The 234 Apartment

T wo weeks ago, a Manhattan Supreme Court judge handed down a decision designed to strike fear in the hearts of landlords. Justice James d’Auguste ordered that an independent receiver be appointed to manage two Midtown residential buildings where the landlords allegedly allowed illegal Airbnb rentals to occur. The case, which began when the city sued the landlords in February 2015, has become one of the battlegrounds in a larger war between city enforcement agencies and short- term rental sites like Airbnb. Airbnb, which was recently valued at $31 billion, refuses to release the exact addresses of hosts who break the law by renting their entire apartment for less than 30 days without being present. Without the addresses and names of Airbnb violators , the city mostly targets the owners of buildings that rack up the most illegal hotel complaints from 311 calls and the New York City Department of Buildings. “This entire model—and it was intentional [by the city]—is complaint-drive...

With prices not expected to rise, drillers seek efficiency Efficiency is the name of the game for Oklahoma drillers and out-of- state companies drilling wells in Oklahoma. Lessons learned during the two-and-a-half-year downturn have helped boost some oil and gas businesses. Comanche Nation lawsuit challenges proposed Chickasaw casino The Comanche Nation of Oklahoma has filed a lawsuit against several federal officials , claiming the Chickasaw Nation doesn ’t have the right to build a casino in Jefferson County. The Comanche Nation is seeking injunctive relief voiding a recent trust acquisition in Jefferson County by the U.S. Department of the Interior for the Chickasaw Nation ’s benefit. Some legislators not sure of support for OKC income tax proposal Even state legislators who support educational funding enhancements during the state budget crunch are torn on the philosophy behind a new initiative petition in Oklahoma City. The proposal calls for a temporary 0.5- percent tax ...