Buildings from Hell

dailyheights

From the Daily News: "Peeling paint. No heat. An overwhelming stench of sewage in the halls... Welcome to life at 152 Fourth Ave. - one of five 'buildings from hell' in Park Slope where a landlord is trying to drive tenants from their rent-stabilized homes, housing advocates charge..."

"Organizers from the Fifth Avenue Committee charge landlord Gustav Rodriguez has refused to provide heat or make necessary repairs to the buildings as a way to harass tenants into leaving."

DOES IT WORK? "Guerra said last year the 40 apartments in the buildings were full. Now only eight are occupied."

LANDLORD REBUTTAL: "Rodriguez insisted Friday he has done nothing wrong: 'Everything that the court told me to do I did.'"

Ah ha ha... a tenant's dream: the landlord who does everything... everything that he is forced to do by a court of law!

Daily News

meckert27

Subject: buildings from hell?

just read the buildings from hell article...anyone know of any others in the PS area? how common is it for landlords to do this sort of thing in the area? new to the area...

friendlypitbull

Does anyone know whats going on with these buildings - they are basically all boarded up except for a few apartments where people are presumably living (god I hope not)

stacey

friendlypitbull wrote: Does anyone know whats going on with these buildings - they are basically all boarded up except for a few apartments where people are presumably living (god I hope not)

I was just driving by there last night and thought the same thing! Also there is a big glass building going up on 4th and I think 3rd (near Staples). Looks a little out of place to me .

ben

The big glass building next to Staples is a ConEd building. All things considered it's not too bad.

Regarding 152 4th and the others next to it all boarded up, this is part of 4th that was recently upzoned allowing for buildings 12 stories tall and an FAR of 6, meaning a developer can build a building with 6 times the square footage as that of the lot.

So I can only speculate here but it looks like the owner is clearing out the buildings and then will either sell the lots or develop them himself. I expect we will see these buildings torn down and replaced with something that resembles the building going up across the street from Staples.

stacey

Ben wrote: The big glass building next to Staples is a ConEd building. All things considered it's not too bad.

Thanks Ben - for commercial use I agree it is not too bad

pheightsgirl

Hey folks, (This is also posted on the PH board as a new thread)

I am in some desperate need for some help and advice. I am 99% sure that our landlord/management company is trying to push us out. And, I mean the whole brownstone, not just my roommate and I. (There are only three apartments, ten tenants in the whole building.) Each of us has inhabited our apartments for about 4-5 years, and we all have a really low rent. They could probably get double for what we're all paying. So, inevitably, I think we're being pushed out. Here's why:

1.) A few weeks ago we get a notice of a past due bill for the water. Our landlord hasn't paid it since January. The total? Over $4000.

2.) Then we get a bill saying our landlord hasn't paid the electric bill and our electricity in our hallways is in danger of being shut off. (It's still on, but I'm assuming only a matter of time before it's shut off)

3.) Finally, this past weekend, we got a notice that our landlord has not paid the heat bill, and it will be shut off on March 30th. Thank God that by then, it'll be warm enough to live without heat - except for at night. This kinda scares me...

So, some of my concerns/questions to you all:

1.) Do we (the tenants) need to hire a lawyer?
2.) What in the hell can we do if our water is shut off?
3.) Does having our basic living nesecities of heat and water being shut off by lack of payment by the landlord violate any laws?
4.) Does anybody have any idea how long this could possibly drag out for? I mean, should I start looking for a new place now?
5.) Has anyone had any similar experiences?

nishi621

I would call 311 right away and tell them everything you just told us about what is happening with your landlord-they will connect you with the right agency/department that handles it and they will tell you what needs to be done.