Demolition Application by Your Landlord
When Your Landlord wants to evict you so that he can demolish the building that you live in
There are times when landlords attempt to evict tenants from their apartments for the purpose of demolishing an existing building to replace it. Although the law does provide mechanisms for the landlord to achieve this goal, it also provides tenants with many defenses and opportunities to disprove the landlord’s claim. Tenants have the opportunity to oppose and challenge the demolition application of their landlord both administratively, before the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), and in court to prevent the landlord from achieving this goal. Tenants will often form a Tenant Group or Association to unite their opposition to their landlord’s demolition application. We are very experienced in successfully opposing demolition applications by landlords on behalf of individual tenants as well as on behalf of tenant groups and tenant associations.
Even if successful in its demolition application, it may take the landlord many years to achieve this goal. We can often successfully cause the landlord’s application to be denied, thereby preventing the demolition. Therefore, in most cases, the landlord must offer large, “life-changing” buyouts to its tenants.
We are very experienced in negotiating such buyouts and relocations at the landlord’s expense.
Because demolition proceedings are very complicated and settlements often positively life-changing, tenants should not attempt to defend such applications or negotiate settlements on their own. Tenants should consult with attorneys to properly represent their interests.
We are very experienced in representing individual tenants, tenant groups, and tenant associations in opposing demolition applications. We have obtained multi-million dollar settlements on behalf of tenants whose landlords applied to demolish their buildings, and we have successfully prevented numerous demolitions.
We offer complimentary consultations, and you are welcome to schedule your complimentary, no-obligation consultation by calling us at 212-921-1600.
