Category Archives: Press

by | April 17, 2013 · 11:00 am

Press Release: Organized Bronx Tenants Visit Housing Court to Demand Freedom From Harrassment

On Wednesday, April 17th tenants from the 1058 Southern Boulevard Tenants’ Association and their allies outside of Bronx Housing Court demanding that their landlord immediately discontinue unjustified housing court cases against the residents.  The tenants are being supported by their Councilmember, Maria del Carmen Arroyo, the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, and the Community Development Project of the Urban Justice Center.

In January, tenants made their landlord, Miriam Shasho, aware of their plans for file a 7A action. If successful this would remove the building from the landlord’s control. Since that time, organized tenants have felt harassed at the hands of their management company, including threats of eviction, unlawful refusal to renew leases, and summons to housing court. Following the rally, tenants who have received non-payment petitions will join together to answer their cases before a judge.

In addition to bringing their landlord’s tactics into the limelight, tenants are hoping to draw attention to the systematic inequalities within the Housing Court. Tenants often lack representation and as a result are shut out of the complex and alienating Housing Court process. According to a new report released by CASA and UJC, tenants are frequently even denied their right to go before a judge, signing confusing stipulations in the hallways rather than in a courtroom.

“The tenants from 1058 Southern Boulevard have been brought to court over and over again. Our building is in terrible condition and we desperately need repairs. We didn’t have heat or hot water all winter. We feel our landlord is harassing us and we would like the court to recognize these tactics are unfair and harmful to tenants.” said Lisa Ortega, representative of the Tenants Association.  

Tenants in this 55 unit building have lived side by side with housing conditions that threaten their health and safety for years, including no heat and hot water, black mold and mildew, severe leaks, rats, and roaches. The building was recently entered into HPD’s Alternative Enforcement Program, an aggressive enforcement tool reserved for the city’s 200 most distressed properties.

“Once again, I congratulate the tenants of 1058 Southern Boulevard for their diligence and efforts to ensure the owner of 1058 Southern Boulevard provides quality and safe housing,” said Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo. “In their latest efforts, they have joined forces to answer the landlord’s claims that tenants owe rent and in most cases, they do not owe back rent.  I support the tenants in their efforts and will continue to work with them to ensure the owner is held accountable for improving the deplorable conditions of the property.”

 

“We have seen buildings where landlords employ harassment tactics to try and discourage tenants from organizing,” said Kerri White Director of Organizing and Policy at UHAB. “The tenants of 1058 Southern Boulevard know their rights. They will stand up for their homes and families, no matter what obstacles they may have to face.” 

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by | January 2, 2013 · 2:50 pm

2013 Brings No New Relief in the Rockaways

Yesterday’s big news from Washington was that the House of Representatives – despite Eric Cantor’s best efforts – decided to vote on the Senate’s bill to avoid the so-called “Fiscal Cliff.” The measure passed, leading to the first significant tax increase on the wealthy in over 20 years.

But while the House leadership was moving a vote on this bill, they were choosing NOT to vote on another: a bond measure that would speed additional relief to thousands and thousands of people in New York and New Jersey who are suffering as a result of Hurricane Sandy. With Boehner abruptly tabling this bill, which passed the Senate several weeks ago, we will have to wait until the next Congress to secure legislation for Sandy relief. This is unacceptable, as some of Boehner’s colleagues have pointed out since yesterday.

New York Communities for Change documents just how unacceptable this is in a new report released today. The report, titled “Forgotten: How the City has Failed Sandy Victims in the Rockaways,” is the result of extensive surveying in affected neighborhoods and holds a critical lens to Bloomberg’s Rapid Repair program, which has been anything but rapid even when it does provide repairs.

It’s 2013, its below freezing outside, and Sandy victims are still suffering. One particularly salient experience, reported by the NY Daily News, tells the story of Audrey Walker, who needs $35,000 to make her home inhabitable. She has received some money from her insurance company and some money from FEMA, but is still nearly $20,000 short. It’s time for the city to step up.

 

 

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by | December 10, 2012 · 11:39 am

Press Release: FRUSTRATED TENANTS HOLD BANK AND PREDATORY LOAN SERVICER RESPONSIBLE FOR DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS

Monday, December 10th, 2012, Brooklyn, NY—Tenants at 1507 St. Johns Place, represented by South Brooklyn Legal Services and Bedford-Stuyvesant Community Legal Services (programs of Legal Services NYC) have filed a motion demanding that Wells Fargo and its servicer Lone Star Funds advance the funds necessary to repair deplorable conditions in their building. The property, in foreclosure since 2010, has a current total of 105 city code violations on 21 units, leaving the frustrated tenants no choice but to ask the court to intervene on their behalf.

The rent-regulated building, home to nearly twenty low-income families, was purchased by S&Z Capital and Development in May 2006. S&Z has a history of mismanagement throughout Brooklyn and has lost several of its buildings through foreclosure—a pattern that was repeated at the St. Johns property when Citibank began foreclosure proceedings in March 2010. Lone Star Capital, a private-equity investment group based in Texas, purchased the delinquent mortgage in January 2011. Lone Star sold the note to Wells Fargo a short time later, but continues to service the mortgage and has taken over the foreclosure case.

Lone Star drew recent local scrutiny following their purchase of several distressed mortgages portfolios in Manhattan, when it was accused by tenants, elected officials and HPD of attempting to profit from a speculative sale of the properties. Although Lone Star has not yet attempted to sell the St. Johns property, conditions have seriously declined since the firm took over the mortgage—leaving the tenants to deal with pervasive mold, leaks, peeling paint, falling and cracked ceilings and inconsistent hot water. Some tenants are even experiencing health issues as a result of dangerous conditions in their apartments. With this legal motion, the tenants are demanding that Lone Star advance the funds necessary to repair these hazardous defects.

