555 PROSPECT PLACE

anonymous

I LIVE IN 565 PROSPECT PLACE. THERE IS NO C/O IN THE BUILDINGS. IN ANY OF THEM. ALL THE NEWLY CONVERTED HOSPITAL BUILDINGS ARE NOT SAFE TO LIVE IN, THAT IS WHY THE CITY WILL NOT APPROVE THEM.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY YOU RENT IF YOU LIVE IN 699 CLASSON, 551 PROSPECT PL, 555 PROSPECT PL, 565 PROSPECT PL, AND 488 ST MARKS, OH AND THE NEW TOWER THATS ON 475 ST MARKS. THE MANAGEMENT LIES TO PEOPLE, THE BUILDINGS ARE NOT SAFE AND ARE NOT APPROVED.

I WENT TO COURT AND WON. I COULD LIVE RENT FREE AND CANNOT BE KICKED OUT UNTIL THEY GET THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR THOSE BUILDINGS. THE JUDGE WILL NOT EVEN HEAR THEIR SIDE OF THE STORY.

FEEL FREE TO LIVE RENT FREE.

PS . THERE ARE FEW OF US LIKE THIS ALREADY

paraderest

http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/PropertyProfileOverviewServlet?boro=3&houseno=555&street=prospect+place&requestid=0&s=A03C41B885B461E4F46BD08866A7430E

sweet tea

a few people have also already been evicted for this. it did take a while.

anonymous

Subject: 555 prospect pl

THATS ONLY 2 BUILDINGS OUT OF SIX. JEWISH HOSPITAL CONSISTS OF 6 BUILDINGS. WHERE ARE THE OTHER ONES. PROVES MY POINT.

apollonia666

Off-topic, but please don't post in all capital letters. On the Internet, it's considered the same as screaming at people. Also, some people feel that it hurts their eyes. Thanks!

wirenut

The concept is valid for any building that is illegal. However, you will get yourself on the landlords S--T list.

Once the illegallity is resolved, unless its a regulated apartment, you will be pushed to leave.

anonymous

Subject: 551 prospect place

Does anyone else know anything about 551 prospect place. Is it a safe building. We just signed a 12 month lease, but the recent post has me concerned.

-Tim

quig

<This is me putting on my landlord hat>

A word of caution. If you are going to go on a rent strike, you should play by the rules (escrow account, lawyers, formal letters etc...). This is assuming that when this runs it's course you'll be looking for a new place.

Just be forewarned, many landlords (myself included) do court checks on potential tenants. If they see something like this, they *may* decide that the other applicant with no court history would be easier to deal with.

It's not a scarlet letter, but it doesn't go in the plus category either.

</landlord hat>

scooterjackson5

Asked around about this, and apparently the Department of Buildings is notorious for not uploading documentation to their website. So, if you don't see your building's C/O on the site, it's best to call the DOB directly or visit. They will have the paperwork on file.

This may or may not apply to the buildings in question, but a general heads up to those interested.

anonymous

Subject: reply

the community is safe if you walk only towards classon ave. i lived in 551 prospect for 3 yrs the only bad thing that happen to me was my car windows was broken.

mr. met

hahaha

DON'T go towards franklin

anonymous

Subject: Prospect Associate

I know first hand that the owner fail to secure Certificate of Occupancies for the three building on Prospect Place. Furthermore, the Owner modified the originial structure of these three building, causing safety issues.

For now enjoy living rent free, I did for 18 months

capt. planet

Subject: Re: Prospect Associate

[email protected] wrote: I know first hand that the owner fail to secure Certificate of Occupancies for the three building on Prospect Place. Furthermore, the Owner modified the originial structure of these three building, causing safety issues.

For now enjoy living rent free, I did for 18 months

I would encourage all of the tenants who have concerns about Alma Realty to bring them to the attention of Councilperson Tish James. I know she has had on-going discussions with the owner of Alma about a number of concerns. Her phone number is 718-260-7081. Incidentally she's a former legal aid attorney, so she should know her way around housing court, if it comes to that!

anonymous

I just emailed her! I'm so helpless with the bed bug problem on-going for more than a month. I hope she can help me.

homeowner

MOD NOTE: We've had a bunch of guest posts about bedbugs at this building. I'm locking those threads and consolidating them here. Please note none of these posts are from registered posters

MTang wrote: We found bed bugs in our apartment in early Feb.
Enis gave us the number of Mike. He sent somebody in to spray.
However, after 4 visits, we still found live bugs in our apartment.
This problem is driving us crazy and we are considering breaking the lease
or ask for rent reduce.
Anybody has the same problem or can give us any suggestions?
Thanks.

meowmacked wrote: We have had problems with bed bugs in our apartment, and are trying to figure out whether anyone else in the building has had issues. Thanks so much. We are going crazy with the problem and don't know where they are coming from.

springrunner wrote: If you have Bed Bugs, I would highly recommend you call your landlord and notify them immediately as well as an exterminator. You may even want to move out of your place for while (if possible).

