You know this organization must be doing good work if landlords and the city and state are complaining about it.
10
Thank-you Alan Carr
Thank god for Alan Carr. Imagine fighting the criminal hypocrisy of the De Blasio administration and the agencies that regularly disregard the law under their exclusive jurisdiction and are completely indifferent to their public service and legal obligations.
A visit to https://www.propublica.org/series/the-rent-racket a 33 part series cataloging the housing crimes and collusion of the government with the real estate industry will give the reader a taste of the just how foul and entrenched the corruption really is.
In his narcissistic delusion, De Blasio fashions himself a modern day Ghandi promoting a visionary and innovative new form of government. But plain and simple he is a liar on a level that rivals Trump, creating distractions that disguise the fact, that other than increasing the city budget has created nothing of meaning that would remotely constitute a legacy except, like Trump, his close call with a well deserved federal indictment for collusion.
A shout out to the lawyers who work with HRI toiling in the muck of Housing or Supreme Courts and manage to maintain their respect for the law.
Alan Carr’s HRI is the only organization that holds out any hope that NYC housing will not disappear in to the slime of criminal political corruption on the scale of the Mob. I am so grateful that he has applied his considerable skills to such a critical social issue.
So please donate to HRI. See if there are opportunities to volunteer.
11
"A landlord may hold numerous buildings, each in a separate L.L.C.; the finance department often does not know the name of the company or individual behind them."...
In addition to offering obfuscation, this has also given landlords a defense against a class action -- they try to ensure that there are not enough tenants filing against a given LLC to certify a class suit.
The new financial regulations requiring disclosure of the beneficial owners behind LLCs should be shared with other entities such as the buildings department. This would significantly help with discovering the worst offenders.
10
Bravo, Aaron Carr. We need more NYers like you.
30
The late Village Voice was great with its annual Worst Landlords lists - Aaron Carr should publish them on the web! (In addition to the fine work he's already doing.)
6
All the while both Cuomo and De Blasio twiddle their thumbs and collect campaign contributions from real estate bigwigs and each thinks he actually has a chance to run for President and be taken seriously. That De Blasio’s SIGNATURE electoral issue was supposed to be affordable housing belies how horrendously ineffective and incompetent he is as a chief executive. One would think running NYC as mayor would be treated like a full-time job but he’s just too busy flying across country for feel good photo ops and being driven in a private government limo an hour each way to work out in Brooklyn every day he’s actually in town. What a pathetic joke!
7
Kudos to Mr. Carr for his good work, which shouldn't be necessary. Unfortunately, New Yorkers would rather post comments and stare into their phones than actually show up to vote out the bums who are responsible for this, those two feuding disappointments, Cumo and de Blasio.
4
The city is even more to blame. That's why we have city governments (or local county, state, Fed). That's their job. The 'job' of the developer is to make as many units and get as much profit as they can. You may not like it, but most of us work because of profit.
6
Why does it take a outside, privately funded group to fix these systems? The buildings dept., HPD and DHCR are funded by taxpayer dollars to enforce tenant protection laws. Kudos to Mr. Carr for pushing the system to enforce existing laws and regulations. It is a shame that he has to.
67
NYC’s government needs to be torn inside out and rebuilt. Too much patronage at every level. Civil service exam score and seniority are the ONLY things that count for anything, actual ability be damned. The whole government is staffed by career bureaucrats trying to game the system to move up one rank, except for the positions at the top which are bough outright.
3
"he said that a landlord who mistakenly checks the wrong box on a permit application is not necessarily breaking the law."
I wonder if that argument works with the IRS?
87
Mr. Carr should be applauded for the work he is doing to help preserve affordable housing in the city. These landlord actions, especially the Kushners', are despicable. Mayor DeBlasio, if he is serious about affordable housing, should be encouraging and cooperating with HRI. These tenant advocacy organizations serve an important function to stem the flow of corruption in the quagmire of NYC real estate rental market.
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@Robyn
Isn't it obvious that De Blasio is not serious.
1
This man is a hero, unlike our pols (Cuomo) are in the secret back pockets of the real estate thugs.
15
Developers own NYC and NYS electeds. Anyone else love the irony that both the recent and last council persons representing Chelsea have become Council Speaker? One of them nabbed a sweet apartment in a building redeveloped by a donor; we'll see where the other one lives when his time is up. Chelsea's been for sale (Hudson Yards, anyone?) and these electeds are merely pigs at the trough.
