"ventless" vent into the apartment. Its makes them more more humid and dirtier....

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 20, 2009 8:16 PM in response to Dryer Venting Help

All that is required is a through the wall vent at least 12-18 inches from the window(I believe)...
why would gas be illegal?

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/downloads/pdf/fuel_code.pdf

its in here somewhere...

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 20, 2009 6:17 PM in response to Dryer Venting Help

contact your local community board and attend the next precinct council meeting of your precinct.

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 19, 2009 10:33 AM in response to Illegal Business Next Door

that's a good price with a three car garage....yep they took a loss more than the loss of the price paid they did a fair amount of work....

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 19, 2009 10:13 AM in response to 150 Bond Finally Sells—For a Loss

Hey Bob Butterfly.

Obviously civil discourse is something you weren't taught.

Ignorant means unknowing, which obviously applies to you. I worked at a hospital. All gunshot wounds were reported. Its a crime not to and no doctor wants to lose their license over it. Yes some times people try to claim it happened another another way but 99 plus % of them get reported. Others above had told you the same thing.

Ignoramus must be your secret identity.

I knew someone would claim they were essentially all reported and you posted even before I finished typing...

You can apologize, but I also doubt that you were brought up that way either.

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 18, 2009 9:09 PM in response to Shooting In Boerum Hill

here are the latest crime stats

http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloads/pdf/crime_statistics/cscity.pdf

even though you may hear more about shootings it doesn't mean they are up. Only that the news cycle is more in tune with them. and I am sure that I can anticipate the "its not reported"...nonsense- all shootings with injuries are reported.

and oh BTW a 15 year old with a gun is going to tried as an adult and the parent who he got the gun from is going to jail too. As for the shooting last night it took place shortly before 7 when the Cpt from the 84 was on his way to the monthly precinct council meeting. He diverted to the scene of the shooting(which is at the border between the 84 and 78 precincts). A person was shot in the leg, he reported at the meeting and the shooting is under investigation

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 18, 2009 9:50 AM in response to Shooting In Boerum Hill

The original poster said superintendent. I would never tip an LL....

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 16, 2009 10:36 PM in response to No Hot Water...Help

loss of hot water for a few days won't implicate habitability especially if it was a one time event.

I for one would remember the rudeness at tip time at the end of the year(how about a bucket of coal)....

isn't there a management number to call?
and yes 311 will send an inspector and fine the owner.

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 16, 2009 10:42 AM in response to No Hot Water...Help

I meant to say he has taken a principle stand---I don't think my sentence came out that way.

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 16, 2009 10:29 AM in response to Goldstein Offered Less Than What He Paid for Condo

PS I personally think Dan is anything but principled on this issue. We still need to await the final NY Court of Appeals decision. Who knows he may wind up winning and then Ratner can sell the rest of the apartments for what they are worth.

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 16, 2009 10:27 AM in response to Goldstein Offered Less Than What He Paid for Condo

The way this is ultimately decided is a court will decide the fair/just value. Its not unheard of for the State to start low and then at court offer more much more. Ultimately the State's experts testify, Goldstein's experts testify and the court sets the value.

The US Constitution always allowed the use of eminent domain. The issue was mainly whether it was a State's right vs the purposely weak federal government.

Fair compensation doesn't mean a windfall. it means what a willing buyer would pay at the time the property was taken, not in the future not in the past NOW....and now the prices are down. Some people get more some people get less some people get just right---it may not be perfect but its "fair"...Goldilocks any one?

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 16, 2009 10:24 AM in response to Goldstein Offered Less Than What He Paid for Condo

Brooklyn Chicken FYI(and I am not saying it right just what it is). The ESDC(Empire State Development Corp) a "public entity" is seizing the land(through the use of Eminent Domain). It is this entity that will own the land and then lease it to a private developer...Forest City Ratner(or a designated company that they are using). Some of the land that Ratner has bought will be "donated" to the ESDC for it to lease back to Ratner. Some of the land will be sold to Ratner from the ESDC. City land is also being taken(city streets)- in a deal that avoids the City land use process that requires all such "sales" of city land to go through the NY City ULURP process. Also the NY City zoning land use process is being ignored by the State taking over. You can say what you want about Kelo, but the local governmental unit did none of the short circuiting of the local political unit. You and I might not like it but the local politicians all had their say- not like NY and Atlantic Yards.

