Dear Client, We are once again pleased to provide you with our newsletter. which contains recent trends and decisions which can help to guide you in your daily practice as an owner and/or manager of real property in the New York area.

Welcome to the new website of Gutman, Mintz, Baker & Sonnenfeldt P.C. The website provides our clients with up to date information regarding their buildings and tenants. Update: Court of Appeals/Low Rent Longevity Adjustment

Rejecting Section 8 Subsidies Pursuant to Int. No 61-A, also known as Local Law 10, which was passed by the New York City Counsel on 3/27/08 landlords may not discriminate against prospective tenants based on their "lawful source of income". The term "lawful source of income" is defined as "income derived from social security, or any form of federal, state or local public assistance or housing assistance including Section 8 Vouchers". In other words, landlords are effectively prohibited from rejecting prospective tenants on the sole basis that such tenants will be receiving rent subsidy payments from such programs as Section 8. Essentially, Local Law 10 analogizes a landlord's refusal to rent to a tenant because they will cover their rent with a Section 8 voucher to a landlord's refusal to rent to a tenant because of their race, gender, creed, disability, etc.