News

Legislation amending the New York State Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law (Zombie Property Law) now provides New York municipalities with a new and effective enforcement tool to address blight and to prevent further devaluation of homes in their communities. This law is aimed at addressing the “zombie” property phenomena by requiring banks and lenders to take, among other things, timely pre-foreclosure action to identify, secure and maintain abandoned homes. A lender faces [...]

Whiteman Osterman & Hanna partner Robert A. Stout, Jr. was recently appointed Vice Chair of the American Bar Association's Land Use and Environmental Group, effective September 1, 2017 through August 31, 2018.  Robert is a partner with the Firm's Clean Tech, Environmental,  Municipal, Real Estate, and Real Estate Development, Zoning and Land Use practice groups.

Whiteman Osterman & Hanna recently represented Crossroads Ventures in the successful defense of a challenge to Department of Environmental Conservation approvals, obtained after a lengthy administrative review process, to develop a large ski and golf resort adjacent to Belleayre Mountain in the Catskills. The challenge was brought by the Catskill Heritage Alliance and several adjacent landowners. The Court rejected the challengers’ claims that the Department of Environmental [...]

Whiteman Osterman & Hanna successfully represented the Village of Kiryas Joel, NY before the Environmental Claims Part of the Orange County Supreme Court obtaining a decision upholding the Village’s SEQRA review and Annexation of 164 acres to the Village from the Town of Monroe in the face of legal challenges commenced by a large group of neighboring municipalities and area citizens’ groups. The Village was represented by Michael G. Sterthous, a partner in the Firm’s land [...]