[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Smithtown 10-2-1984 as L.L. No. 10-1984. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building construction — See Ch. 112.
Zoning — See Ch. 322.
This chapter shall be known as "Condominium and Cooperative Conversion."
A significant increase in the conversion of rental units to cooperatives or condominiums is currently taking place. It is sound public policy to encourage such conversion while, at the same time, protecting tenants in possession who do not desire or who are unable to purchase the units in which they reside from being coerced into vacating such units or paying unconscionable rent increases. The acute shortage of housing accommodations has aggravated the position of nonpurchasing tenants, and the position of nonpurchasing tenants who are sixty-two (62) years of age or older is particularly precarious because of limited financial resources and physical limitations. The New York State Legislature, in order to provide protection for persons sixty-two (62) years of age and older and eligible disabled persons, has enacted Chapter 771 of the 1983 Session Laws of New York amending § 352-e of the General Business Law by adding a new Subdivision 2-a to cover senior citizens [persons sixty-two (62) years of age or older] and disabled persons who are not covered under § 352-eee or 352-eeee of the General Business Law and providing for local adoption by city, town or village governments not already covered.
The Town of Smithtown hereby adopts the provisions of Chapter 771 of the 1983 Session Laws of New York amending § 352-e of the General Business Law by adding a new Subdivision 2-a to protect senior citizens [persons sixty-two (62) years of age or older] from eviction after a plan has been filed with the Attorney General to convert rental dwelling units to cooperative or condominium ownership and from unconscionable rent increases in connection with uncontrolled rental dwelling units.
A. 
For purposes of confirming jurisdiction upon courts and judicial officers, any violation of this chapter shall be deemed to be a misdemeanor, and, as such, all provisions of law relating to misdemeanors shall apply herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any person, firm, association, corporation or partnership convicted of violating any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500.) or more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.) for the first conviction or imprisonment for not more than fifteen (15) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. A second conviction for a violation of this chapter shall be punishable by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000.) or by imprisonment for not more than thirty (30) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
B. 
In addition, the Town Board may maintain an action or proceeding in the name of the town in a court of competent jurisdiction to compel compliance with, or restrain by injunction the violation of this chapter.