Case Name: Mark Blecher, Appellant, v. Richard Colletti, Respondent
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Term
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1993-02-01
Citations: 154 Misc. 2d 760
Docket Number: 
Parties: Mark Blecher, Appellant, v Richard Colletti, Respondent.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York Miscellaneous Reports
Volume: 154
Pages: 760–761

Head Matter:
Mark Blecher, Appellant, v Richard Colletti, Respondent.
Supreme Court, Appellate Term, Second Department,
February 1, 1993
APPEARANCES OF COUNSEL
Novick, Edelstein, Reisman, Lubell, Wasserman & Leventhal, P. C., New York City (Paul Finkelstein of counsel), for appellant. AIDS Service Center HIV Law Project, New York City (Theresa M. McGovern and Martha S. Jones of counsel), for respondent.

Opinion:
OPINION OF THE COURT
Memorandum.
Order affirmed with $25 costs.
The parties to this nonpayment proceeding entered into a lease which provided for a discounted rent, the rent being discounted to bring it within the maximum that the Depart ment of Social Services (DSS) would pay, and which further provided that the discount would be forfeited if, inter alla, either party commenced a legal action. When DSS failed to timely pay the second and third months' rent, landlord commenced this proceeding, seeking to recover the full nondiscounted rent. The trial court struck as unconscionable (Real Property Law § 235-c) the condition providing for a forfeiture of the discount upon either party's commencement of a legal action. We affirm. The clause in question improperly impinges upon rights granted by the Rent Stabilization Code, inter alla, and is unenforceable. We note the error in payment of rent was promptly corrected.
Aronin, J. P., Joy and Scholnick, JJ., concur.