Alan Nochumson

January 31, 2024 | The Legal Intelligencer

In a recently published opinion, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court in Chaffier v. Hellertown Borough Zoning Hearing Board, struck down an attempted change in a property's zoning classification as illegal spot zoning.

By Alan Nochumson and Alex Hamilton

9 minute read

January 09, 2024 | The Legal Intelligencer

Last year, the city of Philadelphia created an online portal called the landlord gateway program which allows for easy, centralized access to the resources needed for current and prospective landlords to navigate the city's processes and requirements in single location. In this article, we give a brief overview of the topics covered in the gateway and provide a basic checklist for aspiring and existing landlords.

By Alan Nochumson and Alex Goldberg

8 minute read

December 04, 2023 | The Legal Intelligencer

In a recent decision, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court in City of Philadelphia v. A Kensington Joint, cautioned that local governments in Pennsylvania desiring to demolish an allegedly unsafe building structure may need to rely on more than just an inspection of the exterior of the building structure before having it demolished by way of court order.

By Alan Nochumson and Alex Goldberg

8 minute read

November 08, 2023 | The Legal Intelligencer

In a recently published opinion, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court in Burd v. Borough of Brentwood Zoning Hearing Board, rejected an appeal brought by neighboring property owners alleging that a local ordinance constituted impermissible spot zoning.

By Alan Nochumson and Alex Hamilton

8 minute read

October 09, 2023 | The Legal Intelligencer

In a recent opinion, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in South Bethlehem Associates v. Zoning Hearing Board of Bethlehem Township, 294 A.3d 441 (Pa. 2023) established that a party appearing before a local zoning board cannot subsequently seek judicial review of a variance request granted by the local zoning board unless that party is deemed an aggrieved party.

By Alan Nochumson and Tamarrin Johnson

7 minute read

September 05, 2023 | The Legal Intelligencer

In a published opinion issued by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in GM Berkshire Hills v. Berks County Board of Assessment, 290 A.3d 238 (Pa. 2023), a split court upheld the ability of school districts to file real estate tax assessment appeals on recently sold, underassessed properties.

By Alan Nochumson and Alex Goldberg

7 minute read

August 09, 2023 | The Legal Intelligencer

The Commonwealth Court prevented a township from compelling a property developer to modify an already constructed building structure that technically ran afoul of local zoning ordinances based upon the doctrines of variance by estoppel and equitable estoppel due to the failure of township officials to provide the property developer with proper guidance during the real estate development project.

By Alan Nochumson and Alex Goldberg

8 minute read

July 07, 2023 | The Legal Intelligencer

Can a long-term tenant sue for rent abatement and reimbursement of legal fees and costs for their landlord's failure to comply with the city of Philadelphia's lead paint disclosure and certification laws in a renewal lease? For a long-term tenant living in an apartment unit in the Haddington neighborhood of West Philadelphia the answer is no.

By Alan Nochumson and Alex Goldberg

7 minute read

June 05, 2023 | The Legal Intelligencer

Councilmember Jamie Gauthier's newly passed People's Preservation Package seeks to halt the potential freefall for federally assisted affordable housing (affordable housing) in Philadelphia.

By Alan Nochumson and Alex Goldberg

6 minute read

May 01, 2023 | The Legal Intelligencer

The ruling in Landlord Service Bureau may have an affect on other municipalities whose authority derives from the Home Rule Law, including the city of Philadelphia. It will be interesting to see if Philadelphia's rental inspection and licensing ordinances may now be challenged as a result.

By Alan Nochumson and Alex Goldbert

7 minute read