Sponsor co-op and condop units with no board approval
In New York City cooperatives, the ability to pay for an apartment is no guarantee of being able to acquire it. All prospective buyers must have their financials, work history, and personal lives vetted by a board that ultimately makes the decision of whether to accept or deny the application. When a buyer is rejected, the board is not obligated to tell them why and usually does not.
Efforts for greater transparency on rejection by co-op boards go back decades, but no legislation at the city or state level has yet been adopted. Most recently, in December 2025, the New York City Council heard testimony on a proposed bill requiring co-op boards to provide rejected potential buyers with a written statement of reasons why they were rejected within five days of the decision. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams is the primary sponsor, and 29 councilmembers signed on as sponsors.
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Proponents of the bill say it will help prevent discrimination based on such factors as race and sexual orientation, and that written statements will allow applicants to better understand and address true deficiencies in future co-op applications. They also point out that Suffolk and Westchester Counties have adopted similar requirements, and that co-op ownership has not collapsed there. But opponents believe the bill removes co-op board members' discretion in choosing their new neighbors, and that the extra work it imposes could discourage people from volunteering to serve on their buildings' boards. They also say that if a rejected applicant sues, legal fees will lead to higher monthly fees for all building residents.
The Sabrina, 241 West 97th Street
The Department of Housing Preservation and Development supports the bill's intent, but warned that its goals would have to be balanced with the accompanying paperwork and compliance burdens. As of mid-December 2025, the bill is laid over in committee, making it highly unlikely that anything will happen with it before the end of the year.
In the meantime, co-op buyers looking to move forward without a time-consuming and intrusive-feeling board interview are advised to keep an eye out for four magic words: "No board approval required." These listings typically refer to sponsor units owned by the original owner or corporation, who is usually the one responsible for converting the building or collection of units from a rental to a cooperative.
“No board approval" means avoiding the board interview, which can require everything from submitting one's financial history to bringing one's dog to make sure it’s a good fit. The lack of a board review and interview can also result in a quicker purchase, especially at a time when less than tech-savvy boards have the potential to slow down a buying process that has gone increasingly online in the wake of the pandemic.
However, “no board approval” is not and should not be treated as a get-out-of-jail-free card. In transactions such as these, the buyer will have to pay the transfer tax, as well as a premium for the ease of not having to go through the board process. Moreover, residents of these units will still be expected to abide by the board’s bylaws. Below, we take a look at co-op listings that do not require board approval in various NYC neighborhoods.
801 West End Avenue (BHS)
Co-op Listings with No Board Approval Required
433 West 54th Street, #20 (Compass)
317 East 73rd Street, #4RE (Compass)
807 Riverside Drive, #6E (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
The York Gate, #10H (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
Victoria House, #9A (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
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201 West 16th Street, #15D (Time Equities Inc)
The Gramont, #1E (RACHEL REALTY NYC INC)
The Westmore, #2D (Rose Associates Inc)
145 West 80th Street, #4R (Ann Ferguson LLC)
The Landmark, #1207 (Sloyer Real Estate Corp)
Chelsea Arms, #5H (Buchbinder & Warren Realty Group LLC)
The Eastmore, #6V (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
London Terrace Towers, #9K (Compass)
Morad Diplomat, #12D (Corcoran Group)
241 East 76th Street, #9I (CORE Group Marketing LLC)
Pistilli Riverview East, #L706 (CITY SKYLINE RENTALS LLC)
360 East 72nd Street, #C2505 (Compass)
East River Tower, #31H (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
327 West 11th Street, #4E (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
The Sabrina, #4N
$1,250,000 (-21.6%)
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 1.5 Baths | 1,050 ft2
The Sabrina, #4N (RACHEL REALTY NYC INC)
The Marais, #12B (Compass)
The Creston, #5B (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
418 Saint Johns Place, #6A
$1,500,000 (-6.3%)
Prospect Heights | Cooperative | 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,200 ft2
418 Saint Johns Place, #6A (Compass)
100 Riverside Drive, #5E
$1,595,000 (-5.9%)
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Cooperative | 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bath | 1,285 ft2
100 Riverside Drive, #5E (Corcoran Group)
The Royal York II, #W5FG (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
The Chatsworth, #8
$2,195,000
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Cooperative | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,331 ft2
The Chatsworth, #8 (Corcoran Group)
801 West End Avenue, #7A
$2,200,000 (-6.4%)
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Cooperative | 4 Bedrooms, 2 Baths
801 West End Avenue, #7A (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
473 West End Avenue, #12A1
$2,250,000 (-10%)
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Cooperative | 4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths
473 West End Avenue, #12A1 (Compass)
The Alameda, #3E (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
194 Riverside Drive, #5E
$2,800,000 (-6.6%)
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Cooperative | 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 2,235 ft2
194 Riverside Drive, #5E (Compass)
65 Central Park West, #9D (Serhant)
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
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