Victories

When the city proposed a 5-year debarment of a Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) employing thousands in our city, former Council Member Ben Kallos, helped secure a favorable settlement that kept the MWBE in business, protected more than $1 billion in contracts, and kept thousands on the job.

When the city proposed taking $70 million in home equity away from 240 shareholders in an affordable home ownership cooperative (HDFC) in Harlem, former Council Member Ben Kallos, supported the Board of Directors in negotiating and closing on a new regulatory agreement that protected the home equity built by shareholders over the past 20 years.

When a museum on the Upper East Side sought a liquor license to allow private parties with 17-bars until 4AM, indoors and out, former Council Member Ben Kallos helped a neighborhood association to negotiate stipulations on a liquor license that reduced the number of bars that could be used at any given time and added a curfew.

When a new private members club was proposed for an old office building that shared a common wall with neighbors with an open rooftop, Council Member Ben Kallos represented the neighbors in negotiating stipulations on the liquor license guided by acoustic engineers that limited hours, kept crowds off the street, and required the installation of sound mitigation. Kallos was able to bring his zoning expertise to help win acoustic barriers on the roof that would provide the club with an outdoor experience while providing neighbors with privacy and protection from noise.

When bags of trash spilled over sidewalks feeding rats making a block feel like a dump, former Council Member Ben Kallos, worked with management of buildings on the block to become early adopters of the city's new trash containerization program and secured commitment from Sanitation to pick up from new trash bins.

When a city-wide candidate used a donation platform that wasn't approved by the city, we were able to get $98,752 in public funds approved for a public matching payment.

It can be incredibly hard for progressive candidates to take on incumbent politicians backed by the political machine. Former Council Member Ben Kallos who oversaw the Board of Elections in the City Council is not afraid to take on ballot bumping from the political machine in any neighborhood. Ben and his team have guided progressive candidates to file "challenge proof" petitions to get on the ballot so they can focus on winning the Democratic Primary.

When a performer of international renown was called out of the country she thought it would be safe to store her priceless 300-year-old cello with a national storage chain. In a matter of months, the contents of her storage unit were sold together with her priceless 300-year-old cello. Our firm stepped in to work with national storage chain to recover the cello in time for the next performance at Lincoln Center.