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 15, 2009 11:53 AM in response to Friday Links

I think the issue is whether you can deduct your passive losses against other income, since its your profession. Most of us don't have this problem.

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 11, 2009 3:35 PM in response to Audit Hell

the reason that it is over three years is that there is a maximum against your income you can deduct for charitable purposes, when this amount is exceeded you can carry forward the excess for a period of time until the time period is exhausted or until the amount is exhausted. These rules are complicated. Normally if its just an appraisal issue, this get settled at some point however I have seen the IRS make a criminal case where they think the appraisal has been unjustly inflated and influenced.

If the area is already land marked the donation of the easement is not going to be worth much.

The case before the court awaiting a decision should let you know where it is going...

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 4, 2009 1:04 PM in response to Easement Audit Nightmare

ps the 'burbs have these problems too...

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 3, 2009 2:37 PM in response to Illegal Dumping, Drugs, Rats

attend your local precinct community meeting they have them once a month. talk with the captain. If you can bring along some other people from your block...

you are in the 78th precinct.
Brooklyn 78th Precinct Police

* (718) 636-6411

65 6th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 1121

call cause I think the meeting is tonight!

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 3, 2009 2:34 PM in response to Illegal Dumping, Drugs, Rats

Don't worry about the tickets to out of state people when they tow the cars they have to pay them all. Residential parking permits will make people register their cars here. All of NY City is a tow zone but they rarely tow non-alternate street parkers(and never for meter violations) but they do for almost everything else so people without permits can expect a trip to the pound..

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 2, 2009 9:04 PM in response to Closing Bell: Windshield Spam Backfires

There is no current proposal for residential permit parking for NYC its only a false campaign issue....

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 2, 2009 4:08 PM in response to Closing Bell: Windshield Spam Backfires

yeah and its so easy to find a parking space now. A knee jerk reaction by a nee jerk.

How many people in brooklyn heights would pay $500 per year for a space?....how many pay more than $200-300 per month...

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 2, 2009 4:07 PM in response to Closing Bell: Windshield Spam Backfires

almost all the news helicopters are based in NJ(near Linden) so taxing the fuel is a non issue. Most of the noise you hear is NOT from Sightseeing helicopters but corporate ones. Sometimes they line up over Brooklyn Heights to land and hoover causing the noise problem....before you complain about the type of helicopter look first.

http://www.erhc.org/

here is a place to file complaints along of course with the FAA

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/field_offices/fsdo/frg/

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 26, 2009 4:44 PM in response to Copter Rage in Brooklyn Heights

The assessment used for tax rate may only increase 6% per year and 20% over 5 years for class 1a(1-3 family buildings)

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 22, 2009 3:31 PM in response to Certificate of Occupancy

They aren't talking about zone fares....yet. We did away with 2 zone fares years ago and I don't think that when they spend this vast amount of money its only going to give people a discount. I would hate to have them put in the technology that will allow both zone fares and higher rush hour ones.

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 22, 2009 11:11 AM in response to Thursday Links

As to the comment about the MTA and off peak pricing...does any one think that lower prices on the subway will attract more riders now and get people out of cars? Its $2.25 without a metrocard discount. Parking in the city is expensive. all this will do is increase the deficit. Air swiping will cost hundred of millions of dollars and make it so much faster won't it.

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 22, 2009 9:06 AM in response to Thursday Links

The Park has the big Mo! Momentum! Its moving along every day something new is going in.

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 21, 2009 12:35 PM in response to Gatehouses Land in Brooklyn Bridge Park

when you post on an open board you are talking to everyone. You don't control the answers. You can control if you read them by not reading them. I know you are not talking to me its one of your character flaws to think you can control all the conversation.

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 16, 2009 2:04 PM in response to Temperature in Apt.

there is somewhat a difference between using your judgment and saying someone has a character flaw....which you clearly do have. I am a landlord not responsible for every part of your comfort. I responsible to provide a habitable apartment with you have the right of quiet enjoyment. If the apartment is at 70 degrees or more as to heat I have met my obligation completely. If that means the tenant wants to move out at the end of the lease, I would rather have them move then expect something unreasonable from me.

