Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association

Some Stuyvesant Town residents have noticed an extra charge on their monthly rent statements that nearly doubles the elevator MCI they have been paying for the past several months. That is not a mistake: It is the retroactive charge being applied.

To assist tenants with the elevator MCI, the Tenants Association distributed a packet of information back in May 2009. It included forms for filing with the Division of Housing and Urban Renewal (DHCR) a Petition for Administrative Review (PAR), together with instructions about how to complete them. If a tenant filed a PAR with DHCR prior to June 1, 2009 then, according to the regulation, they are covered and should not have to pay the “retro” portion of the rent as listed on the rent bill, while the PAR is being adjudicated.

The landlord may argue that it has not received the notification from DHCR and may insist on receiving the full amount of rent (which includes both the “net” and “retro” portion of the MCI) starting with the June 1, 2010 rent bill. Many tenants have decided the bookkeeping will be easier if they pay the full amount. Any tenant who wishes to challenge the retro charge and has a copy of the PAR form filed, can contact DHCR at 1-866-275-3427.