Sierra Zamarripa, the owner of Lovewild Design, 136 Avenue C between Eighth Street and Ninth Street, is collecting donations for a longtime resident who came home after being hospitalized with COVID-19 only to find new locks on the door to a now-empty apartment.
Here's more via Sierra:
I am reaching out in hopes of finding support for our neighbor Ryo.
A few months ago Ryo was taken away by ambulance ... some weeks after that a crew was in the hallway cleaning out his apartment and we thought he had died. In fact, a friend of his set up a memorial to him in front of his building at 133 Avenue D asking if anyone knew what had happened to him.
Yesterday Ryo returned home after hospitalization and months of COVID rehabilitation. He arrived to the building to find his locks changed and his apartment emptied out except for his piano and tortoise, who was left alone for months.
Ryo had worked throughout the pandemic as a restaurant worker. He has no shoes, no toothbrush, no documents or ID, no passport, no fridge or stove.
He needs assistance to get his life back and move forward.If you are able to contribute non-monetary donations, we'll be collecting donations at Lovewild Design. We’re open 12-6 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday.
He's medium build, wears men's 9.5/10 shoes wide, 38 waist and cannot take in perishable food yet until building management installs a fridge.
Here's a spreadsheet on what has been donated.
There's also a GoFundMe now at this link.
Ryo lives at 133 Avenue D between Ninth Street and 10th Street in a building said to partially owned by former Yankee Alex Rodriguez. Ryo did stay in the apartment last night thanks to a donated mattress. It's unclear at the moment if he will be able to stay there moving forward.
Updated 8:30 p.m.
Page Six has more on the story, including that Barbara Corcoran is also an owner of the building.
A rep for Corcoran defended their actions, saying they "made every effort to locate the Resident including calling local hospitals and contacting Adult Protective Services.""After APS was alerted to the situation, an APS caseworker was assigned to the Resident," the rep, Mitchell Kossoff, said. "Despite the effort of the APS caseworker and this office, the Resident could not be located and the apartment was cleaned by a company that specialized in bio clean-up services on Feb. 17, 2021. in conformity with all governing regulations."
Gothamist has a report here.
Reads like an unlawful eviction to me.
ReplyDeleteWTF! This is horrible and inhuman! This man needs a pro bono lawyer. I can't believe being kicked out of his home like that and the removal of his possessions was legal.
ReplyDeleteThis is unreal, the stuff of nightmares. I cannot even imagine finally being able to come home after a destabilizing event like a sudden hospitalization and to find everything is all gone. My heart is broken for Ryo, and if this situation is due to simple callousness on the part of the landlord, I hope they are sued.
ReplyDeleteBut what a miracle it is Ryo's turtle is still alive! I hope his gentle turtle spirit can bring comfort to Ryo as these two survivors slowly put the pieces of their life back together.
Just shopped at Target for a few essentials: T-shirts, socks, razors, more. When you drop off, make sure to buy something (if you can) to support the shop owner who is kindly taking charge. She is a small business and could use the support as well. Cheers to those who donated. There were quite a few bags already. Hang in there, Ryo. Maybe his belongings were put in storage? Any housing activists out there who can help?
ReplyDeleteI've seen it happen before. They throw it in a dumpster and sell what they can. Storagevrentbis way too high
DeleteLawsuit.
ReplyDeleteWhoever is helping out Ryo should call up NYLAG:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.nylag.org/tenants-rights/
This is inhumane but I get it they through he was dead , but then again why would they leave a tortoise behind like that 🤔 I am planning to donate a few things
ReplyDeleteI don't get the current claims of the landlord. If I go away for three months, that's not grounds for them to throw away all my belongings except my turtle and my piano! If there was some health hazard they might be able to remove perishables, but everything else?
ReplyDeleteThey donhave a right to assume abandonment of you dont pay rent and are un reachable at address when officially contacted multiple times. Sadly this isn't the first case I heard of it happening especially those who fled and decided not to pay rent. This is different though. If APS and hospitals couldn't locate him... thats a HUGE failure on the city notnthe landlord
DeleteWhat a nightmare; thank you for sharing & neighbors organizing the effort. Gothamist has now also picked up the story and hopefully we can raise more funds to help out Ryo. JFC, a new level of sleaze for East Village landlords. Wishing Roy good health and may he overcome this trauma as quickly as possible.
