Friday, December 15, 2017

I Am a Rent-Stabilized Tenant

East Village resident Susan Schiffman has been photographing the apartments of rent-stabilized tenants living in the East Village for her Instagram account, I Am a Rent Stabilized Tenant. She will share some of the photos here for this ongoing EVG feature.



Photos and text by Susan Schiffman

Tenant: Johnny Rozsa, since 1999

When I moved here in 1999 I [started] living on Avenue A. I sublet from a friend of mine and I had that place on Avenue A for two years. It was a railroad apartment and it was really nice. I didn’t need an AC because there was a magical through breeze. When I moved out I found my present flat accidentally.

This apartment and the apartment next door were both available. The apartment next door had a basement. Mine has a sunroom, so I went for the greenhouse. That’s been there for like 30 or 40 years. I brought all of my stuff over, I just walked it all over from the other apartment.



What do you love about your apartment?

Even though it is tiny, it is warm and cozy in the winter. It’s got 12-foot ceilings ... so it doesn’t feel cramped. And it’s only me. I don’t need to be in LA in a 12-room mansion — I don’t need that. I’ve had that and it’s OK that I don’t have that now. I also had a little cabin in the woods in the middle of Beverly Hills. It was sort of like this.

What I love about this is I have the backyard and I have the Park in the front. Look at how quiet it is. I don’t hear sirens, I don’t hear anything. It’s quiet. It is dead quiet. I’ve got so many pluses. I don’t feel like I’m in New York City — I feel like I’m upstate somewhere.

It’s nice to have the greenhouse so the lemon tree will survive the winter. I love the mourning doves, hundreds of them, every day. It’s just like living in the country.

















If you're interested in inviting Susan in to photograph your apartment for an upcoming post, then you may contact her via this email.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bellissimo, you are very lucky, keep it small and you have it all.

Anonymous said...

sunroom AND garden! talk about dialed in! so happy for this guy; he has done a wonderful job decorating, too!

Anonymous said...

Love it. I'm excited he knows about mourning doves: I have one that hangs out on my fire escape when the weather's nice. It must be so awesome with lots of them.

Anonymous said...

Great little apartment ....the sunroom/greenhouse is a true bonus.
Love the wall lamp and pink poodle !

Anonymous said...

Johnny is such a nice guy. Cool apartment and I love that starburst light fixture!

Anonymous said...

Whoa! What a great place---a peaceful haven---and great décor as well :)

Anonymous said...

Yes.Your, a very talented photograper.
Hollander gater carriage studio, was a blast, from the past. But you were very fortunate to have a slice of the big Apple, in a garden on Avenue A.
Just as nice as Covent gardens.
Kudos, to my dear friend Johnny Rozsa!
Well done ��

Sailingsam said...

What an enlightened and happy space.

Anonymous said...

Lucky duck! I’d die for a garden and I live in a huge loft ! Good for you :)

Anonymous said...

Nice apartment, has lots of character. Fun to see old dolls, too...

Brian said...

Is anyone going to note the incredibly cute dog?