Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm in a rent stabilized walkup and my place is up for lease renewal. Should I take the one or two year renewal? I' asking because I'm also applying for housing lotteries and wait lists and if one comes through I want to move (I would like to be in an elevator building as I'm currently on the 4th floor which has become an issue as I've started to have mobility issues due to a foot injury). In the past I would have taken the two year renewal as my landlord would have been happy to have me go and let me break my lease at any time so he could renovate the apartment and charge a lot more. But with the new rent laws where he can't charge much more when I leave what incentive would he have for me to break the lease if one of the lottery units comes up in the middle of my lease?
Quick responses much appreciated as have to sign lease in next couple days
Thanks for the reply. I feel like in the past it would have made financial sense to take two year renewal at 2.5% vs one year renewal at 1.5%. If I end up still in my building a year from now I would then have to reup at I'm guessing a minimum of 1.5% for a another year (maybe even higher depending on how the vote goes) - which is more than 2.5% over two years. But now with the new laws in place and landlords not having incentives to renovate because they can't charge more I'm guessing it will be harder to break the lease.
It's a tough choice for sure. I'm hesitant for anyone to make big decisions based off of the housing lottery. This process is so unreliable and so incredibly slow. You only have a short window of a few weeks to not break the one year lease anyway. I'm leaning towards a two year lease since the lottery is unreliable and avoiding breaking a lease (be it one year or two year) seems unlikely.
Yeah, it's a tough decision. I had taken two year leases figuring I'd been in my apartment so long, that breaking the lease in the middle would not be a big issue. Of course, the landscape has changed now. Also, the likelihood of scoring an apartment depends on the bracket - it's easier in the 130% bracket than in 80% and below. In the end I got very lucky on timing as the right apartment materialized as my two year lease was in the final months and I didn't have to lease break at all.
Thanks for the responses. What does it actually mean to break a lease? How would one even go about doing that? I'm assuming a number of people have had to do it when they get a lottery apartment as they are living somewhere before that. I called hpd to ask and they acted as if they had never heard of such a situation before - odd. They had no answers for me. I also went to housing conservation coordinators and one person there acted as if they had never heard of this situation before - again, odd. Was able to find another person to speak to and they told me they had a case of someone in a rent stabilized building who went to break the lease and the lottery building he was accepted in found out he was still paying off his old lease and they then tried to reject him based on that and then it seemed he was out of both places and he had to go to court to get the lottery place. That really concerned me. I just thought there would be a process for these kinds of things because these situations can't be that rare.
I'm in a rent stabilized walkup and my place is up for lease renewal. Should I take the one or two year renewal? I' asking because I'm also applying for housing lotteries and wait lists and if one comes through I want to move (I would like to be in an elevator building as I'm currently on the 4th floor which has become an issue as I've started to have mobility issues due to a foot injury). In the past I would have taken the two year renewal as my landlord would have been happy to have me go and let me break my lease at any time so he could renovate the apartment and charge a lot more. But with the new rent laws where he can't charge much more when I leave what incentive would he have for me to break the lease if one of the lottery units comes up in the middle of my lease?
Quick responses much appreciated as have to sign lease in next couple days
Thanks!
I have a similar situation and live in a walk up on the 4th floor (what coincidence)
When I started getting selected for housing lottery interviews I let management know and they said I have to give a 30 day notice. Reason: I asked for a 1st floor apartment (my daughter is mobility impaired) and they didn't (and still don't) have any vacancies. So as a reasonable accommodation they will let us break our two year lease provided they get a 30 day notice. There is a process... you have to get a form "SECTION 504 REQUEST FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION" from your current landlord (trust me they have it they have to by law). Then your doctor has to verify it with "SECTION 504 VERIFICATION FORM". Be clear on the forms. Request what you need. I requested that if I found a suitable apartment I want to break the lease. THEY HAVE TO DO IT if they cannot offer a reasonable accommodation nor can they hold you hostage! There are federal laws that protect people with disabilities/impairments. I've attached the forms that I had to fill out for reference. This rule applies to rent stabilized, HUD, NYCHA, etc. As long it's not privately owned. Such accommodation is necessary to afford an individual with disabilities equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling unit and common areas. Hope this helps... and good luck! And YES renew your lease for two years because nothing is definite until it's definite!
Thank you very much for the info! It is very helpful! I didn't think to look into this and don't know what all the requirements to be considered to have a disability are and whether I would even qualify or if "impairment" has different requirements - I can get around but difficult and painful to make it up and down the stairs and I worry that I might be causing further injury in the process (hopefully it continues to heal).
I never gave the stairs much thought prior to this (other than being annoyed with them at times and at others thinking well it's good I have enforced exercise on the daily). Made me start thinking how the heck do others that break their legs or have accidents deal with it during the recovery process if they live in a walkup?
Thank you very much for the info! It is very helpful! I didn't think to look into this and don't know what all the requirements to be considered to have a disability are and whether I would even qualify or if "impairment" has different requirements - I can get around but difficult and painful to make it up and down the stairs and I worry that I might be causing further injury in the process (hopefully it continues to heal).
I never gave the stairs much thought prior to this (other than being annoyed with them at times and at others thinking well it's good I have enforced exercise on the daily). Made me start thinking how the heck do others that break their legs or have accidents deal with it during the recovery process if they live in a walkup?
Best of luck to you as well!
You're welcome! And I hope it heals soon. It is a strong possibility that you are adding insult to injury.
On the bright side of things: there's no legal way for them to ask for too many specifics about your impairment. Just if it's visual or mobility. They also cannot ask for medical records. All you have to do is tell your doctor about what's going on and get them to verify it. You should still renew your lease because some of us have been applying for YEARS to no avail. And if you're going to apply via housing connect under mobility impairment they are going to ask you for the same letter from your doctor and it is valid for a whole year. I killed several birds with one stone with that paper and I strongly encourage you to do the same. Good luck again
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