Mr. Carr and Ritchie Torres (who topped the Speaker candidate list until some last-minute maneuvering by some people in Queens; go figure!) are doing the greatest good: finally connecting the DOB with Revenue; let's see this transparency open up through the DHCR and HPD.
It's time that NYC sets the standard for fair and transparent housing for the rest of NYS. It's also high time Albany electeds outside of NYC be exposed for their influence and investment in the business of tenancy, real estate and development here.
10
Finally, an outside agency do the work the HPD AND DHCR isn't doing for us! I am a victim of this abuse. Balcony replacement took about 3 years and THE cost is being incurred into our rent! They've moved the boiler to a new location then back to another location and we still froze last winter! Kept calling 311 and nothing! I would get 2 minutes of heat! I had to use me portable heater. Rent-stabilized apartments are also being deregulated from $750 to $3,500 a month.
It's insane! Shame on those crooks!
24
The one thing that Cuomo and de Blasio have in common is they are puppets of the real estate industry. For each sprinkle of affordable housing, another glass castle rises. Reminds me of the bogus rivalries you see in professional wrestling; in the ring it's a fight to the death, but after the match both wrestlers collect their paychecks and go out for a few drinks.
24
My husband and i have faced the horrors of landlord greed since1986. its too long. I”ll discuss the current. We moved in x-the boiler needed replacement. Didn’t happen. We spent 3 weeks during thanksgiving & Christmas with no heat/hot water. That was the prelude.100s of days calling 311 to report cold showers. By the time an inspector showed the heat was back. To explain- the super can’t take action with no landlord work order. Recourse is to pay to fix it and minus it from the rent (not excepted by our landlord); or stop paying rent and be sued by the landlord in housing court. Either way the tenant is punished -why? Ok there, we suffered vermin, broken intercom, broken oven, etc. Finally the electricity went out in our bedroom. That took over a year. In the interim we had to run extension cords. We tried to be careful. One night my husband fell on a cord and broke his femur. That unleashed a series of events rhat just ended with his death. That coincided with a new lease in this rent stabilized apartment that jumped over $600 it was relying on the disgraceful ’preferred rent’ scam. Our rent history shows a tripling of the rent when it started the preferred rent scheme. However after so many years in housing court even hsving documentation is no comfort. Like so many rent stabilized tenants i dont know what to do. Fighting that through the corruption and collusion is damaging to only us tenants. shame on you Albany. Can anyone help NYC tenants, the backbone of this city?
28
This man is doing god's work.
Keep up the good work sir.
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There is so much corruption in the NYC real estate industry that Mr. Carr and a few assistants, alone, can ferret out thousands of cases of abuse. It's like prospecting for gold in Fort Knox.
9
This is fantastic to read about!!! NYC has been a have for greedy real estate interests who use their wealth to promote more personal wealth at the expense of the people of NY. Too many NYers, can't afford to live in NY, even though they make good money, and the primary cost, in most of their lives, is their housing.
As a renter I have heard stories about landlords having people in the NYC records departments (public employees) looking up names of potential renters to see if any of them have ever filed a complaint against a landlord before--and then refused to offer a lease to those who have.
It is a totally corrupt system and thank heaven someone is starting to stare it down!!!
The next step would be to pass a law that forces landlords whose illicit actions lead to the ouster of tenants to be forced to pay their rents (to the new landlord) wherever they have moved to (at least eh same amount they would have paid if they had not moved) until that renter has found new accommodations at an equally regulated apartment at the same rent!!!!
Enough of letting the rich win, and enough of building buildings designed to wash Russian and Chinese cash into American dollars. Either the City council and Mayor need to really put a fight, or they need to hang their heads and admit to being beholden to real estate interests at the expense of the people.
Only Rich people want only to be rich. New Yorkers want to live in New York and not be pushed out by punks like Kushner.
30
@rick
Can't pin the blame squarely on the shoulders of the developers, you can blame the politicians for letting them get away with things. Bloomberg sold out New Yorker's to his developer friends and is on record as saying he wanted more millionaires living here. They do, except they don't stay long enough and don't pay their share of taxes and most are foreigners hiding illicit funds.
