Court Opinion

ID: 9962536
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-04-23 20:10:15.929861+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:19:14.932556
License: Public Domain

520 W. 43rd St. Reit LLC v Hopeman
               2024 NY Slip Op 31343(U)
                     April 17, 2024
           Supreme Court, New York County
        Docket Number: Index No. 151423/2024
                  Judge: Louis L. Nock
Cases posted with a "30000" identifier, i.e., 2013 NY Slip
 Op 30001(U), are republished from various New York
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                       publication.
                                                                                                                     INDEX NO. 151423/2024
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 20                                                                                           RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/17/2024

                                   SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
                                             NEW YORK COUNTY
            PRESENT:             HON. LOUIS L. NOCK                                              PART                              38M
                                                                                      Justice
            ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------X   INDEX NO.          151423/2024
                520 WEST 43RD STREET REIT LLC,
                                                                                                 MOTION DATE         02/21/2024
                                                         Plaintiff,
                                                                                                 MOTION SEQ. NO.         001
                                                 -v-
                MARILYN Q. HOPEMAN,                                                                DECISION + ORDER ON
                                                                                                         MOTION
                                                         Defendant.
            ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------X

            The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document numbers (Motion 001) 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
            10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17
            were read on this motion for                                              AFFIRMATIVE INJUNCTIVE RELIEF                .

                      Plaintiff is the owner of an apartment building located at 520 West 43rd Street, in

            Manhattan. Defendant pro se is a tenant of the building, residing in Apartment 20H thereof (the

            “Apartment”). Plaintiff commenced this action seeking an injunction “directing

            that . . . Defendant prepare the Apartment for extermination and directing that Defendant allow

            access to the Apartment to Plaintiff’s contractors for the purpose of exterminating roaches and

            any other vermin and/or insects” (Complaint ¶ 28). The complaint also seeks money damages

            allegedly caused by such infestation, as well as attorneys’ fees.

                      Plaintiff moved, by order to show cause filed February 22, 2024 (NYSCEF Doc. No. 14)

            (the “Order to Show Cause”), for an affirmative preliminary injunction1:

                                      (a) Directing that Defendant grant immediate unfettered access to Plaintiff
                                          and its exterminator to the premises located at 520 West 43rd Street,
                                          Apartment 20H, New York, New York (the “Apartment”) for the purpose
                                          of treating a severe roach and vermin infestation until such treatment is
                                          completed;

            1
             Courts possess the authority to issue affirmative injunctive relief (see, Weinstein-Korn-Miller, NY Civ Prac ¶
            6301.06).
                151423/2024 520 WEST 43RD STREET REIT LLC vs. HOPEMAN, MARILYN Q.                                    Page 1 of 5
                Motion No. 001

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                                                                                                     INDEX NO. 151423/2024
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 20                                                                         RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/17/2024

                               (b) Directing that Defendant immediately prepare the Apartment for
                                   extermination by, including but not limited to, moving all items away
                                   from the walls of the Apartment, removing all clutter from the Apartment,
                                   and removing all items from the kitchen cabinets;

                               (c) Staying out of the Apartment for four (4) hours after treatment; and

                               (d) For such other, further and different relief as the Court may deem just and
                                   proper.

                   At the time of filing of the Order to Show Cause, this court denied plaintiff’s request for

            interim relief parallel to the aforesaid preliminary injunctive relief, pending argument (see,

            NYSCEF Doc. No. 14). Such argument was conducted on the record on April 11, 2024. In the

            aftermath of said argument, and after a thorough review of the submissions, this court now grants

            plaintiff’s motion for an affirmative preliminary injunction.

                   CPLR 6301 authorizes the issuance of injunctive relief “where it appears that the

            defendant . . . is doing or procuring or suffering to be done, an act in violation of the plaintiff’s

            rights respecting the subject of the action . . . or . . . where the plaintiff has demanded and would

            be entitled to a judgment restraining the defendant from the commission or continuance of an act,

            which, if committed or continued during the pendency of the action, would produce injury to the

            plaintiff.” The motion is granted for the reasons set forth in plaintiff’s submissions and as

            iterated by plaintiff’s counsel on the record.

                   Plaintiff submits the affidavit of Erika Halburnian (NYSCEF Doc. No. 5), the manager of

            plaintiff’s property management company. Ms. Halburnian attests that:

                   . . . Plaintiff has been attempting, unsuccessfully, for weeks to gain access to Defendant's
                   Apartment to treat a severe reach infestation in the Apartment that has spread into
                   neighboring apartments and the public hallway in the Building. Defendant, however, has
                   steadfastly and unreasonably refused to provide access to her Apartment for treatment.
                   Moreover, Defendant keeps the Apartment in an extremely cluttered condition
                   exacerbating, if not in fact causing, the roach infestation.

             151423/2024 520 WEST 43RD STREET REIT LLC vs. HOPEMAN, MARILYN Q.                       Page 2 of 5
             Motion No. 001

                                                             2 of 5
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                                                                                                INDEX NO. 151423/2024
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 20                                                                    RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/17/2024

                   After repeated attempts to gain Defendant's voluntary cooperation and after having
                   Plaintiff’s counsel write to Defendant she has remained intransigent in her refusal to
                   cooperate. In the meantime, the problem only grows worse and compels other tenants to
                   live with an unsanitary and intolerable roach infestation.

