Don't Rent from Sol Steinlauf, S Z Captial Devlopment!
Subject: Don't Rent from Sol Steinlauf, S & Z Captial Devlopment!
Day 38 without heat. Day 5 without hot water.We live at 217 Saint John’s Place. Last week as well, no hot water for five days. We all enjoyed its brief, though tepid, resurrection.
S & Z Capital & Development, LLC on Church Ave. in Brooklyn.
Problems with the heat and hot water began on October 27th. Out for a week. The heat went out again in November and again in December and then for good on January 18th. Since winter began, the water has never truly been hot. Apparently, the hot water heater has been broken for some time and the hot water was being heated via the boiler. As of this week, February 23rd, the boiler has been condemned by the city. So it seems we have neither again until the boiler is replaced.
When?
Excellent question.
According to Mr. Steinlauf, he’s working on that. He claims it’s Keyspan’s fault as he can’t install the new boiler until they put in a new gas line. Keyspan, however, says this is not true. A new boiler could work on the current gas line as a temporary measure until the new line is installed. Um, in April or thereabouts. The city says they can replace the boiler and then bill the landlord.
When?
Excellent question.
Here is a link to the Housing and Preservation Department’s website that allows you to see all 151 violations against 217 St. John’s Place--which is by the way, an EIGHT UNIT building, not the Empire State. We're all grateful that there are no children living here. HPD Inspectors have been to the building many, many times and the FDNY, twice.
http://167.153.4.71/Hpdonline/select_application.aspx
If this link doesn’t work, you can google Housing and Preservation Department, NYC and then on the right side of the screen go to the Complaints, Violations and Registration menu to search for the address. Before you sign a lease, do this!! I wish I’d known. Entering street names might be tricky. For example, St. John’s doesn’t come up. You have to put in Saint John.
I think it’s highly improbable that a good-faith effort to replace the boiler would take the entire winter but questions abound. Does Mr. Steinlauf not have the money for a new boiler? Is he trying to freeze out the tenants who are rent stabilized? Is he suffering from some awful malaise? Is he simply trying to raise incompetence to an art form?
I don’t know.
I do know that when you immerse your hands in water that is 40 degrees Fahrenheit, after a few seconds. your fingers turn a dusky pink and your palms an alarming shade of blue. Washing your hair is astonishingly painful. Imagine pure cold running directly into your brain, blade-like.
Thanks so much for reading! Wit's end. Right here.
Comments
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dont pay rent.
seriously -
Hi Liadan,
Welcome to the board! You'll find my post from last week relevant, or at least familiar. http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=48844
For the record, I was under the impression that there was a child living in this apartment, but the family has been forced to vacate their apartment for the last few months due to major roof-leakage, mold, and an abundance of lead-based paint -- not to mention the lack of heat. In order to avoid legal hassles and permanent eviction, they are still paying rent.
This is intolerable. The fact that the parents are conscientious and have the knowledge and resources to protect their family does not make the landlord any less culpable. Or, for that matter, the city. This has gone on far too long.
Folks, if you want a slightly gross thrill, I encourage you to visit nyc.gov/hpd, enter this address, and click on "Complaint History." It's pretty - sorry - chilling stuff.
Liadan, I'll see you tonight at the lawyer's. Stay warm! -
get the media involved.
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You should post this to the Brownstoner forum too. How long have you guys (Liadan, Aenigma) lived in this building? Has it always been this bad?
Just one side note - hot water heated indirectly by the boiler is actually a fairly common setup in multi-unit buildings. With or without a hot water storage tank. Not that it makes your situation any less awful. Good luck! -
I truly hope that you've stopped paying rent.
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Actually, I think this the the URL that the OP meant to link to:
http://167.153.4.71/hpdonline/provide_address.aspx -
I am so sorry to hear about your situation. I installed a new boiler in my private house in a matter of days and can't believe he has to take that long to do his. I own residential property myself and would be very upset if my tenants did not have heat. Your landlord is probably looking to save money. it costs me about $1500 per month to heat a 6 unit.
