Hempstead Village Housing Associates v. Pitts

41 Misc. 3d 714
CourtNew York District Court
DecidedSeptember 18, 2013
StatusPublished

This text of 41 Misc. 3d 714 (Hempstead Village Housing Associates v. Pitts) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York District Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hempstead Village Housing Associates v. Pitts, 41 Misc. 3d 714 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2013).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Scott Fairgrieve, J.

Petitioner has commenced this holdover proceeding against respondent John Pitts concerning the premises located at Apt. 309, 110 Jerusalem Avenue, Hempstead, New York, to evict respondent for criminal activity. The lease covers the period from May 1, 2012 to April 30, 2013. Paragraph 7 of the petition, dated February 4, 2013, states that the lease was made “pursuant to a Housing Assistant Agreement under Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 United States Code 1437 (f)).”

Paragraph 2 of the petition states that respondent was served with a notice of termination of lease dated January 9, 2013, which terminated the lease as of January 31, 2013.

The notice of termination states that the lease was being terminated due to material noncompliance by respondent with the terms of the lease by criminal activity. The criminal activity alleged to have been committed by respondent include:

“Your repeated violations of the lease both substantial and/or minor, have included incidents where you have engaged in criminal conduct and/or noncriminal conduct which has disrupted the livability of the project, has adversely affected the health and/or safety of other occupants and violated the rights of other tenants to quiet enjoyment of the premises, and related project facilities, and has interfered with the ability to manage the project.
“On Saturday, December 29, 2012, at approximately 4:15 EM., you were observed in the lobby, crumbling the ‘sign in sheet’ on the table in the lobby of the 110 building.
“On Monday, December 31, 2012, at approximately 4:04 EM., you were observed leaving the premises [716]*716and removed the ‘sign in sheet’ at the front entrance, crumbled it and threw it on the floor;
“On Tuesday, January 1, 2013 at approximately 1:55 A.M., you were observed removing the ‘sign in sheet’ and placing it in your pocket in the 110 building.
“On Tuesday, January 1, 2013 you threatened Michael Bloomfield, a security office by yelling at him ‘you fat ass I’ve got your number’ from the window of the building.
“On Wednesday, January 2, 2013, at approximately 9:30 A.M., you threatened the Building Manager, Paulette Wilks, by yelling at her ‘You black bitch . . . I’m going to get you.’ ‘I’m going to fuck you up you black bitch’ from your apartment window.
“On Wednesday, January 2, 2013, at approximately 4:34 EM., you were observed looking through other tenants’ vehicles in the parking lot, when asked to stop, you threatened the security guard, ‘Jonathan,’ began to verbally assault the security guard, by yelling: T can walk any fucking where’ ‘security ain’t shit you are all pussies.’ You continued to yell and threaten the security guard after he asked you to stop speaking to him in that way, and you continued yelling, ‘White man, shut the fuck up before I fuck you up.’ and you continued to yell profanities, ‘you’re a pussy,’ ‘you’re a faggot,’ and T will fuck you up,’ up to the point the police were called and arrived at the premises.”

The notice of termination advises the respondent that he has 10 days to discuss the termination of the lease with the landlord:

“You are hereby advised that you have ten (10) days within which to discuss the termination of your tenancy with the Landlord. The ten (10) day period will begin on the date this notice is delivered to you, if delivered to you by hand, or the day after the notice is mailed to you, whichever is earlier.”

Attached to the notice of termination is the order of protection, dated January 10, 2013 which directs respondent to stay away from Paulette Wilks.

Respondent has moved to dismiss the petition for lack of subject matter jurisdiction because the petitioner failed to give one month’s notice of termination of the tenancy pursuant to Real Property Law § 232-b or 30-day notice of termination as required by the lease. Respondent contends that the notice given [717]*717on January 9, 2013 terminating the lease on January 31, 2013 is inappropriate. The issue presented is what is the applicable notice required to be given to a Section 8 tenant where termination is based upon material noncompliance. 24 CFR 247.4 (c) is the applicable regulation, which provides as follows:

“Time of service. When the termination of the tenancy is based on other good cause pursuant to § 247.3(a)(4), the termination notice shall be effective, and the termination notice shall so state, at the end of a term and in accordance with the termination provisions of the rental agreement, but in no case earlier than 30 days after receipt of the tenant of the notice. Where the termination notice is based on material noncompliance with the rental agreement or material failure to carry out obligations under a state landlord and tenant act pursuant to § 247.3(a)(1) or (2), the time of service shall be in accord with the rental agreement and state law.”

The foregoing United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulation has the “full force and effect of federal law.” (See Westbeth Corp. HDFC Inc. v Ramscale Prods., Inc., 37 Misc 3d 13, 15 [App Term, 1st Dept 2012].)

If termination of the lease was based upon other good cause pursuant to 247.3 (a) (4), then this proceeding would be dismissed for failure to serve a 30-day notice of termination as required by 24 CFR 247.4 (c).

However, since termination is based upon material noncompliance, the amount of time of service necessary for service of the notice of termination is determined by reference to the rental agreement and state law.

A review of the rental agreement between petitioner and respondent reveals no time requirement for service of the notice of termination based upon material noncompliance. A review of New York State law also fails to provide the necessary time requirement for service of a termination notice based upon material noncompliance.

Counsel for petitioner and respondent and this court have done extensive research on this issue but no case has been found which specifically decided this issue.

Paragraph 23 (b) of the lease states as follows: “Any termination of this Agreement by the Landlord must be carried out in accordance with HUD regulations, State and local law, and the terms of this Agreement.”

[718]*718Paragraph 23 (c) (6) of the lease provides for termination for criminal activity “by a tenant, any member of the tenant’s household, a guest or another person under the tenant’s control:
“(a) that threatens the health, safety, or right to peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other residents (including property management staff residing on the premises);
“(b) or that threatens the health, safety, or right to peaceful enjoyment of their residences by persons residing in the immediate vicinity of the premises.”

Paragraph 23 (e) provides that the landlord must give the tenant 10-day notice to discuss the proposed termination of tenancy with the landlord and

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Westbeth Corp. HDFC Inc. v. Ramscale Productions, Inc.
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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
41 Misc. 3d 714, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hempstead-village-housing-associates-v-pitts-nydistct-2013.