\u201cManaging real estate is my job, even if it isn\u2019t my primary job,\u201d she told the Bronx Times.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
Local Law 97 took effect in 2019 with the ambitious goal of reducing emissions from buildings over 25,000 square feet by 40% by 2030, leading to net zero by 2050. But some of the city\u2019s own LL97 websites<\/a> are lengthy pages of links, forms, calculators, rules and exceptions, and though the city offers assistance programs, the process is daunting for most.\u00a0<\/p>\n The law has sent many landlords scrambling to retrofit their aging buildings, purchase carbon offsets or other fixes that can be costly. Owners also face an annual May 1 deadline to file reports outlining their compliance. Though the city recently announced<\/a> that 92% of Bronx building owners filed the necessary reports showing their 2024 compliance, among a citywide average of 93%, some are still receiving fines for not doing so.\u00a0<\/p>\n Since its inception, LL97 has sparked debate and even protests throughout the city, with some opponents calling it a punitive \u201cunfunded mandate.<\/a>\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In Weisberg\u2019s case, she knew one of her buildings needed a new roof in order to comply with the law, but she also worried about the costs and about disrupting the longtime tenants. Minus a multimillion-dollar investment, she said she didn\u2019t think the building could really become more energy-efficient.<\/p>\n Already facing high property taxes and operating costs, \u201cIt all just felt very overwhelming,\u201d she said.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n The power of community solar \u00a0<\/p>\n Through the small landlord grapevine, Weisberg heard about Bronx-based Fieldston Power, a company that has worked to greenify old buildings in neighborhoods like West Farms, Kingsbridge, Harlem and Washington Heights.\u00a0<\/p>\n Adam Zucker, Bronx native and co-founder of Fieldston Power, said in a statement to the Bronx Times that Weisberg\u2019s predicament is common.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \u201cMany Bronx building owners are facing the same challenge: aging infrastructure, rising operating costs and increasing pressure to comply with Local Law 97. Historically, making major energy upgrades required significant upfront capital, which made these projects difficult for many owners to pursue,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Zucker\u2019s company finances, builds, owns and operates solar infrastructure atop other owners\u2019 roofs \u2014 often making major repairs first, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFor building owners, it\u2019s a practical way to improve infrastructure, reduce emissions exposure, lower operating costs, and make progress toward Local Law 97 compliance. More broadly, it\u2019s an example of how private investment can help modernize New York City\u2019s aging housing stock while creating benefits for both property owners and residents.\u201d<\/p>\n At first, Weisberg said she was hesitant, wondering, \u201cWhat\u2019s the catch?\u201d But Fieldston Power did cover the entire cost of replacing the roof membrane and installing solar panels and now, the company essentially rents the roof from her to operate the community solar grid.\u00a0<\/p>\n Weisberg then started subscribing at a discount to the power generated atop her building \u2014 which also flows to the space she rents for the Moss Cafe. She estimated savings of around 20% compared to last year and said community solar creates \u201ca cool circular economic loop that I think is really special.\u201d<\/p>\n Weisberg said that while the process seemed complicated on Fieldston\u2019s end, it was \u201cfrictionless\u201d and cost-free for her. \u201cIt was such a relief. I didn\u2019t have to be the expert.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Overall, Weisberg said she fully supports the goals of LL97. \u201cI think it\u2019s important for us to take responsibility for greening the city, and I think it\u2019s a great initiative,\u201d she said. However, \u201cIt\u2019s a massive job, and there\u2019s no funding for it at all.\u201d<\/p>\n She said the costs of compliance \u2014 and the requirements to prove it \u2014 are probably challenging even for massive companies. But Weisberg said she heard of other small landlords who just sold their properties rather than figure it out. \u201cIt falls entirely on the landlord to do it,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n From the outside, Weisberg said she may seem like a smooth success story. However, \u201cJust like going to the gas station or grocery store is harder and harder, it\u2019s also harder to run a business,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not like asset owners have barrels of cash incoming all the time. The expenses are so high for everything to stay operational, there has to be funding for these things.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Weisberg said she remains cautiously optimistic about the future of her business and rental properties in the Bronx. She\u2019s focused on keeping her non-corporate commercial tenants \u2014 no need for \u201cscary\u201d private equity investors \u2014 and reducing emissions right in her neighborhood.\u00a0<\/p>\n As an owner, \u201cThere will always be new policies and more to learn,\u201d she said. But given her unique experience, \u201cI really do understand both sides in older buildings in the Bronx.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Reach Emily Swanson at\u00a0eswanson@schnepsmedia.com<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0(646) 717-0015<\/a>. For more coverage, subscribe to our\u00a0newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DSC9407.jpeg\")
Emily Weisberg, owner of the Moss Cafe. Photo courtesy Maribel Acosta<\/p>\n