Residential Landlord and Tenant Archives

Bringing a Landlord-Tenant Case to a Satisfying Conclusion – Michelle Itkowitz Lawline Presentation (Excerpt – Making the Eviction Day Happen or Preventing the Eviction Day From Happening)

June 25, 2024 On April 19, 2024, Michelle Itkowitz taught a certified continuing legal education class for Lawline, entitled "Bringing a Landlord-Tenant Case to a Satisfying Conclusion". Below is an excerpt from the 45-page materials that accompany the program. First, here are the great reviews the program has garnered so far: "Michelle is a great… Continue reading

Landlord-Tenant Litigation in the Courtroom – Michelle Itkowitz Lawline Presentation (Excerpt – Discovery)

May 20, 2024 On February 20, 2024, Michelle Itkowitz taught a certified continuing legal education class for Lawline, entitled "Landlord-Tenant Litigation in the Courtroom". Below is an excerpt from the 39-page materials that accompany the program. The program has so far received 172 reviews, with an average of 4.9 out of 5 stars. First, here… Continue reading

Getting a Landlord-Tenant Case Started / Predicate Notices – Michelle Itkowitz Lawline Presentation (Excerpt – Who is the Owner?)

April 10, 2024 On January 19, 2024, Michelle Itkowitz taught a certified continuing legal education program for Lawline, entitled "Getting a Landlord-Tenant Case Started / Predicate Notices". Below is an excerpt from the 50-page materials that accompany the program. The program has received 253 ratings with an average score of 4.9 out of 5 stars.… Continue reading

Anatomy of a Hairy Apartment Settlement Agreement

February 25, 2024 At this stage in my career journey and at my price-point, I typically do not get hired by landlords of Rent Stabilized buildings unless it is for consulting, development, or for a very hairy apartment or building situation. This story is about a very very hairy apartment situation. To start… Continue reading

When tenant-lawyers pull the trigger on litigation too quickly they can derail their client’s housing goals.

October 28, 2023 According to the New York City Rent Guidelines Board 2023 Housing Supply Report, there are approximately an equal number of free-market (1,023,000) and Rent Stabilized (1,006,000) rental apartments in New York City. The hard part sometimes is knowing in which category an apartment is properly placed. This is so because there are… Continue reading

If you wait by the river long enough…$450K Buyout for Tenant with No Litigation

August 31, 2023 I represented a residential tenant who was in an apartment that was being treated as free market. The tenant came to me, not because he suspected he was Rent Stabilized, but because the new owner of the building was doing some illegal Airbnb, which was bothering the tenant and his family. Getting… Continue reading

Welcome to the Tenant Law Podcast!

June 30, 2023 Welcome to the Tenant Law Podcast, where we talk about new, interesting, and/or important legal cases affecting New York City tenants. Listen on Apple, Spotify, Google. Michelle Itkowitz is your host. Each episode is about 10 minutes long. First, we give you some background, so you have the context to understand the… Continue reading

Winning a Tenant a Rent Stabilized Apartment, a Forever Home

April 30, 2023 Last Fall, I won a trial on behalf of a residential tenant and secured him a Rent Stabilized apartment, a forever home. This was a 421a building being treated as a cooperative, which was really a rental building. My client was sued as a free-market tenant. By the end of the trial,… Continue reading

Some Loft Law Coverage Basics

July 28, 2022 I was involved in a representation that involved the issue of Loft Law coverage. That made me realize how little information there is available to lawyers on the issue of Loft Law coverage (Multiple Dwelling Law Article 7C “Legalization of Interim Multiple Dwellings”). There is even less information on the issue available… Continue reading

The Laws Regarding Rent Strikes in New York

June 30, 2022 During the Pandemic, I was involved in a representation that encompassed a rent strike. That made me realize how little information there is available to lawyers on rent strikes. There is even less information on rent strikes available to the public. I ended up writing my own internal piece on rent strikes.… Continue reading