ReplyDeleteIsn't there a legal procedure that has to be followed when taking possession of an apartment? Also, in any case, I thought there was a moratorium on any evictions, so what is there justification for repossession? Sue the hell out of them. I'm sure they did about 10 seconds of due diligence trying to find the tenant. I would think the onus of proof would be for them to prove he was deceased, rather than that they were too crooked/stupid to find him. So typical of bastard landlords too to leave a helpless being alone with no one there to feed it.
ReplyDeleteThe city failed here. There is zero way he was in a hospital and APS couldn't find him. Honestly my worst nightmare living alone with no family... and one reason I've been checking in on those who also live alone. I am forever thankful for the neighbors here who helped me in my time if need and incredibly grateful for their help here. Payongnit forward. No one deserves to fall through the cracks and the city just let it happen. Lawsuit for sure
ReplyDeleteHe was hospitalized sometime in January, and they cleared out his apt. February 17th- astonishing! No way this was legal.
ReplyDeleteMitchell Kossoff, the landlord’s lawyer, is a bad name from my past. He represented my former scummy landlord who tried to evict multiple tenants with false claims using scare tactics back in the 90s.
ReplyDeleteBarely 3 weeks, during a pandemic, when evictions were on hold without any word from family, when he lived there for 20+ years! My god. Those building owners have no soul. And now they claim they fed the tortoise? I bet.
ReplyDeleteTalk about depraved indifference.....😔🤬
ReplyDeleteRe: 9:46 "I've seen it happen before. They throw it in a dumpster and sell what they can. Storagevrentbis way too high"
ReplyDeleteStop spreading myths. NYC law requires landlords to secure the items- either in the apartment or in storage for a reasonable time. They are not immediately thrown out or (Lol!) "sold".
https://www.landlordsny.com/blog/what-to-do-with-a-tenant-s-possessions-after-an-eviction
this is great to know and I will definitely keep it on hand for the future. My landlord, certainly doesnt follow any rules, which is why i sued his ass an won... so when he does this next time I'll know how to stop it. Thank you
DeleteFrom his name, I assume Ryo is Japanese. Is that true? If so, it might be helpful to reach out to one of the Japanese social organizations for help.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 5:57 - Yeah? Then where's his (Lol!) stuff?
ReplyDeleteExactly. there is a difference, which sadly most of up who have been around her long enough know, in what landlords are 'supposed to do' an what they actual do. and all of it revolves around what they think they can get away with and what costs them the least amount of money
DeleteIt’s baffling they’d clean his place out so quickly. These large landlords are scum.
ReplyDeleteSome of the Japanese charities mentioned in this article may be able to help:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.japanculture-nyc.com/support-these-ten-japanese-related-nonprofits-on-givingtuesday/
Sounds like that Seinfeld episode. If you go into a coma, it's a free-for-all. LOOTERS!
ReplyDelete"NYC law requires landlords to secure the items- either in the apartment or in storage for a reasonable time. They are not immediately thrown out or (Lol!) "sold"."
ReplyDeleteWell, as we all know, no NYC landlord has ever broken the law, especially when their tenant is poor and vulnerable!
Exactly. I dont think i've ever seen my landlord follow a law unless i bring them to court... even then not like they pay the fines
DeleteMORE INFO via Gothamist
ReplyDeletehttps://gothamist.com/news/east-village-landlord-accused-trashing-tenants-apartment-while-he-was-hospitalized-covid
Update: turtle was cared for... stuff still thrown out
@5:57am: You actually think that a landlord this sleazy is going to put the tenant's belongings in STORAGE? Do you also believe in unicorns?!
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to Ryo; this shouldn't happen to anyone, and how much worse to come out of the hospital to an empty apartment.
I think the level of the landlord can be gauged by them leaving a living creature - the tortoise - ALONE in the apartment all that time.
There is, IMO, a special circle of Hell for landlords who treat tenants this way.
I hope Ryo will feel the support and get re-established, and then I hope Ryo sues to ass off this effin' landlord. Surely there are tenant groups and/or pro bono lawyers who can help.
