What is the concept of 'constructive eviction' in NY landlord-tenant law?

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Constructive eviction is about the landlord’s actions or failure to maintain the property so seriously that the tenant can no longer use or enjoy the dwelling. The focus is on the landlord’s breach creating an uninhabitable or unusable condition, which may allow the tenant to terminate the lease and leave, rather than being physically expelled by a court. In New York, this often involves failures to provide essential services or to repair conditions that materially affect livability; the tenant typically must vacate within a reasonable time after the breach and may have remedies like ending the lease, stopping rent, or seeking damages. For example, a chronic lack of heat or persistent plumbing problems the landlord won’t fix can amount to constructive eviction, because the unit isn’t usable as a residence. This is different from an actual eviction by a writ of possession, a mere abandonment without landlord breach, or a situation where the tenant pays rent but does not occupy.