Hi,
I'm a film maker in New York and I'm uncertain as to who actually is in control of abandoned buildings. There are a number of buildings in Rossville, Staten Island that I want to use that are known to be "abandoned" however, no one seems to know who owns/is in charge of them. They're not fenced off and are quite well known to be graffiti sites.
Does anyone know who is in charge of abandoned buildings in New York City/State?
Wizziddy wham wham wizzle!
I don't know the legal issues but...
Abandoned buildings in NY are often the result of rent control. The repair costs to keep the building up to government specifications, and the fines if the buildings are not kept up to government specifications are far greater than what the owner can get from rent with rent-control laws in place. So it becomes cheaper to kick everyone out and let the thing lie dead until someone is willing to level the building and buy the land.
If you film in that location not only would it be dangerous, but if the owner recognizes your property they may see a chance to make some money off of the property by sueing you or putting a stop to your movie.
RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA
RJSchwarz
