Attorneys for Tenants Impacted by Covid-19 Virus in New York City

For Residential & Commercial Tenants

The novel coronavirus pandemic has shuttered economies across the world, but here in New York, we’re facing something that would have been unimaginable just a short time ago.

The vibrant engine of commerce in our city has ground to a halt as individuals sacrifice their freedom of movement in an effort to slow the spread. This is what government and public health authorities at all levels are asking everyone to do, but for many roles, there’s no option to work from home. What happens to a city of idled tenants when the rent comes due?

Fortunately, both the state and our state courts are taking steps to limit the fallout. As things stand now, tenants in New York are protected from eviction by a moratorium until at least June 20.

While landlords can’t, except in certain very serious cases, proceed with eviction actions, that doesn’t mean that all is well during the Covid-19 lockdown, or that things will simply smooth themselves out once we’re on the other side.

We Fight for Renters, Not Landlords

The attorneys at Zelenitz, Shapiro & D’Agostino fight for tenants in all areas of real estate law. We are focused on the issues that matter most to tenants, co-op and condo unit owners, as well as the organizations that represent them. Do you have landlord problems related to the novel coronavirus pandemic? We can help.

We fight eviction. The eviction moratorium is a powerful tool to protect tenants, but it is temporary, and when the order was first issued, a loophole led to a flood of new eviction filings by landlords.

The loophole was closed and these cases are legally on hold, but many New Yorkers are still facing harassment and threats from landlords with pending or planned eviction cases.

There are landlords who think they should be able to discriminate against people who have, or might have, the novel coronavirus. If you have symptoms of, or a positive test for Covid-19, please know that your landlord cannot force you out of your home or take action against your business on a commercial lease.

This is illegal discrimination under New York law, and also violates the eviction moratorium. If you’re being harassed by a landlord because you’re sick, call our team today at 718-523-1111 for help.

We also represent commercial tenants who are struggling to stay afloat in a pandemic that may have temporarily closed or severely curtailed their operations. A wide variety of commercial tenants have been deemed non-essential to the functioning of the city during the crisis, leaving small business owners wondering how they’re going to pay rent.

While the eviction moratorium covers them, too, it’s a temporary measure, and if you fall behind on rent, the bill to be paid in the aftermath may sink you. By getting help now, you can avoid potentially serious problems on the other side of the coronavirus crisis.

We are Here for You, Before and After Covid-19

Like all businesses in New York, we have changed the way we work so that we can better protect the health and safety of our staff, clients, and the public at large. We are proud that our existing clients have experienced no interruption in the work they count on, and we continue to help new clients as well.

If you are dealing with a landlord issue at your residence or commercial property related to the Covid-19 / Coronavirus pandemic, call Zelenitz, Shapiro & D’Agostino today at 718-523-1111 for a free consultation with an attorney who knows tenants rights and real estate law.