What's happening
This bill creates a dedicated section in New York City Housing Court to handle cases involving cooperative and condominium buildings.
Why it matters
Specialized attention for co-op and condo disputes. By creating a dedicated section within Housing Court, the bill acknowledges that cooperative and condominium issues often involve unique ownership and governance complexities distinct from standard landlord-tenant cases, potentially leading to more informed and tailored judicial outcomes.
Potential for faster case resolution. Concentrating co-op and condo cases in a specific subpart may reduce case backlogs, allowing these disputes—which can have major financial and quality-of-life impacts for residents—to be resolved more quickly and efficiently.
Greater consistency and expertise. Judges and staff assigned to this new section are likely to develop specialized expertise in co-op and condo law, which could result in more consistent rulings and clearer legal standards for boards, residents, and attorneys navigating these sometimes-confusing disputes.
Recognition of growing housing trends. The bill reflects the increasing prevalence of cooperative and condominium ownership in New York City, signaling a policy shift to adapt court structures to the changing landscape of urban housing.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Special Court for Condos, Co-ops
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to judiciary
- Referred to judiciary
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Special Housing Court for Condos
In Assembly Committee · Housing · Sponsor Jeffrey Dinowitz
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2143
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 12, 2017
Introduced by Sen. ALCANTARA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the New York city civil court act, in relation to establishing a subpart to hear housing matters related to cooperative and condominium buildings
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 110 of the New York city civil court act is amended by adding a new subdivision (q) to read as follows:
(q) A separate subpart of the housing part established by this section shall be devoted to actions and proceedings involving cooperative and condominium buildings for such matters which are within the jurisdiction of the housing part.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03595-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the New York city civil court act, in relation to establishing a subpart to hear housing matters related to cooperative and condominium buildings
Purpose or general idea of bill
To create a separate part in the Housing Court to specialize in housing matters arising in cooperative and condominium buildings.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 110 of the New York City civil court act is amended by adding a new subdivision q to provide for a separate subpart of the housing court which shall be devoted to actions and proceedings involving cooperative and condominium buildings for such matters which are within the jurisdiction of the Housing Court.
Justification
A separate part of the Housing Court for housing matters arising in cooperative and condominium buildings would, to a large degree, reduce the congestion in other parts of the Housing Court by the removal of these cases which are different from standard rental housing cases. It would expedite the hearing of the cases relating to cooperatives and condominiums, because they would be heard by judges more knowledgeable in this area. This would result in better-honed and fairer decisions.
Prior legislative history
2015-16: Referred to Judiciary 2009-10 A.871 - Referred to Housing 2007-08 A.3131 Referred to Housing 2005-06 A.1432 Referred to Housing/S.1791 - Referred to Judiciary Housing 2003-04 A.2027 Referred to Housing 2001-02 A.1844 Referred to Housing/S.722 - Referred to Judiciary
Fiscal implications
Negligible. A separate part in Housing Court could be implemented without increasing the number of judges in the space currently devoted to Housing Court. The modest administrative cost of establishing this program and screening incoming cases so as to direct those involving cooperatives and condominiums to the new part will be quickly offset by the time and money saved in expedited resolution of cases. Judges versed in the relationships between the board and residents in these resident owned and governed buildings will be able to hand down decisions that interpret the law consistently and clearly. This should also lead to an additional benefit in the form of fewer appeals, which would even further reduce the burden on the courts.
Effective date
This act shall take effect 180 days after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.