All Forum Posts by: Mabel L.

I considered re-renting but I was really surprised by the some of the rents offered now.  It's at least a few hundred dollars cheaper.  Maybe neighborhood specific since @Amit M. you haven't noticed a drop yet.  

@Amit M. Congratulations to you too, then!  Didn't realize you were going through the same.  Yes, let's keep each other posted.  I do want to ask, you said you just got the DPW's docs...when exactly?  I thought they weren't open or working.  I've called their lines and no one answers.  I actually initially requested for the docs via email (as suggested by someone who took my call) but no one ever emailed me back anything.  This was I think the 1st week of March.  So I went to the office and that's how I got the docs.  Then SIP happened and like I said, haven't heard from anyone and haven't been able to get in touch with anyone.

@Amit M.

Yes.  DPW outlines the following MUST be submitted (verbatim):

An affidavit, signed by the tenant, stating that the unit hs been voluntarily vacated. The affidavit must be executed, dated, and acknowledged after the date of the written offer of lifetime lease.

Suggested documentation includes:

• A copy of the lease agreement showing the tenant's name and address of new residence
• A copy of the purchase and sale agreement showing the tenant's name and address of new residence.
• A copy of the most recent utility bill showing the tenant's name and address of new residence.
• A copy of the voluntary move out agreement showing the tenant's name together with a copy of any consideration paid.
• Or, other compelling evidence supporting the contention that the tenant has voluntarily vacated and terminated their tenancy.

Unfortunately for me, my tenant wasn't very cooperative and wouldn't give me a tenant affidavit and insisted that her email documenting her intent to move-out should be sufficient.  I tried to ask in other ways; paid her her security deposit immediately and not once cent less, offered to pay for a notary to go to her, but she still wouldn't provide me an affidavit.

Because of SIP, the department that handles this within DPW is closed so, I actually still don't know how this will turn out.  I guess this thread is still to be continued =(...

She moved with her boyfriend (who I had prayed long and hard for to marry her and have babies so they would move out like 2 years ago! haha) out of state!

@Diane G. and anyone else following this thread (lol!), funny how things unfold the way they do...my tenant is finally gone but I have been unsuccessful at getting her lifetime lease unrecorded on title because of the Shelter in Place order and not having anyone process the paperwork! I was on a roll with signing on with an agent, getting estimates on work to get done, started to get some work done and then everything came to a halt due to SIP.  So, here I am with an empty unit, trying to push the unpushable to happen (can't get stager, photographer, etc) but it's ok.  At the end of the day, I am still so damn relieved, I am at last done with rent-control and my lifetime tenant!  Wishing the same for all of you who are in what was once, my shoes!

Thanks @Amit M. and @Diane G. for your cautionary advice! Yes, I will celebrate when it is actually done! 

Sorry for my delayed response but I have amazing news! This lifetime lease tenant of mine actually submitted an intent to vacate about 3 weeks ago!!!! I am free of this lease now!!! Up until 3 weeks ago, I was just playing the waiting and hoping game.  I had been following these cases but they were not promising.  I can't express how relieved/happy/excited I am.  I do wish all owners with these ridiculous lifetime leases a win soon!  Thanks for following up!

@Michael Kay Thank you for sharing your local knowledge! 

@Account Closed Luckily, I had brains enough to know I didn't want any subleasing going on when I created the lease!  And to answer your questions:

1.  I did speak with 2 realtors, very experienced realtors in the city.  If you want to know more info, please PM me.

2. When you are in a TIC, you don't have a choice as to when you want to convert, at least written in the language of the TIC contract (which was written by Andy Sirkins office - who takes almost all the TIC business, no?...at least back in the days). As soon as it becomes available to convert, the TIC can convert unless EVERYBODY decides to stay TIC which I can't imagine in any scenario. So naturally when our time came, I was the only tenant-occupied unit, all the other owners wanted to convert (understandably).

As for your friend, who knows what the political climate will be like when she is offered to convert.  As I understand it, there is a 10 year moratorium on conversions (with some exclusions - 2-units, I think?  Not sure) as part of the deal that I was in (the Expedited Conversion Program).  And again, part of the deal of that program was that existing tenants must be offered lifetime leases.  Maybe by the time your friend is allowed to convert, that won't be the case.  Like if they go back to the lottery system (which wasn't working and that's why the Expedited Program deal was struck) then she hopefully won't have to contend with the lifetime lease issue.

@Dan Redmond Just for clarification purposes, your tenants were trying to make capital improvements or they wouldn't let you make capital improvements?