Park East Apartments, Inc. v. 233 East 86th Street Corp.

OPINION OF THE COURT

Lewis R. Friedman, J.

This case requires that a State court interpret a Federal statute despite what the Federal courts in this circuit have done. The statute in question impacts on an area of law which is, and traditionally has been, the bailiwick of the States: regulation of real property is a classic area of local control and legislation. The Condominium and Cooperative Abuse Relief Act of 1980 (15 USC §§ 3601-3616) (the Act) was adopted to afford limited protection to owners of cooperatives and condominiums from certain abusive practices engaged in by unscrupulous…