This bill would allow tenants who prevail in harassment cases to collect compensatory damages (or $1,000) from the offending landlord, in addition to attorneys’ fees and costs. This bill also allows a court to issue punitive damages for such violations.
- Enacted
History
Affirmative
- Inez D. Barron
- Margaret S. Chin
- Andrew Cohen
- Costa G. Constantinides
- Robert E. Cornegy, Jr.
- Elizabeth S. Crowley
- Chaim M. Deutsch
- Daniel Dromm
- Mathieu Eugene
- Julissa Ferreras-Copeland
- Daniel R. Garodnick
- Vincent J. Gentile
- Vanessa L. Gibson
- David G. Greenfield
- Barry S. Grodenchik
- Corey D. Johnson
- Ben Kallos
- Peter A. Koo
- Karen Koslowitz
- Rory I. Lancman
- Brad S. Lander
- Stephen T. Levin
- Mark Levine
- Alan N. Maisel
- Melissa Mark-Viverito
- Carlos Menchaca
- Rosie Mendez
- I. Daneek Miller
- Bill Perkins
- Antonio Reynoso
- Donovan J. Richards
- Ydanis A. Rodriguez
- Deborah L. Rose
- Helen K. Rosenthal
- Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
- Ritchie J. Torres
- Mark Treyger
- Eric A. Ulrich
- James Vacca
- Paul A. Vallone
- Jumaane D. Williams
Negative
Absent
Maternity
Bereavement
Affirmative
Int. No. 347-B
By Council Members Rosenthal, Williams, Chin, Johnson, Levine, Reynoso, Torres, Rodriguez, Dromm, Kallos, Lander, Rose, Menchaca, Richards, Perkins, Levin, Salamanca and Cohen
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to remedies for the breach of the duty of an owner to refrain from harassment of tenants
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Section 27-2115 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision o to read as follows:
(o) In any action brought by a lawful occupant or group of lawful occupants under subdivision h of this section for a violation of subdivision d of section 27-2005 of this chapter, the housing part shall, in addition to any other relief such court determines to be appropriate, award to each such occupant (i) compensatory damages or, at the election of such occupant, one thousand dollars and (ii) reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs. Such court may also, at its sole discretion, award punitive damages.
§ 2. This local law takes effect 90 days after it becomes law.
LS 777
JW/MPC
7/19/17 11:43AM