Bed Bugs can live up to 2 months without feeding -which means they can be dormant for a long time. I've been through this and almost had a nervous breakdown. My best of luck to you.

meowmacka

Subject: bed bugs at 545-555 Prospect Place

Hello,
I am a registered user and would like to complain about bed bugs in our apartment at 545-555 Prospect. We have had this problem for several months (and it has been known to us for almost three). I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has or has had this problem in the building. My roommates and I are trying to negotiate the situation with Alma. All and any responses appreciated. Thank you! :?

wirenut

I'm not an exterminator but was talking to one the other day about bedbugs

He said they are VERY hard to get rid of. They hide in tiny cracks in wood furniture and mouldings, and therefore spraying or bombing is not as effective as with other bugs.

He said repeated vacuuming is a MUST (5 days inn a row), then, ALL at the same time:
spraying, throwing out the mattresses, and taking all clothing and sheets and washing in HOT/HOT and drying on HOT and then pray. If possible avoid wood furniture in the bedroom

He also said don't ever buy a used mattress.

cool the kid

Peeps with bedbugs- which side of the building are you on? I'm on the east side of 555 bed bug free. Just moved here not too long ago though.

And this C/O thing is gaining steam... I've been hearing a lot of tenants talking about it. Just from what I know from construction/bldgs there's a lot of stuff to be fixed

anonymous

Subject: Hi

I got served papers...
but then looked up the certificate of occupancy for my building...previously 551 Prospect Place...
now it's 523 Prospect Place.
There are only 2 C of O's...
the first being temporary and starting 12/03/2007
expiring 3/2/2008
The second...beginning 3/04/2008ending 6/02/2008
I can't find anything before December 2007.
Does this mean that they did NOT have a certificate of Occupancy before 12/07?
If this is the case, then I am okay no?
I have been paying rent since November 2007...
but currently owe them $6,000.00 from before then
If ANYONE has ANY info about this...PLEASE let me know asap
I tried to call Trish...but the number is ou of service ...
I'm a mess with worry, as I have no place to live if I get evicted!
Thank you all

meowmacka

Subject: 555 prospect

from the people with bed bugs: we are on the side of the building closer to Classon Ave.

apollonia666

To the guest poster who said he or she is getting evicted: You're better off checking with a tenants' advocacy organization or, if you can afford one, an attorney. Folks here can be helpful, but we're not housing law experts and you need help fast.

I'd suggest calling Pratt Area Community Council:
http://www.prattarea.org/

I have some experience dealing with them and found them to be good people who really care about tenants. They have a free legal clinic a couple of times a month but given that you're probably in a time crunch, you should just call them, explain your situation, and if they can't help you maybe they'll know someone who can. Good luck!

anonymous

wirenut wrote: I'm not an exterminator but was talking to one the other day about bedbugs

He said they are VERY hard to get rid of. They hide in tiny cracks in wood furniture and mouldings, and therefore spraying or bombing is not as effective as with other bugs.

He said repeated vacuuming is a MUST (5 days inn a row), then, ALL at the same time:
spraying, throwing out the mattresses, and taking all clothing and sheets and washing in HOT/HOT and drying on HOT and then pray. If possible avoid wood furniture in the bedroom

He also said don't ever buy a used mattress.

I live in 545-555 and discovered I had bed bugs (noticed the bites first) this past summer. I called Enis immediately, he gave me Mike's number, an appointment was set up, and I did the necessary prep work (cleaned out all of my closets, put linen from bed in tightly sealed black trash bags, washed all of my clothes in hot water, etc.) before my appointment date. I had to take a few days off from work, but it was well worth it!! I was lucky to be home when the exterminator arrived and he did a great job spraying down my mattress and base boards and I also had him spray the base boards in the living room and my roommates room just in case (she didn't have them nor were they in living room area). I also asked a lot of questions, did my research, and asked if he could saturate my mattress an extra time just to make sure we got them all.

My advice: Alma pays for the exterminator, but it is up to the tenant to do the hard work. It sucked and I almost had a nervous breakdown cleaning and throwing away things, and generally being displaced from my bedroom for about a month (I refused to sleep in my room after I discovered them) but it was well worth it b/c I haven't seen one or been bitten since!

meowmacka

Subject: bbugs

thanks for the info. unfortunately in our case, we have washed everything, cleaned, mike has been here 4x, and we have still seen bugs (in my room only.)

anonymous

Subject: update on certificate of occupancy?

Does anyone have any updates on this certificate of occupancy situation? I am about to move into 565 Prospect. Alma and Mike at 555 Prospect were absolute jerks and are running a shady business, but the all-caps post at the beginning of this thread looks a little sketchy. Was there really a court case won against Alma? The city's website about complaints and violations seems out of date.

I don't want to get kicked out, as it seems like a nice place to live, but I will happily screw this landlord over on a technicality if I have the opportunity since they are such awful people.

anonymous

Subject: 545/565

when you say the buildings are not safe to live in, could you be more specfic? not safe how? thanks

brook

Yes - what do you mean specifically by "unsafe?"

brooklynleather

I keep seeing bedbug reports and when I called I believe Mike at Alma to see the place not knowing it was that building, I later returned his call to let him know the building had bedbugs and he acted really surprised!

mangleface

I'm curious also, what do you mean by unsafe....I'm considering living in this building

meowmacka

Subject: 555/545 prospect

does anyone have a current update on the cert. of occupancy situation? please let me know. thanks a lot.

mon1018

I tend to agree with you.
Excellent information.Many thanks!

nojojojo

I'm thinking about getting an apartment in this building (523, was 551 I think) and I'm a little concerned about all this talk of bedbugs and no hot water, and management problem. Are these things still a problem?