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Chong King Enters., Inc. v Nunez
2008 NY Slip Op 51995(U) [21 Misc 3d 129(A)]
Decided on October 7, 2008
Appellate Term, First Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports.


Decided on October 7, 2008
APPELLATE TERM OF THE SUPREME COURT, FIRST DEPARTMENT

PRESENT: DAVIS, J.P., SCHOENFELD, HEITLER, JJ
570807/07.

Chong King Enterprises, Inc., Petitioner-Landlord-Appellant,

against

Maria Altagracia Nunez, Respondent-Tenant-Respondent, Rafael Hiciano and "John Doe" and "Jane Doe," Respondents-Undertenants.


Landlord appeals from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, New York County (Gary F. Marton, J.), dated September 26, 2007, which granted tenant's motion to stay execution of the warrant of eviction and extended tenant's time to comply with the parties' stipulation in a nonpayment summary proceeding.


Per Curiam.

Order (Gary F. Marton, J.), dated September 26, 2007, affirmed, with $10 costs.

Measuring the tenant's brief lapse in payment "against the harsh result which would obtain upon literal enforcement of the default provision" in the parties' settlement stipulation (1781 Riverside, LLC v Quinones, 4 Misc 3d 137[A], 2004 NY Slip Op 50844[U] [2004], quoting Bank of New York v Forlini, 220 AD2d 377, 378 [1995]), we sustain Civil Court's discretionary determination to relieve the elderly tenant of her payment default so as to avoid forfeiture of her 40-year rent-controlled tenancy. We note that tenant fully paid the amount due under the stipulation upon obtaining funds from the Human Resources Administration and a charitable organization. "An indigent tenant who resides in an apartment for many years should not be evicted where she has made diligent efforts to comply with the terms of the settlement agreement, only to be stymied by events beyond her control" (2246 Holding Corp. v Nolasco, 52 AD3d 377, 378 [2008]).

THIS CONSTITUTES THE DECISION AND ORDER OF THE COURT.
Decision Date: October 07, 2008