Opinion
2012-06-28
In re Dwight BLAIR, Petitioner–Respondent, v. NEW YORK STATE DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL, Respondent, Concourse Village, Inc., Respondent–Appellant. New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal, Amicus Curiae.
Borah, Goldstein, Altschuler, Nahins & Goidel, P.C., New York (Paul N. Gruber of counsel), for appellant. Sperber Denenberg & Kahan, P.C., New York (Jacqueline Handel–Harbour of counsel), for Dwight Blair, respondent.
Borah, Goldstein, Altschuler, Nahins & Goidel, P.C., New York (Paul N. Gruber of counsel), for appellant. Sperber Denenberg & Kahan, P.C., New York (Jacqueline Handel–Harbour of counsel), for Dwight Blair, respondent.
Eric T. Schneiderman, Attorney General, New York (Simon Heller of counsel), for amicus curiae.
Order, Supreme Court, Bronx County (John A. Barone, J.), entered November 21, 2011, which ordered a hearing to determine the amount of attorney's fees to which petitioner was entitled in connection with an Article 78 proceeding and the underlying administrative proceedings commenced to establish his successor interest in a Mitchell–Lama apartment, unanimously reversed, on the law, without costs, and the motion for attorney's fees denied.
Real Property Law § 234 provides for a reciprocal right to attorney's fees where a residential lease authorizes such fees in favor of the landlord “in any action or summary proceeding” (Real Property Law 234 ). Because this provision does not apply to either administrative proceedings or proceedings brought pursuant to CPLR Article 78 ( see Matter of Chessin v. New York City Conciliation and Appeals Bd., 100 A.D.2d 297, 306, 474 N.Y.S.2d 293 [1984] ), petitioner is not entitled to attorney's fees.