Los Angeles ‘mansion tax’ fuels record affordable housing funding

Most of the money — $316 million — comes from Measure ULA, a transfer tax on property sales above $5 million that voters approved in 2022.

More than 10 years after Hurricane Sandy extensively damaged the Upper West Side’s 79th Street Boat Basin and its dock house, and three years after it was temporarily closed, the city is moving forward with a replacement facility. The Public Design Commission last month voted to approve the design for the reconstruction of the boat […]

The post Design for ‘floating’ 79th Street Boat Basin dock house gets final approval first appeared on 6sqft.

Longbridge Financial has officially launched a home equity line of credit (HELOC) that’s designed for homeowners aged 62 and older, offering approval and funding in as little as five business days. 

Given the Trump administration’s goal of releasing the GSEs from conservatorship, the CHLA outlines five key priorities for IMBs.

Vornado Realty Trust has unveiled long-rumored plans for a new apartment building across from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station. As first reported by Crain’s, Vornado President Michael Franco said during an investor conference last week that the firm will spend roughly $350 million to build a 475-unit rental at the northeast corner of West […]

The post Vornado reveals plans for apartment tower across from Madison Square Garden first appeared on 6sqft.

A huge mixed-use development in Upper Manhattan brings together affordable housing, a new performing arts space, and lots of green space to a single project. Taking up a full block on West 206th Street in Inwood, the Miramar is home to nearly 700 apartments, 85,000 square feet of amenities, and the future permanent home for […]

The post Inside an Inwood rental with lush green space and a performing arts center first appeared on 6sqft.

Fitting into a small home means clever transformations, custom storage solutions, and often, bright pops of color. These homes do it all.

Renting a new apartment? It may be scary to contemplate, but there are many places for someone to plant a hidden camera and secretly record your every move for their own sick pleasure. There’s also been a rash of spy cam incidents at short-term rentals nationwide.

That’s despite Airbnb and VRBO policies prohibiting vacation homeowners from installing indoor security cameras to monitor guests. A 2024 report by smart home technology company Vivint shows that one in 12 owners confess to still using them, and one in 20 renters discovered a hidden camera during their stay. Yikes.  

Spy cams are also a big problem closer to home.

“Hidden cameras are an epidemic in New York City, and people don’t even realize how bad it is,” said Jimmie Mesis, founder and director of USA Bug Sweeps, which specializes in finding hidden cameras in NYC apartments and conducts more than 350 sweeps yearly. “The number of requests for sweeps continues to increase—we are now averaging over 400 per year—as does the number of hidden cameras we are finding.”

Typical cases involve a young, single woman renting an apartment, but tenants of all ages and genders are susceptible, and in all kinds of housing. The places where you can hide a bug are seemingly endless—such as vents, ceiling fans, and fire detectors. “No one is free from being watched,” Mesis noted.

Here’s the advice Mesis gave for how to detect a spy cam—and what to do if you find one.

---

[Editor’s note: A previous version of this article was published in September 2023. We are presenting it with updated information for September 2025.] 

---

How can I tell if I am being spied on? 

Start by being aware of your surroundings, Mesis says. Take inventory—ideally with photos—of your belongings and pay attention to where everything is so you can tell if anyone has been in the apartment without your knowledge or, even if they have, whether anything has been moved. (This is a very good reason to declutter.) 

Of course, if you have roommates, kids, or pets, your stuff is going to get moved around, but it’s still worth being more mindful of your environment. 

How would someone spy on me? 

“Hidden cameras can be anywhere and look like almost anything,” Mesis said. Searching on Amazon confirms that claim, with wireless “nanny cams” disguised as a smoke detector, light bulb, electronic outlet, or clock radio. (Other sites offer spy cams disguised as a bottle of shower gel or a sonic toothbrush.) 

Plus, tiny cameras with a pinhole lens (less than 1/16th of an inch) can be planted where you least expect them, including coffee makers, clock radios, or any other electronic gizmo. So beware of any unexpected gifts. 

Mesis has even discovered hard-wired cameras (placed by landlords) that do not emit a signal and are therefore easier to escape detection; the closer your apartment is to theirs, the easier these devices will be to rig up.

“All the wiring and sometimes even the body of the camera will be on the other side of your wall or ceiling, so you’d have to look mighty hard to see the pinhole lens,” he explained.

Here’s another cautionary tale: Mesis was recently hired by a spouse who suspected her husband of spying on her in their Manhattan apartment. Turned out he was—via a wifi-enabled electrical outlet in the only bathroom, pointing at the toilet and shower. Here’s the kicker: The husband was also the building super and had installed similar electrical outlets in various other bathrooms, all of which could be monitored from his office.

“Needless to say, he was arrested. People need to know this is not an isolated incident,” Mesis said.

How can I tell if I am being spied on? 

Cameras placed by amateurs are often easy to find simply by looking for one. But Mesis said a true voyeur will hide the camera so well that you can be staring right at it without knowing.

Short of combing every inch of your apartment, Mesis recommended focusing on the most common target spots, meaning bedrooms, bathrooms, closets, and anywhere else you are likely to be caught undressed.