About a week ago the heat in my building did not come on for 12 hours. A tenant who is also an old high school friend called me late in the evening to let me know that the heat did not come on all day. I was a little upset at him for not telling me as soon as he noticed in the morning. I went to the building and within 15 minutes the apartments were warm again.
I told my tenant that if he wakes up and the apartment is not warm to call me right away....something is wrong. -
Thank you all for your responses, and for the links.
And thx for the info about the water being heated indirectly by the boiler being common. We weren't sure if this was typical or something illegal. There's absolutely NO trust at this point. As for it always being this bad, Sol Steinlauf has only owned 217 St. John's since 2008.
As for right now, some have stopped paying rent. We haven't--not yet because of rather dire warnings about being taken to court for nonpayment of rent. Not that we think the landlord would win--could possibly--but the thought of being dragged into court for nonpayment of rent was prohibitive. Also, there were constant promises from the landlord and the city that the problem would soon be fixed.
However, all of us, the tenants, are now organized and we're discussing our options as a group.This has been the only good thing to come of this--getting to know our neighbors and talking to everyone about just how disruptive this is to our lives. We all know there are people far worse off, believe me, we do. We just want what we're paying for. Habitable apartments. -
That sucks, sorry to hear about your troubles. I have rented from S&Z for a few years, and have not had any trouble. I have never met Steinlauf, and know nothing about him. I have, however, had very good dealings with the other half of the partnership, Zeev Sandman. Also with Joanna (?) the office manager. Perhaps you could try one of them and see if you can get some action.
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That's interesting to hear. We've never had any dealings with Sol's partner. I don’t know a Joanna. I did call the office back in Oct or Nov after leaving voicemails for the super and getting no answer for several days. I called him from my cell. Again. No answer. Tried another phone a minute later, and wow, he picked up the unfamiliar 718 number. He told me to call the office and hung up on me. At the office, a woman snapped that the heat would be back on tomorrow almost before I’d finished asking the question. I never got her name and certainly don’t blame her. Fielding angry calls can’t be much fun. And it was, of course, total b.s. We went days more without heat or hot water.
I'd like to think our situation is an aberration, and indeed did not post here a month ago when I first considered it with the thought that hey, this is a man's business and we are in a terrible economy. But it's gotten so entirely out of hand at this point, and we are so weary of taking ice-cold showers in an ice-cold apartment at 6:30 in the morning that I've stopped hypothesizing excuses for him. We just want to shower without shaking from cold for a half hour afterwards. That’s all. -
The number I use there is 718-431-0141. I also have a couple personal cell phone numbers for people there from when I had some hot water issues. Things broke, but we were back in business in a day or two with a new boiler.
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I moved to this address a couple of years ago, after leaving a sketchy living situation in a far less gentrified area of Brooklyn. Ironically, the trigger for my move was not my roommate's unhinged and unhygienic behavior, but rather the fact that we hadn't had heat for five days in mid-February.
Ha. Five days. My outrage then honestly seems cute to me now.
217 St Johns Place has had a crappy string of landlords -- one allegedly removed a working boiler and was institutionalized, another (Penson Corporation) tried to evict all the long-time tenants -- but I haven't heard a situation as dire as this.
It's not that we don't have heat or hot water. I mean: it is that, but we know: shit happens. The boiler's been in poor condition for longer than Sol Steinlauf has owned the building (although he's know about it for months and done nothing). I'm even willing to believe that he does plan to rectify the situation, but there's just no excuse for allowing tenants to freeze for weeks during the winter. landlord-who-posted-yesterday, anecdotes like yours confirm that there are good building owners out there. I hope your tenants know how lucky they are. Conversely, there are worse landlords out there than ours, and I worry that there are hundreds or thousands of tenants in NYC who don't have the information or resources that we do to fight similar conditions.
In summary, even if everything were to be back in working order tomorrow, I'd still steer tenants clear from this guy. It is my opinion that money is his priority -- not people. -
I know nothing of Steinlauf. I've had very good dealings with Sandman. I'm happy to try and help you with names and private numbers of people that have done right for me at S&Z if you're interested and trying to spur some action. If it isn't really about getting the heat or hot water back on anymore though, I can't help you with that. Best of luck, and I hope that things work out for you.