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 16, 2009 1:44 PM in response to Temperature in Apt.

opps I left off I am from Vulcan and prefer it at 105....

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 16, 2009 1:36 PM in response to Temperature in Apt.

character flaw? how judgmental! The law is 68/55. That is what they signed up for when they got the lease. Cranking the heat up to 80 is both expensive and wasteful(not very green of you). I have mine set at 70 6-11 and 60 thereafter, It rarely even comes on at night.

When I am cold or damp I put on a sweater.

Thank goodness you don't have to pay for their air conditioning. Get a thermometer and check if its more than 68 I would say sorry that is what is required. It was damp yesterday when its cold damp cold feels worse. Check for air leaks but if its none of the above and they pay for their own electric, they do have a way to get in their own range.

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 16, 2009 1:32 PM in response to Temperature in Apt.

No space has yet been taken over in Brooklyn by ED. Not one square inch.

and if you ever have been to the area in New London you would know it much is better after Kelo.

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 13, 2009 3:45 PM in response to Atlantic Yards Court Case Begins Wednesday

You know I am not anti the stadium/arena. ratner could have built it already. He owns all the Land north of Atlantic Ave and Yards. He just wanted it built his was or the highway. There are many configurations that would have not used ED at all. Most of the land he was able to buy. The issue is the forced selling of someone's property for the benefit of another private person. No one disputes the right for a public project like a road, a school or a police station, even a public housing project. Most of the ED was used so Ratner can build a commercial building having nothing to with the Arena(its not a stadium) lets go Nyets...

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 13, 2009 12:51 PM in response to Atlantic Yards Court Case Begins Wednesday

The Wall Street Journal today has an editorial against the ED in Atlantic Yards don't be so sure about the result.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703298004574459132540665594.html#articleTabs%3Darticle

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 13, 2009 12:28 PM in response to Atlantic Yards Court Case Begins Wednesday

its not a big nothing. The Eminent domain part is NOT the empty yards that is owned by the State. The big nothing is the homes along Pacific street south. It was made up of many buildings that were fully occupied. This is the same nonsense the developer says. The area of ED is not blighted at all.

It also includes the Building Ratner owns where PC Richards is. Why? so he can avoid NY City zoning rules.

Kelo was something totally different. New London is blighted and the local city council voted for the development. If the NY City Council would have been allowed to vote this would have been much better.

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 13, 2009 12:24 PM in response to Atlantic Yards Court Case Begins Wednesday

http://www.tregny.com/pdf/standard_rental.pdf

standard form Bloomberg lease form(not that Bloomberg another one)

There is nothing in the lease about open houses. That is not to show to specific person but anyone who walks in and you have to lock down your apartment---as it is a time when things walk off.

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 2, 2009 3:03 PM in response to Right of Entry

raphael9, the standard form lease does not give the landlord an unlimited right of entry to show the apartment. please look at a copy of the standard form lease.

Also it seems to me that this tenant negotiated a lease in their favor(removing the right to end the lease upon 30 days notice of sale) so I assume they knew what they are doing.

The tenant has possession and is entitled to enjoy that peaceably. the landlord can't force their way in and does so at their peril. NY Juries have given apartments to the tenant when landlords abuse their limited rights.

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 2, 2009 1:41 PM in response to Right of Entry

A standard form lease gives the landlord the right to enter the apartment to make repairs and sometimes to do an inspection. The standard form lease allows the apartment to be shown 30-60 days before the lease expires. Reasonable notice is a couple of hours not 24-48. An open house may or may not be allowed. If both parties sit down and are reasonable they should both be able to work this out. The landlord is not giving you a renewal anyway. What he can do? By the time a court hears his case months will have gone by. be reasonable give him a call and tell him you want to work out a reasonable accommodation. If he wants to have an open house all day he should buy you dinner.

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 2, 2009 12:56 PM in response to Right of Entry

Thanks Fsrq. I was one of the people in favor of it. It looks great and is used so often that as you say people fight over it. I was there when it opened and it is still great. If it was real grass it would be a disaster. They added more real grass around the periphery and it is hard to keep up...

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 1, 2009 3:03 PM in response to Turf Looking Good to Go at Dean Street Playground

People court doesn't necessarily follow the law(its arbitration hence arbitrary) and the law of NY may vary.

