Case Type

Overcharge

Housing Type

Rent Stabilized

Court

Supreme Court of the State of New York

County

Bronx County (Bronx)

L&T / Index / Case / Docket / Clerk's Number

817135/2023E

Petitioner

ESTELA MIRANDA HERNANDEZ, PAULINO PEREZ RAMOS, BRYANT PEREZ MIRANDA

Respondent

975 S LLC

Judge

Nicolas-Brewster, Mary-Lynn

Decision/Order Date

2026-05-06

Posture

Post-answer Motion by Tenant

Disposition

Motion Granted for Tenant

Winner

Tenant Substantially Won

Synopsis

In this rent overcharge case, the court grants the plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment, finding the landlord was not entitled to charge a first rent under DHCR Operational Bulletin 95-2. Although the landlord combined parts of two adjacent rent-stabilized apartments through gut renovation, the court holds the prior apartment's essential character and function remained intact — the perimeter walls were not substantially changed and the modifications did not meet the reconfiguration-plus-obliteration standard. The court denies treble damages and appoints a Special Referee to calculate the legal regulated rent and overcharge amount.

Keywords

Rent Stabilization; First Rent After Substantial Alteration Of Apartment; Gut Renovation; Reconfiguration Plus Obliteration Standard; Rent Overcharge; Summary Judgment; DHCR Operational Bulletin 95-2; Adjacent Apartments Combined

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