Tenant's Ex-Wife Can't Get Mitchell Lama Cooperative Apartment

LVT Number: #31112

The ex-wife of a Co-op City shareholder tenant claimed succession rights to the tenant's Mitchell-Lama co-op apartment after she and tenant got divorced in 2012 and tenant moved out. The DHCR supervised the building under the Private Housing Finance Law (PHFL) and ruled against tenant's ex-wife, who then filed an Article 78 court appeal. The ex-wife was represented by an attorney who filed defective papers. The attorney didn't apply to amend the court petition until 15 months later. The DHCR, in turn, asked the court to dismiss the case as untimely and on the merits.