I see from a story in the NYPost about this seemingly illegal eviction that the building is partially owned by A-Rod and Barbara Corcoran
ReplyDeletehttps://pagesix.com/2021/03/25/building-part-owned-by-alex-rodriguez-tosses-covid-patients-things/
RE Ronnie: " illegal eviction "
ReplyDeleteArticle does not state there was an "eviction". Apartment was abandoned for months which required a bio hazard cleanup. Imagine your fridge and pantry suddenly left for months. Result is toxic.
The Gothamist mentioned that the super took care of the turtle.
ReplyDelete2:02 PM (obviously either a sleazy landlord or one of their minions): changing the locks is constructive eviction under NY law. Also I doubt that they had to dispose of all his belongings to deal with spoiled milk in the fridge. Please stop embarrassing yourself.
ReplyDeleteUpdate go fund me doing well... says Barbara corcoran put in 12000. Pretty sure a lawsuit is worth far more
ReplyDelete@2:02pm: "Apartment was abandoned for months which required a bio hazard cleanup. Imagine your fridge and pantry suddenly left for months. Result is toxic."
ReplyDeleteNo, the result should be a major LAWSUIT! The landlord is the toxic party in this case.
BTW, do you think we're all stupid? I have neighbors who've gone traveling for over 3 months and NOTHING about their apartment became "bio-hazardous" while they were away.
Hey anon @ 2:02:
ReplyDeleteRYO was not gone for months; they took his stuff only after three weeks! It was not even beyond 3 weeks... Jan. 27 to Feb 17, I believe. And the super KNEW he was taken away by ambulance. Also, why take the appliances? If they hired pro cleaners ("in accordance with government regulations"...I laughed out loud at that one...why not just clean the appliances? They wanted a full renovation to re-rent.) And that $12,000 donation by Babs? That's just the beginning. Maybe just give him the building. LOL.
What about his emotional distress? Those careless, thoughtless, and illegal actions against a person would just about destroy anyone.
And no kind words about the fact that they didn't toss the piano and the tortoise. I bet you'll find an old ad on CL for a 'Free Piano' if you look hard enough. I bet Michael Cohen is laughing his ass off right now for dodging this reputation-crushing bullet.
Yep. Totally assumed he was dead and did not wait a second to prove that first
DeleteThis is a sad story, but hopefully has a good ending.I dropped off a bag of groceries for Ryo at Love Wild Design,it's very kind of them to help. There was quite a few bags of donations for him already! Its Amazing how New Yorkers have responded so far. Good things are happening. I hope Ryo and his cute 🐢 feel the Love! EV Grieve Thank you so much for writing the story on your Amazing blog. You are a true friend and Hero for the East Village!!
ReplyDeleteYes... organizer specified they are good on donations for now and awaiting appliances to be installed.
ReplyDeleteRe 4:52 "I have neighbors who've gone traveling for over 3 months and NOTHING about their apartment became "bio-hazardous" while they were away."
ReplyDeleteBecause they didn't suddenly leave everything in their fridge and food on their counter for months.
FYI... Barb said in page 6 as well as on nbcny last night "due to tenants state ofhealth a bipcleaning company was called"
DeleteCovid doesn't last that long on surfaces and co sidelong the super found Ryo ****unconscious**** from covid when he came to check on a leak.... they knew exactly what was up. They thought he was dead and assumed that living alone meant they could do whatever they wanted.
Re: Sarah "changing the locks is constructive eviction under NY law."
ReplyDeleteRead the Gothamist. Super broke into apartment due to a water leak and no response. Super found tenant sick and called ambulance. After breaking in, locks were changed.
https://gothamist.com/news/east-village-landlord-accused-trashing-tenants-apartment-while-he-was-hospitalized-covid
People seem to be forgetting the super knew what was up... must have been a huge wtf when ryo showed up 'back from the dead' 30 lbs lighter super had assumed and was like... hey my key isn't working.
DeleteMy super is pretty awesome at doing his job and looking out for tenants... but he would not pause a second knowing I live alone to toss everything. He's done it before....
