Page 14 - CooperatorNews NY July 2022

14 COOPERATORNEWS — JULY 2022 COOPERATORNEWS.COM Himmelfarb & Sher, LLP • (914) 682-0040 Cooperative and Condominium Law—Real Estate Closings One North Broadway, Suite 800, White Plains, NY 10601 Contact: Ronald A. Sher, Esq. • Norman D. Himmelfarb, Esq. Law@himmelfarb-sher.com • Direct Dial: 914-461-0220 ATTORNEYS Abrams Garfi nkel Margolis Bergson, LLP 1430 Broadway, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10018 212-201-1170 • www.agmblaw.com Barry G. Margolis, Esq. • Robert J. Bergson, Esq. ACCOUNTANTS ARCHITECTS Russell B. Blank, CPA PC Dedicated to Serving the Co-op & Condo Community for over 40 years Financial Statement Preparation Audits Reviews & Compilations 516-365-5630 800-216-1453 Russell@RBBtaxes.com www.rbbtaxes.com SERVICE DIRECTORY  Over 30 years of coop & condo experience  Hands on Personal Attention Timely Service  Contact: Gary Adler, CPA Sarah Haar CPA   www.bassandlemer.com 516-485-9600 adler@basslemer.com Contact: Lauren Ziemba, CPA Sarah Haar, CPA lziemba@basslemer.com n n FSI ARCHITECTURE Restoration Preservation Investigation Interior Design 307 7th Ave, #1001 New York, NY 10001 FSI.NYC 212.645.3775 110 E. 42nd Street, 17th Floor New York, New York 10017 Robert J. Braverman, Scott S. Greenspun (212) 682- 2900 www.braverlaw.net rbraverman@braverlaw.net sgreenspun@braverlaw.net Braverman Greenspun, P.C. ATTORNEYS Abrams Garfi nkel Margolis Bergson, LLP 1430 Broadway, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10018 212-201-1170 • www.agmblaw.com Barry G. Margolis, Esq. • Robert J. Bergson, Esq. H Co L Belkin Burden Wenig & Goldman, LLP Specializing in all aspects of Cooperative and Condominium Law including Landlord/tenant proceedings. Copy of Monthly Newsletter available upon request. (212) 867-4466 contact: Aaron Shmulewitz/Daniel Altman ashmulewitz@bbwg.com/daltman@bbwg.com www.bbwg.com • • Re • Conta Th Ne A full service real estate law firm serving the cooperative and condominium community Eric M. Goidel, Esq. egoidel@borahgoldstein.com (212)431-1300, Ext.438 Manhattan: 377 Broadway l New York, NY 10036│(212) 431-1300 Queens: 108-18 Queens Blvd│Forest Hills, NY 11375│(718) 263-6611 www.borahgoldstein.com ARCHITECTS architecture interior design engineering project management forensic investigations 307 7th Avenue, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10001 Tel. 212.645.3775 Fax. 212.645.4099 Form Space Image ARCHITECTURE PC 516-485-9600 adler@basslemer.com P A Please submit Pulse items to Darcey Gerstein at darcey@cooperator.com 18 THE COOPERATOR — JUNE 2020 New York Residents Notice Mail Delays During Pandemic While “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these cou- riers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds,” as the United States Postal Service’s motto goes, CBSNewYork reports that the organization has experi- enced delays in service as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic—and New Yorkers are noticing. CBSNewYork reports that according to some Bronx residents, they haven’t re- ceived their mail—including packages, bills, and medications—in almost a week. Maryann Monte, a retiree who lives in an apartment building in Kingsbridge, indi- cated that she received an email from her building stating that their local post of- fi ce has been “inactive, apparently due to numerous employees’ COVID-19 related exposure and/or diagnosis.” At one Riverdale co-op, says CBS, rumors have been circulating that coro- navirus has ripped through the local post offi ce, resulting in noticeable mail delays. Co-op resident Kevin Ploth tells CBS, “I’ve noticed, along with some of my neighbors—we have a mailman who we know by name, and the last we saw of him was Th ursday of last week.” When CBSNewYork reached out to USPS regarding the delays, a spokesper- son’s response was, in part, “\[W\]e con- tinue fl exing our available resources to match the workload created by the im- pacts of the ongoing coronavirus pan- demic.” In other words, completion of ap- pointed rounds will not be “stayed” by the pandemic—yet—but it may be less “swift ” than the delivery times to which we’ve be- come accustomed in the 21st century. CBSNewYork notes that while the Centers for Disease Control and Preven- tion (CDC) and the World Health Orga- nization (WHO) say there’s no evidence of the virus spreading through contact with mail or packages, at least one study has shown that coronavirus can remain on surfaces such as cardboard for up to 24 hours. Th erefore, it is recommended that any packages be left outside the home for at least that time period, and to clean any surfaces with which the package comes in contact. And—of course—wash your hands aft er handling any mail or packag- es, or anything else received from outside of your home. n Disclaimer: Th e answers provided in this Q&A column are of a general nature and cannot substitute for professional advice regarding your specifi c circumstances. Always seek the advice of competent legal counsel or other qualifi ed profes- sionals with any questions you may have regard- ing technical or legal issues. Do you have an issue with your board? Are you wondering how to solve a dispute with a neighbor? Can’t fi nd informa- tion you need about a build- ing’s fi nances? Our attorney advisors have the answers to all of your legal questions. Write to CooperatorNews and we’ll publish your question, along with a response from one of our attorney advisors. Questions may be edited for taste, length and clarity. Send your questions to: darcey@cooperatornews.com Q&A allowing to be done anything that would unreasonably annoy another resident of the building or unreasonably interfere with another resident’s use or enjoyment of their unit. “As such, if the amount and/or fre- quency of the dripping is such that it is unreasonably interfering with the writ- er’s use of the yard, it would likely be a violation of the terms of the condomin- ium bylaws. Because the enforcement of the terms of the bylaws are an obligation of a condominium board of managers, in a situation where the leaking was un- reasonably interfering with the writer’s enjoyment of the yard, it would