYC Mandatory Inclusionary Program?

When was the building constructed? Have you looked at the regulatory agreement?

You might get some help from your local community board, your local elected representatives, or the NYS Attorney General's office. In many cases, developers are supposed to go to the local community board to get a stamp of approval. Some do not knowing that NYC community boards have no power. Still, you might find information there as to what program by which the building is managed.

Here's one article on this issue:
https://citylimits.org/2019/11/04/opini ... buildings/

another
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/18/real ... ities.html
where they claim there is legislation to correct the problem, but I've not heard of this.

You should check with Div. of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) as you should be under rant stabilization. I would FOIL any document for this building in the agency's possession.

I would get as much documentation as possible. Don't forget the courts. Chances are there have been cases on this issue (although hard to say if they would be directly on point).

If it's a large building, then there are more RS tenants like you. Consider forming a tenant association.
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