Illegal Conversion to Commercial Use: How Landlords Undermine Tenant Protections

Across New York City, a little-known pattern is reshaping residential buildings: apartments—often rent-stabilized—are being converted into commercial spaces without proper approval. These transformations rarely happen in the open. Instead, they unfold through partial permits, ambiguous filings, and construction work that doesn’t match what’s been officially approved. What may look like a renovation is often something…