Opinion ID: 509285
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Denial of Release

Text: 18 Weigner contends that the Board of Estimate's denial of her release application was improper. Primarily, she argues that the denial was unlawful because other applicants less worthy than she were granted releases. She also alleges that the Board discriminated against her as an out-of-state resident, and she even suggests that the Board denied her application because she refused to pay bribes. We agree with the District Court that these contentions are without merit. 19 The Board of Estimate has virtually unlimited discretion under Administrative Code Sec. 11-424(g) (formerly section D17-25.0(g)) whether to grant a release application such as Weigner's that is filed after the four-month mandatory release period has expired. Solomon v. City of New York, supra, 94 A.D.2d at 286-87, 464 N.Y.S.2d at 162; Sixteen Eighty West 7th Corp. v. Board of Estimate, 109 A.D.2d 799, 800, 486 N.Y.S.2d 311, 312 (2d Dep't 1985); see Dwyer v. Lindsay, 23 N.Y.2d 562, 564-65, 297 N.Y.S.2d 942, 943-44, 245 N.E.2d 708, 709 (1969). In considering the application, the Board may look at the length of the underlying tax delinquency, the amount of unpaid taxes, and the reasons for nonpayment. See Dwyer v. Lindsay, supra, 23 N.Y.2d at 565, 297 N.Y.S.2d at 944, 245 N.E.2d at 709; Solomon v. City of New York, supra, 94 A.D.2d at 286-87, 464 N.Y.S.2d at 162. Moreover, the Board is prohibited from releasing the property if the City has sold it, the property has been condemned or assigned to a City agency, or the property is the subject of contemplated use for any capital or urban renewal project. Administrative Code Sec. 11-424(g). The Board need not give reasons for its ultimate decision. Solomon v. City of New York, supra, 94 A.D.2d at 287, 464 N.Y.S.2d at 162. 20 The Board acted within its discretion in denying Weigner's application. At the time of the Board's consideration, the property had been tax delinquent for over nine years, and Weigner had no explanation as to why she had failed to pay other than that payment had become financially inexpedient. Moreover, Weigner did not occupy the property, nor did she have any plans to develop it in a useful way. Finally, the City was considering using the land for a housing program. Under these circumstances, the Board was fully justified in denying the release. 21 We reject Weigner's remaining claims for substantially the reasons set forth in the District Court's opinion. The Board was entitled to consider the fact that Weigner was an absentee landowner, and there is no evidence that the Board discriminated against her because she was an out-of-state resident as opposed to an absentee owner who lived within the state. Similarly, Weigner's claim that her release application was denied for failure to pay bribes or for other improper motives is wholly unsupported in the record. 22 The decision of the District Court granting summary judgment to the City of New York is affirmed.