Emerging Housing Issues Affecting Residents with Disabilities

Attorneys representing condominium boards or cooperatives should be familiar with the use of New York Mental Hygiene Law tools when faced with concerning conduct of a symptomatic mentally ill individual in their building. This program will discuss the challenges of pursuing an eviction proceeding against a mentally ill individual. It will then explore alternative interventions such as Guardianship, to assist the individual in managing their personal and/or financial affairs, or a Mental Hygiene Warrant to get the individual a psychiatric evaluation, and hopefully, treatment.

New York State and City law require that condominium boards and cooperatives meaningfully engage residents with disabilities who have accommodations-related needs, as well as provide reasonable accommodations and modifications to their policies, practices and procedures. This program will address emerging areas that include challenging requests for service and emotional support animals in “no pet” buildings, responding to issues raised when residents test positive for COVID-19, and addressing requests for exemptions from COVID-19-related rules on the basis of disability. 

Speakers

John W. Egan, Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Jamie A. Rosen, Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara, Wolf & Carone, LLP

Carolyn Reinach Wolf, Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara, Wolf & Carone, LLP