Group Wants to Abolish Soho's Artist-in-Residence Law

It reared its artsy head again late last year: the Soho artist-in-residence zoning law , which made way for the residential conversion of about 200 commercial lofts decades ago on the condition that each converted apartment contain a certified artist. The rule went unheeded for years, until stricter lending standards made it matter again. The Department of Cultural Affairs began rejecting some artists who applied under the rule, and the Department of Buildings decided not to renew some temporary certificates of occupancy that had been granted to buildings without a certified artist in each unit. So where do things stand now with Soho's loftpocalypse?

According to an update in the Post , the DOB has denied temporary certificate of occupancy renewals to 10 buildings . In response, neighborhood residents have formed the Soho/Noho Action Committee to attempt to get the law overturned. The group's meeting tonight, and the fighting words already exchanged on this topic suggest the meeting could be a heated one.

· Group trying to abolish law mandating old buildings in SoHo only have artists as residents [NYP]