Habitat Magazine

HABITAT is a distinctive publication that reflects the spirit of New York. Our goal is to provide valuable information and compelling human-interest stories to enhance awareness, education, and empowerment for board directors. As a one-of-a-kind blend of a consumer-focused and business-to-business trade publication, HABITAT combines engaging storytelling with practical articles. We address topics related to co-op and condo living, along with management issues, through the viewpoints of board directors and property managers.

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Landmark co-op in NYC opts for fiberglass in cornice repair

2 days ago | habitatmag.com | Emily Myers

When the decorative terra cotta cornice at 310 West End Avenue — a landmarked Upper West Side co-op — started to deteriorate, the temporary solution was to enclose it in mesh. “It was a stop-gap measure,” says board president Dan Ripp. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) typically requires an historic clay or stone cornice to be replaced with a near identical material. What followed was a bold suggestion from a board member who was also an architect.
Condo board's facade crisis: Financing woes and evacuation

3 days ago | habitatmag.com | Carol Ott

Over the years, the various condo boards at a small converted loft building commissioned several facade engineering studies. All of them discovered noticeable cracking and recommended remediation. Each board apparently believed that a long-standing brick building was safe — and they apparently were unwilling to pay for repairs that were not absolutely necessary — and so they never moved forward with the suggested fixes. Big mistake.
New Yorkers are urged to report non-compliant buildings to 311.

1 week ago | habitatmag.com | Emily Myers

With nearly 2,000 fines issued in the first week of composting enforcement, New Yorkers are being urged to report buildings that aren’t using their brown bins. Mandatory compost rules were introduced last October, and building owners were given a six-month grace period without penalties, which ended on April 1.
Co-op board's licensing agreement raises legal questions

1 week ago | habitatmag.com | Bill Morris

Q: I was considering buying a co-op on the Upper East Side with a private back yard that was included in the offering plan. The seller and I agreed on the price, but then the co-op board introduced a licensing agreement that imposed a monthly charge equal to 18 shares to use the yard — though the buyer would not get those shares. The board also imposed rules regarding how and when the back yard could be used. Potential buyers had to sign the agreement to be considered.
Uncertainty over tariffs and mortgage rates freezes New York real estate market

1 week ago | habitatmag.com | Bill Morris

Buyers of New York City co-ops and condos are frozen on the sidelines, waiting to assess the economic fallout of President Trump's ever-evolving tariffs on imported goods. Meanwhile, with mortgage rates likely to rise, city rents remain at record high levels. For buyers and renters alike, it's a lose-lose scenario.
Organics recycling fines issued by NYC Sanitation Department

2 weeks ago | habitatmag.com | Bill Morris

The brown bin has New Yorkers paying green and seeing red. Since mandatory recycling of organic waste went into effect citywide on April 1, the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has issued nearly 2,000 tickets to building owners, including co-op and condo boards, who have failed to comply with the new law, Gothamist reports.
Co-op in Queens to benefit from J-51 R tax incentive

2 weeks ago | habitatmag.com | Emily Myers

They didn’t know it at the time, but when 41-15 44th St. Owners Corp. committed to two big renovation projects last year, the timing was perfect. The 71-unit co-op in Sunnyside, Queens, bit the bullet on nearly $600,000 in combined elevator upgrades and facade repairs, which was paid through a line of credit as well as a four-year assessment. Now, having recently completed the work, the co-op has found an unexpected silver lining — the new J-51 R tax incentive.
New York City's housing crisis worsened by climate change

2 weeks ago | habitatmag.com | Bill Morris

There's a simple reason why New York City co-ops and condos remain so expensive and why rents are at all-time highs: the supply of housing units has historically failed to keep up with demand. Now a new force is getting ready to worsen the city's housing crisis. Climate change.
Green technology in New York: Geothermal power in Brooklyn

2 weeks ago | habitatmag.com | Bill Morris

Even as the Trump administration tries to gut the clean-energy grants and tax breaks of the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act, New Yorkers are embracing cutting-edge green technology. Two massive new buildings, both in Brooklyn, will be powered by geothermal energy, also known as ground-source heat pumps.
Manhattan luxury co-op and condo sales surge in Q1

3 weeks ago | habitatmag.com | Bill Morris

Luxury co-op and condo sales in Manhattan rose nearly 30% in the first quarter compared to the same period last year, while the average sale price of a luxury home grew 37% year-over-year to $10.3 million — the highest quarterly average on record, according to new report from Douglas Elliman. "Although sales surged by 28.8% annually to 2,560, they only surpassed the decade average for the first quarter by 1.1%," writes report author Jonathan Miller, an appraiser with Miller Samuel.