Within those spaces, he suggested considering the camera’s angle. For example, as you are lying in bed, look at what is pointed down at you, which could be a ceiling fan, pendant light, or smoke detector. 

Exhaust fans and heating vents are the most probable areas in a bathroom, as are any areas below eye level where you wouldn’t naturally bend down to look. For example, someone could place a digital video recorder (DVR) camera under a pedestal sink and then come back and remove it a couple of days later. 

Of course, cameras can also be hidden wherever there is a hole for the lens to peep through. For a low-tech method, Mesis advised turning off all the lights, drawing the blinds, and “’painting’ the walls and ceiling and other surfaces with a flashlight, getting extremely close so you can detect any glint from the lens.” 

Lens-finding apps like Hidden Camera Detector—Peek use your smartphone’s flash to light up any lens, though you’ll want to pay attention to user reviews before going this route.

Another option is a multi-bug detector from Brickhouse Security (no relation to Brick Underground), which starts at about $265 and is roughly the size and shape of a deck of cards. This device claims to detect wired and wireless mics, cameras, and bugs and comes with a camera detector attachment that allows you to see any device through a special lens, thanks to its emission of high-frequency red light. Note: It’s also an on-the-go option for dressing rooms, public bathrooms, hotel rooms, and vacation rentals. 

“With any of these lens finders, you have to know what you are looking for, and therein lies the problem,” Mesis said. Plastic, mirrors, glass, and other surfaces can give off false-positive results.

Camera finders with RF (radio frequency) detection are typically cheaper (this one is $105), though you’ll need to turn off or rule out all the other transmitting objects, including kitchen appliances and baby monitors, to hone in on any hidden camera.

To hunt down cameras that are streaming live video, apps such as Fing list all devices running off your network (reviewers recommend paying $3 for the monthly subscription for better results); Hidden Camera Detector scans local networks and Bluetooth as well.  

The problem is that the perpetrator could set up a seemingly legit wifi router—for example, calling it 4B when you live in 2A—which wouldn’t stand out as suspicious. Such was the case of a recent client whose ex-husband planted seven Nest cameras all over the apartment. “He did an excellent job of hiding them despite their size,” Mesis said.

When to call in a pro

Just because you fail to discover anything doesn’t mean there isn’t a camera still lurking somewhere. At this point, your choices are to stop doing anything you wouldn’t want anyone to see (unlikely) or hire a professional bug sweep. Be prepared to pay $2,500 minimum.

On the flip side, Mesis has been hired by clients who swear they found a hidden camera on their own, only to turn out not to be the case. It’s a tricky situation for sure.

“A properly conducted debugging inspection of an average-sized apartment is not cheap,” Mesis said. “I am using over $200,000 worth of state-of-the-art equipment, including an analyzer that not only detects the exact frequency but also the exact distance.”

What should I do if I find a hidden camera?

Don’t touch it. Call the police, who will dust the equipment for fingerprints—and if they find any clues about the owner’s identity, try to track them down. Avoid alerting the landlord or super what you’re up to, in case either one put it there in the first place. 

Mesis reported having clients who chose to avoid bringing in the authorities, either to prevent dragging the person (usually a spouse or boyfriend) through court or to protect their own privacy, because what’s on the video might end up being shown in court. He still suggested documenting where and when you found the camera and keeping it as evidence, just in case.

Can I hide cameras in my own apartment?

Under New York state law, it’s legal to have a hidden camera in your dwelling, so long as it is not in an area where there is an expectation of privacy. A good rule of thumb is not to put a camera anywhere you would expect someone to knock before entering.

Indeed, Mesis recommended installing cameras precisely to keep someone from spying on you. Aim the cameras at all entry points. 

Brickhouse Security offers surveillance cameras priced from $28 for a mini, flexible device to more elaborate models costing just over $3,000, which feature low-light sensitivity and a zoom lens. 

What are the penalties for spying on someone?

Planting a hidden camera could get your landlord or any other offender slapped with trespassing and stalking charges.

The governing statute, known as Stephanie’s Law, was enacted in 2003 as a result of a case involving a woman who had been spied on for months by her landlord, who used cameras that were concealed in her apartment’s smoke alarms. At the time, the landlord could only be charged with misdemeanor trespassing; today, it is considered a felony. 

 

It’s decision time. Today’s Community Advisory Committee (CAC) hearing for The Avenir is your opportunity to help move forward a $7 billion development that promises jobs, housing, hospitality, and a cultural lift in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen. Stop by anytime between 4–8PM for the CAC hearing, meet the team, and make your voice heard.

Construction is closing in on the final stories of 131-28 40th Road, a 12-story mixed-use hotel building in Flushing, Queens. Designed by Gene Kaufman Architect for the 40th Road Realty Group LLC, the 131-foot-tall structure will span 58,789 square feet and yield 124 guest rooms with an average scope of 347 square feet. The project will also include 15,234 square feet of residential space and a 547-square-foot community facility. The property is located along 40th Road between College Point Boulevard and Flushing Creek.