Seventeen residents of the building with market-rate apartments received letters that stated, in part: "It has been agreed with the impending new owners that your lease will not be renewed and that you will be expected to vacate at the expiration of your lease."
This evening, the residents held a rally outside the apartment buildings... City Council member Rosie Mendez was among the speakers...
... Unfortunately, we couldn't make the rally... Bobby Williams sent along these photos, noting that 40-plus people turned out...
Yesterday, resident Sue Palchak-Essenpreis told us: "All we are asking is to be treated fairly. We have a voice, and at the very least, it deserves to be heard. While currently the NYC law may state that any new owner may evict current market rate tenants at will, just because it's legal, doesn't make it right. These are our homes, and we won't leave without a fight."
Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: Three apartment buildings sold on East Third Street
Know your rights: Help with understanding NYC rent laws
More about the lease renewals at 50, 54 and 58 E. Third St.
Tenants at 50, 54 and 58 E. Third St. banding to together in face of building sale
If I remember correctly, tenants complained about the condition of these buildings. Waterbugs, mice, floods, etc. So why are they so adamant to stay and pay MARKET rent in a shit-ass place?
ReplyDelete“If I remember correctly, tenants complained about the condition of these buildings. Waterbugs, mice, floods, etc.’ My opinion, but wouldn’t these conditions be classic landlord harassment techniques to drive out tenants, whether they were RS or not? Back in the day, they would bring in crack dealers. Now they bring in NYU students:) Give me the crack dealers, any day of the week. I can at least reach a deal with those people!
ReplyDeleteyeah the crack dealers are at least subhuman, unlike the nyu kidults
ReplyDeletei lived in one of these buildings about 10 years ago with abart as my mgmt company/owners. i don't remember any of the negative conditions mentioned above. the apartment was well-renovated, tiny as hell, and the neighbors were screaming all the time, but no bugs, floods, etc. (sounds like the apocalypse).
ReplyDeleteI feel for the tenants though - hope it all works out ok for them. i still live in the neighborhood - barely holding on to a reasonable rent - and fear that this day will come for me as well. Sorry i couldn't make it to the rally last night.
Why is Rosie here, yet she doesn't seem to have done anything with the Shaoul buildings?
ReplyDeletea correction for ev grieve. landlords can not "evict market rate tenants at will". If at the end of a market rate lease, the landlord does not offer the tenant a lease renewal, the tenant will have to leave the apartment or be evicted. therefore during the market rate lease a landlord can not "evict a tenant at will".
ReplyDeletehe can if the building is sold during the term of the lease. depends on the terms of the lease there buddy.
ReplyDelete