Our partner, Jarred I. Kassenoff, appeared in Sunday's New York Times Real Estate Section responding to a reader's question.
Here's the piece in its entirety:
New Security Cameras in a Stabilized Building
By: Jay Romano
Q The landlord of our rent-stabilized building is installing security cameras. Is this a capital improvement that can result in a rent increase?
A Most likely it is, said Jarred I. Kassenoff, a Manhattan real estate lawyer. Improvements like security fencing generally would not qualify for a major capital improvement increase, he said, but the rent laws specifically allow such increases for "television security." The permanent monthly increase would be based on a per-room allocation of one eighty-fourth of the cost of the improvement.