“Shelter is a basic human right that many New Yorkers have too often been denied. The tenants of 1507 St. Johns Place deserve to live and raise their families in a safe environment,” said Representative Yvette D. Clarke. “I wholeheartedly support these tenants in their fight to improve the conditions in their building and preserve affordability. We cannot allow these housing units in Brooklyn to be lost to speculative investment schemes that drive tenants out of their homes.”

“It is important that Lone Star be held accountable and take full responsibility for the deplorable living conditions under which these 20 families live on a daily basis,” said State Senator Eric Adams. “The irresponsible mismanagement of 1507 St. John’s Place is a clear reflection of Lone Star’s disregard for its tenants and the community at large. We will not tolerate exploitation by investors whose only concern is their profit margin!”

“Lone Star must bring relief to tenants and immediately release funds to make much needed repairs in this building,” said City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. “The courts have confirmed that lenders can be held responsible for conditions at buildings like these, but Lone Star shouldn’t wait for tenants to file actions or judges to make decisions. They should fix the building now.”

“Our clients are living in squalor because of the outrageous investment schemes of Lone Star Funds and Wells Fargo,” said Rachel Hannaford, Staff Attorney at South Brooklyn Legal Services. “Many tenants have been living in the building for decades and have never witnessed such unhealthy and unsanitary conditions. Tenants have developed rashes because of pervasive mold and have to contend with intermittent heat and hot water. Repairs are simply not being done. We have filed this motion so that the Court understands the seriousness of the situation and exercises its power to ensure that the tenants do not suffer at the hands of irresponsible and callous speculators.”

“Lone Star has made a practice of purchasing debt some of New York City’s most vulnerable buildings because they, like other investors before them, feel they can make a profit off of exploiting affordable housing” said Kerri White, Co-Director at the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board. “This business plan is destined for failure as recent history has already taught us. Lone Star must take responsibility for the deteriorating conditions tenants face under their control as well as the impact their financial decisions have on the residents and communities where these buildings reside.”

Contact: Rachel Hannaford, 718-237-5513 Kerri White, 520-507-5863

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by | October 10, 2012 · 5:00 pm

Lies & Deceit: Your Daily Dose

It’s been busy around the office recently, and you can be sure we’re planning to catch our readership up very soon. We hope to have some very exciting next steps from the Vantage Tenants Coalition coming soon, and we’re also planning to roll out a new campaign that The Surreal Estate readers can participate in! In the meantime, here is a non-comprehensive list of people who have lied today.

  1. Wells Fargo Bank
  2. Lance Armstrong
  3. The Republican Establishment — for trying to convince voters that WE’RE the ones who are lying. 
  4. While we’re at it, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan 
  5. Jerry Sandusky

If you’re missing our regular posts, don’t fret – we’ll be back for more as soon as possible. And in the meantime, don’t forget to sign our petition.

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by | August 17, 2012 · 3:22 pm

Friday News Round-Up!

It’s Friday! You know what to expect:

  1. The New York Daily News continues to lambast NYCHA in the press. But the City Council is fighting back – declaring the campaign against the agency ill-informed and careless. Rosie Mendez and her colleagues in the council have argued that the cash reserves are both smaller than billions NYDN claims, and that they are reserved only for major capital improvements – i.e., using them to fix a leaky faucet would get all the funds revoked by the federal government. All the same, Mayor Bloomberg has announced that the agency will be restructured. NYCHA is the largest public housing authority in North America and is one of the only American housing authorities remaining after many were dismantled in the 1990s and early 2000s. (Politicker, New York Times)
  2. Thousands and thousands of DREAMers showed up at a deferred action event in Chicago this week, the largest crowd in the country. Undocumented people seeking freedom from fear of arrest began to arrive as early as last Tuesday evening. Wednesday was the first day to apply for Obama’s new policy, announced via executive order, that would allow thousands of young immigrants freedom increased access to work permits, study permits, and reprieve from deportation. Ilian Claudio, 19, described the event in Chicago as “A new beginning. A gate is opening.” (Huffington Post)
  3. The foreclosure crisis that continues to ravage the country has had an immense number of negative effects. The number of American’s living in poverty has increased, as well as the number of homeless Americans. High unemployment. Several studies suggest that foreclosure has a negative effect on school performance. Et cetera. But despite anecdotal evidence that suggests crime associated with foreclosure is a national problem, a study in the Social Science Quarterly has found little empirical evidence that the foreclosure crisis has influenced rates of violent and property crime. (The Atlantic Cities)
  4. Evelyn Konrad of Southhampton is fighting against a zoning code change that allows supersized homes in her town. She claims the Mayor is catering favor with his Wall Street buddies, and has already spent nearly $100,000 of her own life savings on the suit. Lone Star Funds CEO Donald Quintin for having a house that is egregiously large. We’re standing with Evelyn! And if Mr. Quintin’s house in the Hamptons is so big, we know about 900 angry tenants who would like to come over for dinner. (The Real Deal)
  5. Two UHAB-monitored co-ops are in the news today for having the two cheapest NYC Real Estate listings of the week. (546 W. 156th Street and 521 W. 151st Street, both in Hamilton Heights.) The good news: at least we’re doing our job of keeping the co-op option affordable. The bad news (or the-news-that-was-left-out): the article in The Real Deal, though it mentions they are “fully renovated co-ops,” does not mention that they are also limited equity, income restricted. Speculators move on! (The Real Deal)

Here are the also-rans for this week’s news roundup: the “public” is clamoring for a picture of Paul Ryan topless (not this public!), Andrew Cuomo has called yet another thing historic (yogurt), and strip clubs in Florida can’t wait for the RNC to arrive. Questionable choices, all around. Have a great weekend, from UHAB Organizing!

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