Court Opinion

ID: 9787751
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 00:24:04.868976+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:37:00.272615
License: Public Domain

Botein, P. J.
(dissenting). I agree with the majority holding that the exemption from the rent control laws of premises owned and operated by the Housing Authority would ordinarily terminate upon the sale of such premises by the City of New York. I am of the opinion, however, that the subject premises were not “ completed ”, within the meaning of the statute, until after February 1, 1947, and are not therefore subject to control.
This case in no way resembles the cases cited in the majority opinion, where the repair and rehabilitation of previously *531unused and abandoned residential premises were held not to involve a change from a nonhousing to a housing use. I would agree that not even the most sweeping and radical changes to existing deteriorated residential premises would result in placing new housing accommodations on the market.
Here, however, we are not dealing with the rehabilitation of abandoned or deteriorated housing accommodations. The exemption from control applies, among other things, to housing accommodations completed on or after February 1, 1947 (State Residential Rent Law, § 2, subd. 2, par. [g]; L. 1946, ch. 274, as amd. by L. 1950, ch. 250; State Rent and Eviction Regulations, § 9, subd. 3). “ Housing accommodations ” are defined by the statute as ‘ ‘ Any building or structure * * * together with the land or buildings appurtenant thereto ” (emphasis supplied) (§2, subd. 2).
When late in 1947 the building at 2240 Wallace Avenue was put on rollers and removed from the land it lost its character as “ housing accommodations ”, Avhile 2248 Holland Avenue was, prior to the statutory cut-off date, only an empty lot. When the building was moved to the latter site, a hbav foundation Avas built, neAv connections were made for utilities, and a new certificate of occupancy was obtained. The building was reconstituted as a component part of a housing accommodation — an entity consisting of a land-building combination. This combination, and the creation of the new entity, Avere ‘ ‘ completed ’ ’ after February 1, 1947.
There is more involved here than a mere change of services, privileges, or facilities in connection with an existing land-building combination. A building, which might otherAvise have been demolished Avhen its site was taken by condemnation, was relocated ; and where formerly there was only an empty lot, there is now an eight-family house. True, it was set doAvn as an almost complete unit rather than constructed from the ground up, but in a very real sense, public policy is furthered, for this is additional housing Avhich would not have otherwise existed. I am of the opinion that the particular premises in question were “completed” after February 1, 1947, and for that reason exempt from control and therefore the order should be reversed, and the determination of the Rent Administrator annulled.
M. M. Frank, Valente and McNally, JJ., concur in Per Curiam opinion; Botein, P. J., dissents in opinion in which Rabin, J., concurs.
Order affirmed Avith $20 costs and disbursements to the respondent.