On February 28, the New York Senate passed Bill S8430A to amend New York’s Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law Section 881. The current version of Section 881, enacted in 1968, offers a developer judicial recourse when an owner or lessee of a neighboring building refuses access that a developer needs to improve or repair its own building. This judicial recourse comes in the form of a temporary license for access. Section 881 provides limited guidance on how or when courts will issue these temporary licenses, stating only that a “license shall be granted by the court in an appropriate case upon such terms as justice requires.” Over the years, New York courts have filled in the contours of Section 881, providing additional rules for what temporary licenses may cover and when they may be granted. These cases address topics, ranging from required liability insurance to compensation for a landowner’s loss of quiet enjoyment of their property.
Continue Reading Proposed Changes to NY RPAPL Section 881: A Big Win for Developers and Owners