@8:12am: What is wrong with you? My neighbors certainly DID leave food in their fridge and freezer - WHY would you imagine that food in the fridge & freezer would become TOXIC bio-hazardous waste? That is just plain nuts.
ReplyDeletePS: Neither you nor I have any evidence of what Ryo MIGHT have left on his kitchen counter, so that part of your comment is also useless. He MIGHT have left a perfectly clean kitchen counter.
And in ANY CASE, if there was food going bad on the counter - whether it was take-out that sat for a few weeks, or fruit that was overripe - it still does not justify EMPTYING this man's apartment of ALL his worldly goods, including his identification (and if he had any cash there, you know that got pocketed instantly). This effectively amounts, IMO, to a pseudo-authorized burglary by the landlord or its management company.
And the fact that co-owner of the building Barbara Corcoran "donated" $12,000 to Ryo's gofundme is a big CLUE to how much $$$$ she thinks this might cost her as a legal issue going forward. $12,000 is pocket change to her, and it won't bring back Ryo's sheet music or any of the rest of his personal possessions. I wonder, if Corcoran's apartment were stripped in such a vile way, if she'd find a donation of a couple of thousand bucks to be enough to placate her - I seriously doubt it.
I really hope he sues this landlord & management company for every penny they've got.
It’s nice to see A-Rod has finally found a way to make some extra money. After the half billion dollars he made by almost never being able to hit a ball in October when it really counted, it is gratifying to see he finally discovered a way to make easy money in New York: invest in real estate and illegally evict tenants in order to jack up the rent. Someone had better check the gas lines in the building to make sure they are legal too.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, A-Rod and Barbara Corcoran should know better, and now have a duty to fire anyone involved in this fiasco and in future abuses. Bit will they? It’s nice that Barbara Corcoran is donating to the GoFundMe, but that smells like a PR move and a legal strategy to save her from a bigger payout later on.
Over on Gothamist the usual celebrity butt kissing trolls defending money grubbing Barbara Corcoron and Alex Rodriguez, claiming they could not have known about this since they are not involved in the day to day operations. Jared Kushner’s people claimed the same thing when his buildings illegally renovated many apartments— and he is a professional real estate investor!
This excuse that the people at the top know nothing does not work. After all of the highly publicized cases to landlord abuse in the East Village and elsewhere, it is the responsibility of anyone who invests in real estate to ensure that their tenants are being treated fairly, and if not to immediately ire the people and management company guilty of abuse. So far I have not heard that anyone has been held accountable.
When will these investors start to hold the same lawyers and management companies who pop up every time there is a tragedy like this one accountable? The answer is likely never. Now prove me wrong.
Yesss Arod needs to say something. 1 million from him is nothing
Delete"Read the Gothamist. Super broke into apartment due to a water leak and no response. Super found tenant sick and called ambulance. After breaking in, locks were changed."
ReplyDeleteLiterally NONE of that is in that article, and one would think a super would have a key to the apartment.
And, once again, even if there was some spoilage/mold/whatever, that simply couldn't justify disposing of all his belongings.
Whatever shitty lawyer is paying you to be a shitty shill should be embarrassed, too.
The FIRST place to check in a situation like this would always be Bellevue Hospital.
ReplyDeleteAnd I note, from the photos shown, that the water leak in the ceiling that caused the super to burst into Ryo's apartment STILL has NOT been fixed, even though Ryo was out of the apartment for all that time.
But they moved fast when it came to removing his earthly belongings into the trash, including stripping appliances out of the kitchen. Gee, I wonder if the sink was "toxic" or if the stove was "toxic" - or if it's just the effin' landlords and management companies that are TOXIC!
I wish someone would help Ryo to get an affordable & well-maintained apartment in an ELEVATOR building; maybe some place that has some level of supportive services, since he is an older gentleman and was so ill with Covid. He deserves for his life to be easier, even though he is ready & willing to work. I can't imagine being discharged from rehab with just the hospital clothing on my back, and coming home to have to slog up to a 5th floor walkup after having being laid low with Covid. This gentleman needs a better place to live, and I sincerely hope someone will help him get relocated.
Hey there Grieve, has there been any more info on this yet??
ReplyDelete