If you have stayed in the apartment for a full lease and now only raise "safetly" issues that either the landlord has not been informed of or looked like recently made up, don't be surprised if you aren't believed.

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 29, 2009 12:11 PM in response to 30-Day Notice Req'd?

the property owner is liable for injuries in places with 4 and above- I looked it up.

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 25, 2009 1:25 PM in response to DOB Posts Letter of Intent to Revoke on St. Marks Ave

But you can put a seat out on any sidewalk(as long as you don't block it) and eat.
It IS public property and while you have some limited obligation to keep it clean, you don't own it(and BTW the city is liable for any injury on it except if its a large apartment house I think the number is 5 and above but I know 1,2 and 3's are NOT liable for someone who is hurt on the sidewalk)

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 25, 2009 1:22 PM in response to DOB Posts Letter of Intent to Revoke on St. Marks Ave

Jim If you don't mind telling how long did it take from start to finish.
Thank you

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 24, 2009 9:50 PM in response to Tax Lot Divisions

Brooklyn Speaks tried to work with ratner/ESDC they weren't listening at all. Even Marty and his reps started attending the Brooklyn Speaks meetings but the ESDC and Ratner had a deaf ear and blind eye to any discussions. They didn't want any input except from sycophants.

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 24, 2009 11:21 AM in response to Nets Will Have New Owner; FCR Will Have New AY Partner

BTW the Court of Appeals just over ruled the unanimous decision by the lower court in the Richard Ravitch Lt governor matter so it does happen(4 to 3)

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 23, 2009 9:53 PM in response to Nets Will Have New Owner; FCR Will Have New AY Partner

The Russians are coming the Russians are coming opps the Russians are here! the Russians are here. A shout out for the person who came up with the NY Nyets!

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 23, 2009 9:51 PM in response to Nets Will Have New Owner; FCR Will Have New AY Partner

actually its 205 million direct subsidy plus the infrastructure of an additional 100. Its 105 from the city and 100 from the state with the city responsible for the infrastructure improvements(roads with the sewers water etc that then get added to the water bills YOU pay plus what ever else lights etc..)

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 23, 2009 6:06 PM in response to Mikhail Prokhorov's Unique Offer

Mr Joist the 200 million I count is without the infrastructure amounts. Its direct costs and the IBO issued a new report that says the benefit is less than 0.
The infrastructure amounts are an added 105 million and I didn't count them at all....

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 23, 2009 3:36 PM in response to Mikhail Prokhorov's Unique Offer

the city and the state gave $200,000,000 in direct support to this project. the tax exempt bonds are repaid by using what would otherwise be real estate taxes(Pilots-payment in lieu of taxes) to repay the bonds so that in the end we actually pay for the arena and don't own it. The 200 million in cash was used to repay the cost of acquiring the property.
The affordable housing will be built using as of right tax payer subsidy programs.
The IBO office said that they city would not get back its money in tax payments. ratner they believe would make about 3/4 of a billion dollars.
You can get more information mostly without too much bias at Norman Oder's atlantic yards blog.
Ratner has spent some of his own money- they claim about a total of $500 million spent so far(about 300 m of their own investor's money)

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 23, 2009 2:00 PM in response to Mikhail Prokhorov's Unique Offer

I saw that movie
the Russians are coming
the Russians are coming

let them come and lose money too!

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 23, 2009 11:50 AM in response to Mikhail Prokhorov's Unique Offer

libel is the untruthful posting about anybody. You can get the name and email address of an anonymous poster through legal means. Remember google or yahoo had to give the name recently in a case and they have been sued by the blogger-the suer will lose IMO-.

Since brokers tend to sue a lot, its also likely they will sue for what they think is libel.
There are two types of libel per se and libel that caused injury. libel per se is when you say someone is a crook or things like that say they do illegal things. The other libel is when you say someone is a bad person and that causes them actual monetary damages. The person suing in the latter case has to prove actual damages. You don't have to prove damages to be able to sue for libel per se(but it helps with getting an award of damages) but you are also entitled to punitive damages not based on actual loses.

Finally truth is a defense but the defendant has the burden to prove the truth of what they said.

Remember there are some exceptions to this as an example when the person is a public figure(absent malice you can say almost anything you want about a public figure)or what you say in court or in court papers...