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That's some good info Evette. Please do disclose all of the cell numbers you have on hand. I tried the previous number you listed and no luck. I wouldn't mind knowing which building you live in, we should all join you. I'm assuming that's in Cobble Hill from you location description.
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Cold hurts my teeth, badly. I can't bear to rinse my mouth in our 40 degree water.
So. Before I go to brush my teeth, I fill a coffee mug with water and put in the microwave for 25 seconds. Over the past month--indeed this past winter--I've learned that 25 seconds gets the water to the perfect temperature. I wait in front of the microwave. The time passes quickly. When the microwave dings I take the mug of water into the bathroom and brush my teeth while the water cools a little. Then I rinse my mouth and bring the mug back into the kitchen and put it in the sink.
Sometimes, though, I forget to heat the water and just go into the bathroom to brush my teeth as though it's the 21st century here in Sol Steinlauf's building, 217 St. John's Place, Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Then, with a mouth full of toothpaste I go into the kitchen, fill my coffee mug with 40 degree water and put in the microwave. But only for 20 seconds so I can rinse my mouth right away. While waiting I think how it's funny that toothpaste stings a little when it sits in your mouth. I take the mug of warm water and go back in the bathroom to rinse. That done, I bring the mug back to the kitchen and put it in the sink.
I wonder briefly if I should suck it up and use the cold water as my grandparents had to in their Brooklyn cold water flats, both the two who were immigrants and the two who were born here. Perhaps I should thank Mr. Steinlauf for giving me a taste of what life was like for them in the 20's, 30's and 40's.
Then I decide, nah. I am not quite ready for perspective. Someday, I hope. -
i know this sounds simple, but have you called 311?
we have a psycho tenant who insists we have no heat (which is not true) and she calls 311 and someone is sent over to the building each time. -
So glad you asked, and by the way, we are a bunch of lunatics (seriously mentally disturbed).
Complaint DateComplaint#Apt#Complaint ConditionCondtion DetailLocation
02/25/200946509511AHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
02/25/200946509511ABELL-BUZZER/INTINOPER/ MISSINGENTIRE BUILDING
02/24/200946487571ABELL-BUZZER/INTINOPER/ MISSINGENTIRE BUILDING
02/24/200946487571AHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
02/24/200946487571ABELL-BUZZER/INTINTERCOMENTIRE BUILDING
02/23/200946487464BHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
02/23/200946476232RHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
02/22/200946464591ABELL-BUZZER/INTINOPER/ MISSINGENTIRE BUILDING
02/22/200946464591ADOORSDOOR-FRAMEENTIRE BUILDING
02/22/200946464521AHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
02/21/200946451773RHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
02/20/200946439554BHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
02/18/200946394774BVERMINMICEENTIRE APT
02/18/200946394774BVERMINROACHESENTIRE APT
02/18/200946394774BHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
02/18/200946392592RVERMINROACHESENTIRE BUILDING
02/18/200946392592RVERMINMICEENTIRE BUILDING
02/18/200946392592RHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
02/13/200946330343FHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
02/13/200946330343FHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
02/12/200946321204BHEAT-PLANTBOILER INOP/MISENTIRE BUILDING
02/12/200946321204BVERMINMICEENTIRE BUILDING
02/12/200946321204BVERMINROACHESENTRANCE
02/12/200946321204BWALLSPEELINGBEDROOM
02/12/200946321204BBELL-BUZZER/INTINOPER/ MISSINGENTIRE BUILDING
02/12/200946321204BWATER-LEAKSROOF-LEAKENTIRE APT
02/12/200946321174BHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
02/11/200946308881AHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
02/10/200946295554BVERMINROACHESENTIRE BUILDING
02/10/200946295554BHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
02/10/200946295554BVERMINMICEENTIRE BUILDING
02/10/200946292591AHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
02/10/200946290093RVERMINMICEENTIRE BUILDING
02/10/200946290093RRADIATORRADIATOR-BROKENENTIRE APT
