Madonna Sues Co-Op|to Let Her Kids Stay

MANHATTAN (CN) - Madonna sued her Upper West Side co-op on Friday, claiming it changed her proprietary lease without notice, prohibiting her children from living there while she's on tour.

Madonna Ciccone sued One West 64th St. in New York County Supreme Court on April 1.

When she bought into the co-op in April 2008, the proprietary lease said her unit could be occupied by her, her spouse, children, parents, grandchildren, siblings and domestic employees. Guests could stay there for up to a month if "one or more or the permitted adult residents are then in occupancy."

But in April 2014, she says, the co-op changed its rules so that the lessee or the lessee's spouse or domestic parents had to be "in residence" for her close relatives and staff to be there.

The co-op claimed the change came with approval of two-thirds of the residents, but Madonna says she "did not receive notice of this alleged vote."

Madonna, 57, has four children, the oldest of them 19.

She points out in the complaint that she is a "world-renowned recording artist, performer and singer who is constantly on world tours."

She is on tour today.

She wants her kids and/or their caretakers to be able to live there. She claims the change to the lease is "specifically intended" to prevent her from using the unit in the manner she intended when she bought it.

She also claims it violates New York Real Property Law 235-f, which makes it illegal to restrict occupancy of a residence to the immediate family of the lessor.

She seeks declaratory judgment, damages for breach of faith, inspection of corporate records, attorney's fees and costs.

She is represented by Stuart Shaw with Shaw & Binder.

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