                   This matter first came to Plaintiff's attention when on or about December 4, 2023, the
                   neighboring apartments on either side of Defendant's Apartment advised management
                   that they observed roaches in their respective apartments. On December 14, 2023,
                   Defendant allowed access to her Apartment to myself and the exterminator for an
                   inspection. We observed a significant roach infestation. Additionally, I observed a
                   “hoarding” condition in Plaintiff's Apartment with boxes, books, and other items piled
                   through the Apartment and in the kitchen with the cabinets packed to the rim with various
                   items.

            (NYSCEF Doc. No. 5 ¶¶ 7-9.)

                   Ms. Halburnian also identifies and submits an Exterminator’s Report (NYSCEF Doc. No.

            8) involving the Apartment, which states:

                   The technician stated the unit has a hoarder situation. The roaches are nesting in boxes,
                   books, and other items in the unit. He treated the best he could due to the conditions in
                   the unit. As you know, the unit needs to be cleaned as soon as possible so it can be
                   thoroughly treated. The tenant would benefit from weekly treatment if willing to give
                   access.

                   The lease (NYSCEF Doc. No. 13) contains a provision titled “ENTRY TO

            APARTMENT” (§ 15), which states:

                   During reasonable hours and with reasonable notice, except in emergencies, Owner may
                   enter the Apartment for the following reasons: . . . to inspect the Apartment and to make
                   any necessary . . . changes Owner decides are necessary.

                   The lease contains a further provision titled “OBJECTIONABLE CONDUCT” (§ 12),

            which states:

                   As a tenant in the Building, You will not engage in objectionable conduct. Objectionable
                   conduct means behavior which makes or will make the Apartment or the Building less fit
                   to live in for You or other occupants. It also means anything which interferes with the
                   right of others to properly and peacefully enjoy their Apartments, or causes conditions
                   that are dangerous, hazardous, unsanitary and detrimental to other tenants in the Building.

             151423/2024 520 WEST 43RD STREET REIT LLC vs. HOPEMAN, MARILYN Q.                  Page 3 of 5
             Motion No. 001

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                                                                                                   INDEX NO. 151423/2024
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 20                                                                        RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/17/2024

                    Defendant pro se was provided an opportunity, during oral argument, to present her point

            of view. Ultimately, she did not, or could not, explain a reason for any objection to plaintiff’s

            right under the lease to conduct a necessary sanitization of the Apartment such that defendant, as

            well as her neighbors within the building, might enjoy a cleaner, safer, environment in which to

            live.

                    Based on the record, plaintiff’s motion for injunctive relief should be granted, as follows.

                    IT IS ORDERED that the plaintiff’s motion for injunctive relief is granted; and,

            therefore, it is

                    ORDERED that plaintiff and its contractor or contractors shall be permitted to enter the

            apartment located at 520 West 43rd Street, Apartment 20H, New York, New York (the

            “Apartment”) commencing on a date and time which plaintiff shall notify defendant of 24 hours

            in advance, falling within four weeks following the date of filing hereof, for the purpose of

            cleaning, sanitizing, and removing refuse at, the Apartment so as to facilitate the extermination

            of roaches, vermin, and/or other insects and/or rodents, and that plaintiff and its contractor or

            contractors may prepare the Apartment for said treatment by moving all items away from the

            walls of the Apartment, removing all refuse from the Apartment, and removing all items from

            the kitchen cabinets; and it is further

                    ORDERED that plaintiff and its contractor or contractors shall be afforded a maximum of

            two days, starting from the above-described commencement date of which defendant shall be

            advised, as aforesaid, in which to complete such treatment; and it is further

             151423/2024 520 WEST 43RD STREET REIT LLC vs. HOPEMAN, MARILYN Q.                     Page 4 of 5
             Motion No. 001

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                                                                                                       INDEX NO. 151423/2024
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 20                                                                             RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/17/2024

                    ORDERED that defendant shall be allowed to be present at or proximate to the

            Apartment during the aforesaid activities to observe same, but shall not interfere with said

            activities; and it is further

                    ORDERED that defendant shall stay outside of the Apartment for a minimum period of

            four hours after extermination activities have concluded; and it is further

                    ORDERED that plaintiff shall cause a copy of this decision and order to be served on

            defendant on or before April 19, 2024; and it is further

                    ORDERED that a status conference be held at the Courthouse, 111 Centre Street, Room

            1166, New York, New York, on May 22, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.

                    4/17/2024                                                                $SIG$
                      DATE                                                            LOUIS L. NOCK, J.S.C.
             CHECK ONE:                     CASE DISPOSED                X   NON-FINAL DISPOSITION

             APPLICATION:
                                        X   GRANTED

                                            SETTLE ORDER
                                                                DENIED       GRANTED IN PART

                                                                             SUBMIT ORDER
                                                                                                      □   OTHER

             CHECK IF APPROPRIATE:          INCLUDES TRANSFER/REASSIGN       FIDUCIARY APPOINTMENT
                                                                                                      □   REFERENCE

             151423/2024 520 WEST 43RD STREET REIT LLC vs. HOPEMAN, MARILYN Q.                         Page 5 of 5
             Motion No. 001

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