02/10/200946290093RHEAT-PLANTBOILER INOP/MISENTIRE BUILDING
02/10/200946290033RHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
02/09/200946275381AHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
02/09/200946275212RLIGHTINGDIMSLIVING ROOM
02/09/200946275212RHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
02/09/200946275212RVERMINROACHESENTIRE APT
02/09/200946275212RLIGHTINGDIMSBATHROOM
02/09/200946275212RVERMINMICEENTIRE APT
02/09/200946274973RHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
02/09/200946271263FHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
02/09/200946271203FHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
02/07/200946256644BVERMINMICEENTIRE APT
02/07/200946256644BVERMINROACHESENTIRE APT
02/07/200946256644BWATER-LEAKSROOF-LEAKBEDROOM
02/07/200946256644BWALLSPEELINGENTIRE APT
02/07/200946256644BCEILINGPLASTER PEELINGENTIRE APT
02/07/200946256644BMOLDMOLDENTIRE APT
02/07/200946256644BBELL-BUZZER/INTINOPER/ MISSINGLOBBY
02/07/200946256644BBELL-BUZZER/INTINTERCOMLOBBY
02/07/200946256594BHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
02/07/200946253072RHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
02/07/200946249692RRADIATORCRACKED/MISSINGENTIRE APT
02/07/200946249692RHEAT-PLANTBOILER INOP/MISENTIRE BUILDING
02/07/200946249692RHEATNO HEATENTIRE BUILDING
02/06/200946234474BVERMINMICEENTIRE BUILDING
02/06/200946234474BVERMINROACHESENTIRE BUILDING
02/06/200946234474BWATER-LEAKSROOF-LEAKBEDROOM
02/06/200946234474BMOLDMOLDBEDROOM
02/06/200946234474BCEILINGPLASTER PEELINGBEDROOM
02/06/200946234474BBELL-BUZZER/INTINOPER/ MISSINGLOBBY
02/06/200946234094BHEATNO HEATENTIRE BUILDING
02/05/200946220591AHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
02/05/200946204324BVERMINMICEENTIRE BUILDING
02/05/200946204324BMOLDMOLDBEDROOM
02/05/200946204324BWATER-LEAKSROOF-LEAKBEDROOM
02/05/200946204324BHEATNO HEATENTIRE BUILDING
02/05/200946204324BVERMINROACHESENTIRE BUILDING
02/05/200946204324BHEAT-PLANTBOILER INOP/MISBASEMENT
02/05/200946204324BCEILINGBULGING/LOOSEBEDROOM
02/03/200946156754BHEATNO HEATENTIRE APT
02/03/200946148611RHEATNO HEATENTIRE APT
01/31/200946106242RHEATNO HEATENTIRE BUILDING
01/31/200946101023RHEATNO HEATENTIRE APT
01/31/200946101023RHEATNO HEATENTIRE BUILDING
01/28/200946044192FHEATNO HEATENTIRE BUILDING
01/27/200946008461AHEATNO HEATENTIRE BUILDING
01/26/200945986203RHEATNO HEATENTIRE APT
01/23/200945929623RHEATNO HEATENTIRE APT
01/21/200945871703RBASIN/SINKPIPE-BROKENBATHROOM
01/21/200945871703RRADIATORRADIATOR-BROKENENTIRE APT
01/21/200945871703RHEATNO HEATENTIRE APT
01/21/200945871703RBATHTUBOBSTRUCTEDBATHROOM
01/20/200945850561RCEILINGHOLEBEDROOM
01/20/200945850561RVERMINMICEENTIRE APT
01/20/200945850561RMOLDMOLDLIVING ROOM
01/20/200945850561RMOLDMOLDBEDROOM
01/20/200945850561RFLOORSAGGINGLIVING ROOM
01/20/200945850561RCEILINGHOLELIVING ROOM
01/20/200945850561RHEATNO HEATENTIRE APT
01/18/200945820241AHEATNO HEATENTIRE APT
12/29/200845268023RHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
12/29/200845265681AHEATNO HOT WATERENTIRE APT
12/21/200845116012RHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
12/09/200844885231RCEILINGPLASTER PEELINGBEDROOM
12/09/200844885231RWALLSPEELINGBEDROOM
12/03/200844727983RDOORSDOOR-FRAMEENTIRE BUILDING
12/03/200844727983RHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
12/03/200844722382RHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
12/02/200844718741AHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
12/02/200844716574BVERMINROACHESENTIRE BUILDING
12/02/200844716574BVERMINMICEENTIRE BUILDING
12/02/200844716574BHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
11/24/200844572683RHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
11/24/200844572683RDOORSBROKENLOBBY
11/23/200844551251AHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE BUILDING
11/23/200844548172RHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
11/23/200844542413RHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
11/19/200844392062RWATER-SUPPLYNO-HOT- WATERBATHROOM
11/04/200844107781AHEATNO HEAT/WATERENTIRE APT
11/03/200844093322RHEATNO HOT WATERENTIRE BUILDING
11/02/200844076503BHEATNO HOT WATERENTIRE BUILDING
10/31/200844039633RHEATNO HOT WATERENTIRE APT
08/04/200843103511RFLOORBROKE / DEFLIVING ROOM
08/04/200843103511RCEILINGCOLLAPSINGLIVING ROOM -
I have to ask the question. Is there a reason that you're not moving?
