Preventing Deterioration and Abandonment of Rental Properties in Buffalo
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The City of Buffalo faces a severe abandoned housing crisis. One component of this immense problem is the abandonment of rental housing due to dilapidated conditions. Forcing landlords to keep their properties in good repair will help to reduce abandonment of rental housing. Several mechanisms hold landlords in Buffalo accountable for the poor conditions of their buildings. The warranty of habitability requires landlords to maintain decent, safe, and sanitary housing. However, remedies available to tenants under this legal doctrine, such as rent withholding and repair and deduct, are inadequate and dangerous. The lack of adequate protections for tenants seeking to address the poor conditions in their apartments is a major deterrent to tenant initiation of action.