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 22, 2009 4:36 PM in response to Worst Broker Experience Ever

the cost to just rehab the cantilever's mile and a half is estimated to be a cool 300 million

https://www.nysdot.gov/bqedowntownbrooklyn

There is a study done to make a tunnel out of the entire section which would cost in excess of $10 billion dollars.

The cross harbor train tunnel would cost 4.5 billion and the tunnel under construction now for additional train service now under construction is over 3.5 billion.

I am sure the 300,000 includes money for neighborhood meeting and input.

DOT does a fairly good job of seeking neighborhood comments at the scoping meeting see above.

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 21, 2009 3:26 PM in response to What to Do with the BQE Ditch

In almost any other place but NY, if someone violates a stop work order they go to jail. They also need to pull licenses when someone does this permanently. Fining doesn't seem to work and selling the equipment is just another way of fining them...who do you think will buy the equipment back?

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 21, 2009 3:10 PM in response to St. George's Demo Halted, But the Damage Is Done

If asking my neighbors to keep the volume down was a solution, this would have been solved years ago.

They basically took their mom's old house, gutted it, and put in a recording studio. Nobody actually lives there. The backyard is filled with garbage and bags of cement that have turned solid. The back of the house looks like it's going to collapse. Chunks of the roof are blowing off. They had to clear their studio out for a couple weeks this spring when it turned out the tarp they'd had on their roof for three years didn't work as well as actually fixing their roof. There's a derelict car with four flat tires that's been sitting out front for five years, poking out into the sidewalk.

That being said, they drive new cars and have tons of expensive equipment. I've seen the owner's name on music websites. They definitely have pro clients and money to spend. They just don't spend it on soundproofing or building maintenance.

I'm not dealing with responsible, considerate guys here.

Posted by: madison_st at November 19, 2009 4:05 PM in response to Illegal Business Next Door

Hm Bentley is an ostentatious car. I wander how is best to communicate with Bentley owner in record industry. :)

Posted by: bobjohn at November 19, 2009 7:32 PM in response to Illegal Business Next Door

I sympathize, I have a Trust Fund DJ living next door who illegally sub divided the house to accomadate tenants. A single family house now used as a two family. The noise was unbearable, like living in a bass drum. I banged on his door(non-working bell) and told him that my lawyer advised me to speak to him about the volume and persistence of his music and could he please lower it so we both could avoid legal issues. That has worked some. DOB never showed up, the PD never showed up, five to ten calls to 311. If you tell the FD that the roof has holes and the back of the building is in danger of collapse and your worried about the fireman's safety, you may get the FD to send a report to the Buildings Dept.(an A-8). Complain, complain, complain the squeaky wheel gets the grease in this city. Document, document,document, time called, date called, person spoken to, etc. finally, get a lawyer.

Posted by: Grumpy at November 19, 2009 9:19 PM in response to Illegal Business Next Door

I worry the plumber will have an ethical duty to report it to and our gas line will be cut off to the street.

Has anyone has any good experiences with self venting dryers and if so, what brand.

thanks again for all of your help.

Posted by: ttneptune at November 20, 2009 6:17 PM in response to Dryer Venting Help

you cannot have an unvented gas dryer. It is illegal ad toxic. We were looking to not have to put in vents if not need be. We basically want everyone to move to ventless.

Posted by: ttneptune at November 20, 2009 6:31 PM in response to Dryer Venting Help

The dryers will work much, much, MUCH better when they are vented.

Posted by: rf at November 20, 2009 8:05 PM in response to Dryer Venting Help

"ventless" vent into the apartment. Its makes them more more humid and dirtier....

Posted by: smeyer418 at November 20, 2009 8:16 PM in response to Dryer Venting Help

We have a ventless LG washer/dryer that I love like a family member, but for some reason they've stopped making them, I think. Anyways, the ventless machines take longer, and leave clothing a bit wrinkled, but I think the all-in-one combo machines make up for that a bit in being all-in-one. It taking 3 hours to do a load of laundry is somewhat offset if you don't have to move the load from one machine to the other...

We live in a building with no dryer vents and most of our neighbors actually have opted for the bucket venting system. From what little research I did, it didn't sound safe or good. Sometimes I wonder about this.

Posted by: Heather at November 20, 2009 8:53 PM in response to Dryer Venting Help