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I believe some of the tenants are looking. Others have lived in the building for thirty years and probably hope to outlast this landlord. Speaking for myself, I'm sort of attached to my place, but I've made serious inquiries about moving. I can't find a comparable place for a comparable price in a comparable area.
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i never said you were a bunch of lunatics.
i said that its pretty easy to get the city to come to see if there's no heat. what happens after they come and find no heat, i have no idea. maybe nothing. -
No worries, brooklynpotter, I'm pretty sure anotherRez was acknowledging the fact that we really have gone half-crazed over here. I can think of a litany of symptoms I've developed since our heat went out last month: rituals, obsessive thinking, verbal tics, phobias, insomnia, a generally wild and unkempt appearance, etc. Half-kidding here.
The tenant you're talking about sounds crazy in a different way. She's probably one of the reasons those HPD inspectors are over-worked.
(I remember seeing some of your work back when I was still lurking on the boards. It's lovely.) -
aenigma, thanks for the compliments and for the explanation. trust me when i tell you that i know just how wretched even tiny living hiccups can be.
call cbs/abc. that's how i got the city to remove the out of date scaffolding off the armory. or walk yourself down to jim brennan's office. you can try to escalate this without the legal system -
My God, seeing the violations listed like that is frightening.
I know we haven't moved because we were spooked by warnings that the landlord might take us to court for nonpayment of rent, even though he is clearly in the wrong and would never prevail in the end. Were spooked. Past tense. Now, we're more than willing to fight it out if necessary.
Also, we were concerned that if he did take us to court, it would be public record that we broke the lease. Would a new landlord care to hear the details? Again after more than 40 days, beyond caring about this. Might possibly be too angry to ever move and give him the chance to make a lot more money off a new tenant then he makes off us. -
No offense BPotter, just a bit loopy at this point. The fact is that after the above complaints HPD now seems to be moving to action on contracting a plumber. It may have also helped that we had a lawyer contact HPD regarding the matter.
In addition, Sol seems to be finally coming around and having the boiler fixed. Just as we were in contact with some of the local papers. Good sense of timing on this guy.
With that said, we'll keep you posted. -
I am a tenant of his. I haven't had any problems, but I sympathize. I have his cell number. Let me know if you want it.
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Subject: OMG! He was my realtor!
Underwent similar experience at 350 5th st with sol steinlauf a few years ago. It was an illegal basement apt (check it out on the nyc department of building website). From the looks of the buildings violations, he probably still tries to rent it out. Pipes froze, walls were not insulated, and the place FLOODED multiple times. Months later we settled with him out of court. My lawyer basically told his representative that what they did was immoral and asked him how they felt about it and the dude just smiled. Would love to meet him in a dark alley. -
We met Sol Steinlauf at the lease signing and I thought he was shifty. Not that I had an inkling that we'd spend a winter without heat and hot water.
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BKChickie wrote: I have to ask the question. Is there a reason that you're not moving?
It's expensive to move.
The tenant is entitled to heat and hot water and the landlord must provide it. -
wow what a bastard. i hope folks like these slumlords go out of business.
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