Case Type
Holdover-Illegal Use
Housing Type
Rent Stabilized
Court
Supreme Court of the State of New York
County
New York (Manhattan)
L&T / Index / Case / Docket / Clerk's Number
153031/2018
Petitioner
Yen Hsang Chang, Kenneth Hicks, Randy Garcia, Tiffany Lee, Stephen Botta, Taileen Joa, Shirley Ovid Mitchell, Cynthia Lowe, Daniel Loria, Nicole Cocchiaro, Ann Votaw, Salvatore Russo, Elizabeth Bouk, Netania Budofsky, Jessica Goldhirsh, Joseph Ostwald, Andrew O'Brien, Laura Piraino, Melody Merker, Gary Topp, Kristina Bonhorst, Kent Haina Jr., Andrew Keltz, Darryl Washington, Megan Hagar, Marissa Koeller, Gabriella Garcia, Timothy Barker, Adeola Role, Carolina Botero, Joseph Cracco, David Walker, Florence LaGamma, Mary Levitt, Ryan Balas, Deirdre Balas, Jonathan Leung, Luke Van Dee Veer, Joseph Riccardi, Adrienne Riccardi, Henry Nicponski, Karen Claman, Peter Cernauskas, Ryan Clapp, Clement Chan, Matthew Haensly, Scott Chapman, Mohammad Islam, Stephanie Mosher, Algerson Andre, Lukasz Janik, Yolanda Nunley, Michael Albertson, Adina Wolf, Jonathan O'Grady, David Isaacs, Stephanie Macioch, Isabella Cardona, Michael Wilke, Shuchin Shukla, Mamua Jeme, Glenn English, Ana Marie Santos, Jen Watson, Kerry McFate, Desiree Grenay, Jonathan Grenay, Timothy Moran, Lorne Heilbronn, J.L. Duffy, Phyliss Hirshorn, Hans Kluefer, and Katherine Kluefer
Respondent
Westside 309 LLC, Thayer 45 LLC, Post 118 LLC, Seaman 20 LLC, Seaman 30 LLC, Seaman 133 LLC, Vermilyea 153 LLC, Heights 170 LLC, Heights 624 LLC, Heights 177 LLC, Ft. George 617 LLC, Inwood 213 LLC, Payson 55 LLC, Crown Associates LLC, Gebs Realty LLC, Aljo Realty LLC, ABIII LLC, Skillman 47 LLC, QPIXXXII LLC, Page Realty LLC, Sunnyside 4542 LLC, Sylveen Realty LLC, Sunnyside 4721 LLC, and Sunnyside 42 LLC
Judge
Billings, Lucy J.
Decision/Order Date
2023-07-17
Posture
Pre-answer Motion by Tenant
Disposition
Motion Granted for Tenant
Winner
Tenant Substantially Won
Synopsis
In this case, tenants collectively sued various landlords alleging fraudulent practices related to rent increases in rent-stabilized apartments. The tenants sought certain documents from the landlords to support their claims, which the landlords resisted providing, arguing that documents predating a certain date were not discoverable under the statute of limitations. However, the court, considering the comprehensive explanation provided by the tenants and previous findings indicating indicia of fraud, granted the tenants' motion to compel the landlords to produce the demanded documents. Key Legal Points: The court found that the requested documents were relevant to establishing the tenants' claims and supporting their motion for class certification, despite the landlords' resistance based on the statute of limitations. The court emphasized the tenants' need to establish prerequisites for class certification and the feasibility of a class action, thus ruling in favor of the tenants' motion.
Recommended Citation
"Yen Hsang Chang v. Westside 309 LLC" (2023). All Decisions. 1353.
https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/housing_court_all/1353
