Real Estate Litigation

For bankruptcy litigators – or any business which has been frustrated to receive a demand letter after one of its customers filed bankruptcy – one particular amendment stands out in the CARES ACT bill. The Act amended Section 547 of the Bankruptcy Code to provide suppliers and landlords with an additional potential challenge to actions brought to “claw back” payments made by a debtor in the 90 days preceding bankruptcy.

The CARES Act assists debtors by amending Section 365(d)(3) of the Bankruptcy Code to allow, at the bankruptcy court’s discretion, small business debtors experiencing pandemic-related financial hardship an extra 60 days, in addition to the initial 60-day grace period, to make payments under unexpired leases of non-residential real property following the bankruptcy filing date.

The landscape for foreclosures and evictions in New York State is constantly evolving. With the entire State of New York in Phase 4 of New York Forward, the courts have begun to reopen (at least virtually) and certain foreclosure proceedings have resumed. Eviction proceedings remain stayed as against those commercial and residential tenants who demonstrate COVID-related hardship.

In late May, guidance for Phase 2 of Governor Cuomo’s New York Forward re-opening plan was issued. New York City is expected to enter into Phase 1 on June 8th, and thereafter Phase 2, provided certain thresholds are satisfied.

Massachusetts issued a moratorium on evictions on April 20, 2020. In this video, Kelly Frey, a member of Mintz’s  Real Estate Litigation practice addresses what recourse landlords have to collect rent under this order.

Recent Executive Orders by New York Governor Cuomo and Administrative Orders by the New York State courts effectively have stayed the enforcement of residential and commercial evictions and foreclosures in New York through June 20, 2020, and barred the commencement of any such new proceedings until further order of the courts.

COVID-19 has flipped the landlord-tenant relationship on its head. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the relationship between landlords and tenants—and the payment of rent—was governed by the terms of the lease.

COVID-19 has flipped the landlord-tenant relationship on its head. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the relationship between landlords and tenants—and the payment of rent—was governed by the terms of the lease.

Read about how price gouging statutes and enforcement, by NY state and city, Mass., and the federal government, may affect businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, April 20, 2020, Governor Charles Baker signed into law an act providing for a moratorium on evictions and as well as foreclosures of residential property (the “Act”) during the pendency of Massachusetts’ COVID-19 emergency declared by the Governor on March 10, 2020.

On March 23, 2020, the New York Senate proposed legislation that would forever waive rent payment obligations and mortgage payment obligations due from certain residential tenants and small business commercial tenants for 90 days in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This alert reviews executive orders by New York Governor Cuomo and administrative orders by the New York State courts that have stayed residential and commercial evictions and foreclosures in New York.

In response to the growing COVID-19 crisis, an increasing number of state and local governments will be issuing Executive Orders that mandate the closure of private businesses and require citizens to “stay home” or “shelter in place.” Several jurisdictions, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, are trying to mitigate the downstream economic impact of such Orders by limiting or banning commercial evictions during the pendency of the COVID-19 epidemic.

On December 5, 2017, the Massachusetts Appeals Court issued an important decision in Berger v. 2 Wyndcliff, LLC, No. 16-P-336 (Mass. App. Ct. Dec. 5, 2017), clarifying the extent to which land owners in a common-scheme development may extend restrictive covenants.

Last September, Governor Brown signed California Assembly Bill 2093 (“AB 2093”) which amended California Civil Code Section 1938 and created new obligations for commercial landlords. 

On September 23, 2016, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit concluded that, “for now, at least, the long war over Long Wharf is at an end.”

The Massachusetts Appeals Court issued an opinion on August 29, 2016, that has significant ramifications for developers seeking Comprehensive Permits for affordable housing projects under chapter 40B of the Massachusetts General Laws (“Chapter 40B”).

Coinciding with the end of the current fiscal year, the EB-5 regional center program is set to expire today but will get a temporary reprieve with expected final passage of a Continuing Resolution (CR) that will fund the government through December 11 and also temporarily extend the regional center program through that same date.  

EPA held a public meeting on June 11, 2015 on EPA’s Proposed Rule imposing one-time electronic reporting and recordkeeping requirements on manufacturers and processors of certain nanoscale materials under Section 8(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

On April 6, 2015, EPA published a long-awaited Proposed Rule imposing one-time electronic reporting and recordkeeping requirements on manufacturers and processors of certain nanoscale materials under Section 8(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).