be the board’s obligation to address the upstairs unit owners’ conduct and to ensure that those unit owners took the steps neces- sary to address their air conditioning dis- charge. “Depending on the severity of the discharge from the air conditioning units, the writer could potentially pur- sue claims of trespass and/or nuisance against the upstairs neighbors. However, before taking any such action, the writer should contact the upstairs neighbors to advise them of the issue. If that out- reach fails to resolve the issue, the writer should contact the board of managers and/or the managing agent for the build- ing and should advise them both of the issue and of the fact that the writer had brought the issue to the attention of the upstairs neighbor to no avail.” n Q&A continued from page 5 the unit before listing and showing it? If not, you want showings to be as brief as possible. You may need masks, and to have prospec- tive buyers remove their shoes or wear shoe coverings. Maybe only the agent is permitted to touch things or open doors to minimize contamination. Th e homebound individual may be sequestered in a specifi c room, and in some cases that room may simply not be accessible for the showing.” Ariela Heilman, an associate broker with Brown Harris Stevens, suggests the best ap- proach with buyers is “to acknowledge that you’re dealing with a situation of stress and hardship prior to your pitch appointment.” Essentially, though, the sales process remains the same, she says. “What we sell is light and space, and our ability as a team to close the sale.” Depersonalization & Staging Even if it’s not possible to have a unit un- occupied during showings, brokers still stress the importance of a clean, depersonalized, staged space. Even the most beautifully deco- rated apartment is less appealing to a buyer if that buyer feels they’re intruding on someone else’s property. “As a listing agent, I always arrive 30 to 60 minutes before the showings,” says Beau- champ. In situations where someone in the apartment has health or mobility challeng- es, “I might have to do some rearranging of things,” she continues. “Clearing away medi- cine bottles, for instance. And sometimes a bit of tidying up when the seller is unable to do so.” Brokers oft en advise sellers to put a fresh coat of white paint on their walls as part of the depersonalization and staging of their units. However, Beauchamp stresses that in situations where painting could be almost as disruptive to a homebound person as mov- ing, the best policy may be to skip the paint job and consider contacting a virtual staging company to create virtual images of what the space would look like empty, or minimally and generically furnished. Virtual staging— and even virtual open houses—saw a huge surge in popularity and use during the pan- demic, and many in the industry suspect that their convenience and sophistication have made them a permanent fi xture. Showings Th e actual in-person showing of an oc- cupied apartment should start with a whole lot of transparency, says Beauchamp. “In the initial conversation with the buyer, you must explain what the current situation is—that there’s someone living there who requires ex- tra caution,” she says. “It may not be possible to spend 30 or 45 minutes there. At some point, though, the buyer must get a feel for the property. Th ere is a very delicate balance between the needs of the occupant and those of the potential purchaser.” Depending on the occupant’s schedule, there may be opportunities for access. If they have medical appointments at certain speci- fi ed times, that might be a good time for buy- ers to visit and get an in-person sense of the property. Of course, much depends on the nature of the specifi c occupant’s situation, their comfort level, and the prospective buy- er’s willingness to be fl exible. Joanna Mayfi eld Marks, an associate bro- ker with Brown Harris Stevens in Brooklyn, relates an interesting experience. “We had a 75-year-old seller who was very healthy, but had an aging dog who was unable to go out in the rain. We recently had an open house on a rainy day, and she and the dog were promi- nently seated in the living area—and stole the show!” When it comes to selling units that are oc- cupied during the viewing process, “the big- gest issue,” Marks stresses, “is that the focus comes off of the space itself, and associations are made with the person who lives there.” With a bit of understanding, cooperation, and creativity, however, that focus can stay on the property—to the benefi t of both seller and buyer. n SHOWING... continued from page 6 best tools to accomplish that, and if there’s an economically viable replacement program, I think the real estate community will respond. And if there isn’t, they’ll respond by sitting things out until there is a path forward.” Projects currently under construction and in the program have until June 15, 2026 to be completed, Bernstein says, so “there’s a pipeline of projects that will have to get built. Developers will be busy building them.” n NYS... continued from page 6 vide rents union members can aff ord.” According to Barrie Smith, President of 100 Black Construction Workers, and an executive board member of Laborers’ Local 79, where he also serves as a Harlem busi- ness agent for the union, “More than 300 Laborers’ Local 79 members live in the New York City Council district where One45 will be built. Th is project will create good union construction jobs and much-needed aff ord- able housing for Harlem residents who are seniors, low-income, moderate-income, and earning union wages. One45 shows how the city can create mixed-income developments to tackle the aff ordability crisis that impacts New Yorkers across a range of income levels. I urge everyone in the New York City Council to support One45. Many long-time Harlem residents will benefi t from this project. Th e One45 development will be woven into the fabric of the Harlem community, and include ground-fl oor space for Pathways to Appren- ticeship, where formerly incarcerated New Yorkers will receive training for careers in the construction trades.” n UNIONS... continued from page 7