The 'Sushi Defense' rests: Housing court sides with landlord in 6-year apartment battle

An East Village resident, who has used a so-called "sushi defense" to keep her rent-stablized apartment, has lost her last court battle, the Daily News reports today.

Back in October 2012, State Appellate Division judges ruled 3-to-2 that Masako Mogi could stay in her $992-a-month studio at 409 E. Sixth St., where she has lived since 1980.

Her landlord had been trying to evict her for six years. The landlord's attorney offered records showing that Mogi used a below-average amount of electricity — evidence she spent most of her time in a second home in Vermont.

For her part, though, "Mogi testified that she often eats out, orders takeout or makes sushi, which doesn’t require much juice."

As the Daily News notes, the Court of Appeals ruled that the Appellate Division "used the wrong standard for evaluating the case and bounced the matter back." And now, a Housing Court judge ruled in favor of her landlord, who will, of course, be charging much more than $992 a month.

According to Streeteasy this morning, a 1-bedroom unit in the building is going for $2,800.

[Image via the Daily News]

In six-year eviction fight, 'sushi defense' keeps East Sixth Street resident in apartment

A so-called "sushi defense" has saved a longtime East Sixth Street resident from eviction. The Daily News reports today that State Appellate Division judges ruled 3-to-2 that Masako Mogi could stay in her $992-a-month studio at 409 E. Sixth St., where she has lived since 1980.

The landlord, not named in the article, had been trying to evict her for six years. The landlord's attorney offered records showing that Mogi used a below-average amount of electricity — evidence she spent most of her time in a second home in Vermont.

But! For her part, "Mogi testified that she often eats out, orders takeout or makes sushi, which doesn’t require much juice."

I looked at Streeteasy, and found that the average price for an apartment here runs $2,715.

The most recent "gut renovated" apartment went for $3,000 this past summer. The listing included one of those stalky YouTube videos of the unit...