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Mayor de Blasio Announces Two Appointments to the Rent Guidelines Board

March 29, 2016

NEW YORK––Mayor de Blasio today announced two new appointments to the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB). The two appointments – former United States Magistrate Judge Kathleen Roberts and Mary Serafy – have years of experience in both the public and private sectors and will be responsible for establishing rent adjustments for approximately one million dwelling units subject to Rent Stabilization Law in the city. Judge Kathleen Roberts and Mary Serafy will serve as Chair and Owner Representative of the Board, respectively.

“Judge Kathleen Roberts has years of experience serving New Yorkers as a United States Magistrate Judge and Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal and Civil Divisions. Likewise, Ms. Serafy is well-versed in the field of housing, planning and development in both the public and private sectors” said Mayor de Blasio. “I’m confident that their addition to the Rent Guidelines Board will serve New Yorkers well – tenants and landlords alike – in establishing rent adjustments that are fair and grounded in real-life conditions in our neighborhoods.”

About Judge Kathleen A. Roberts
Former United States Magistrate Judge Kathleen A. Roberts has been appointed Chair of the Rent Guidelines Board. Judge Roberts has been a full-time mediator, arbitrator and court-appointed special master with JAMS since 1995, specializing in complex commercial cases, including commercial real estate disputes. In 2010 Judge Roberts was appointed by a federal judge in Manhattan as Monitor and Interim Trustee for a 36-story commercial office building on Fifth Avenue during the pendency of ongoing litigation. Judge Roberts is also an Adjunct Professor at the NYU School of Law, where she has taught Alternative Dispute Resolution for over fifteen years. She also co-teaches Advanced Commercial Mediation annually at the New York City Bar Association and frequently lectures on mediation and arbitration to U.S. and international practitioners. As a United States Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of New York from 1985 to 1995, Judge Roberts adjudicated, supervised discovery and settled thousands of cases in all areas of federal litigation. From 1979 to 1985 Judge Roberts served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, in both the Criminal and Civil Divisions. She served as a Law Clerk to Judge William C. Conner in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York from 1977 to 1979. Judge Roberts received her JD from Yale Law School in 1977, where she was an editor of the Yale Law Journal. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Massachusetts in 1971.

About Mary Serafy
Mary Serafy has been appointed as Owners Representative of the Rent Guidelines Board. In addition, Ms. Serafy serves as Director of Design for BRP Development. Since 2007, Ms. Serafy has been responsible for leading BRP’s development activities including planning, zoning analysis, design, coordination, construction administration and LEED Certification. Ms. Serafy serves as a key member of the firm’s executive team with oversight on all phases of design for development, redevelopment and tenant improvement projects. Prior to joining BRP Development, Ms. Serafy was a Project Manager at Danois Architects PC from 1998 to 2007. She was responsible for the design, oversight and management of projects including the preparation of construction documents and interfacing with clients and consultants. During her nine year tenure with Danois Architects, Ms. Serafy designed, managed, and coordinated the completion of more than 1,000 residential units throughout New York City. From 1997 to 1998, Ms. Serafy served as a Junior Architect, for Theo David & Associates, where she was responsible for the production of computer drafted projects – including low to medium rise urban housing and commercial interiors. She also was responsible for coordination and design of all aspects of project completion, from demolition plans to construction documents; creating individual project specifications, primarily architectural and product cuts; and filing permits with the Department of Buildings, Landmark Commission and Department of Transportation.

About the NYC Rent Guidelines Board
The NYC Rent Guidelines Board is mandated to establish rent adjustments for the approximately one million dwelling units subject to the Rent Stabilization Law in New York City. The Board holds an annual series of public meetings and hearings to consider research from staff and testimony from owners, tenants, advocacy groups and industry experts. The RGB staff is responsible for providing administrative support to the Board and prepares research regarding the economic condition of the stabilized residential real estate industry including operating and maintenance costs, the cost of financing, housing supply and cost of living indices. The RGB staff engages in year-round research efforts, publishes its reports for use by the public, other governmental agencies and private organizations, and provides information to the public on housing questions.

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