On April 26, the New York State Court of Appeals unanimously reversed a 2015 decision of the Appellate Division, First Department in Altman v. 285 West Fourth LLC (127 AD3d 654 [1st Dept. 2015]). An affirmance would have resulted in the “re-stabilization” of thousands of previously deregulated apartments, along with tens of millions of dollars in rent refunds and rent reductions. The Court of Appeals decision ends a brief, but lively, chapter in the never-ending rent wars.
In the interest of full disclosure, co-author Jeffrey Turkel argued the Altman appeal in the Court of Appeals on behalf of the landlord.