23
"...according to data from N.Y.U.’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, a majority of people in rent-regulated Manhattan apartments make far above the poverty level." (The Perverse Effect of Rent Control, NY Times 7/23/2013). Perhaps Mr. Carr should ferret out the wealthy who take advantage of rent control ?
6
That doesn’t tell you much as rent stabilized units are pegged to different income levels.
There was a very accurate article in Times about 535 Carlton Ave in Brooklyn. It’s an “affordable” stabilized rental building with 2 bedrooms for 3700/month. That’s stabilized. This building has tax breaks and they can’t rent the units. No one can afford them. And those renters in that income bracket don’t want them.
11
@C. Williams Some rent controlled developments are open to everyone. The landlord is allowed to set the rent and increase it only by 1-2% annually. Harlem has rent-controlled buildings that charge $9k/mo for a two-bedroom. It just that the real estate industry wrote the rent control laws.
1
@C. Williams this is an outrageously misleading statement. the poverty level for a family of four in NYC is $25,100 annually. $25,100. of course people living in rent stab apartments are above the poverty level. your statement is like saying water is wet. there is no one in NYC making $25k living in an apartment without a major subsidy, Section 8 or something else. the very poor are in NYCHA apartments. if and when the poverty rates are revised, this statement might be helpful.
1
Everything the trumps and kushners touch reeks of slime. These two families belong together, one might say a match made in heaven. Blech.
21
"Every day, the Buildings Department holds landlords accountable for their obligation to provide safe buildings for tenants..."
I'm generally a fan of government agencies but this statement is laughably absurd. Does Mr. Soldevere live in New York? Maybe he has a confused definition for the word "safe." The places I've lived in New York weren't safe. They were mostly haphazard death traps. No one was ever holding the landlords accountable. The most common refrain was "What do you want? It's an old building."
More commonly, you'd never speak to the landlord at all. A broker handles the lease. Your primary contact becomes the property manager. There is absolutely no connection between what the landlord tells officials and what actually takes place on the property.
To this day, I know one property where I doubt the owner has ever even seen the building. I started a complete storm after discovering the true identity of the owner where the property was listed as an LLC. The property manager was stonewalling me on required maintenance so I did some sleuthing. Once you have a name, it's not very hard to find contact information. You'd think a nuclear bomb went off in the hallway when the property manager found out. Needless to say, the housing situation did not improve.
33
I own a 1-family home (in a neighborhood of 1 and 2 family homes) so I'm neither a landlord or a tenant. I'm only a spectator in the endless battles between landlords and tenants. As a homeowner I sort of sympathize with landlords but I have renter friends in the other boroughs who have horror stories. Many of my neighbors are former renters who got sick of crummy apartment buildings and awful landlords.
It's a complicated issue. It's expensive to maintain an apartment building in NYC and landlords have to able to cover their expenses and make a profit. Otherwise we will quickly return to the era of 1970s style housing abandonment.
A lot of property information is available on various NYC websites:
NYCDOB Building Info System - http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/bispi00.jsp
J-51 Exemption and Abatement -
https://www1.nyc.gov/site/finance/benefits/benefits-j51.page
421a Exemption -
https://www1.nyc.gov/site/finance/benefits/benefits-421a.page
7
The irony is that it’s single family home owners in high density areas and their influence on zoning through land use committees and community boards that have led to the affordability crisis.
It’s a rigged game to keep areas free of high density development aligned with rising property values. Developers complain of high land cost and labor expense to justify extreme number of units, building height, and atmospheric rents.
Looking out of the city for a moment, Westchester is a great case study in single family home owners defying the Federal government and getting away with it.
The fight over zoning has had the greatest influence on everyone’s expenses.
8
@South Of Albany Staten Island is not a high-density area, it has always been a low density borough. The entire infrastructure is geared to low density. The only large apartment developments are up on the north shore near the SI ferry. But those development are having problems renting out all their units.
There is nor will there ever be a subway connection to S.I. due to the costs involved. Eastern Queens is also low density for the same reasons.
My immediate area is zoned R3X which means only 1 or 2 family detached homes can be constructed. The high water table and limited water mains on the east and south shores of S.I. precludes any apartment building construction.
The NYC zoning system is convoluted but I still think it's better to defer to local residents in zoning matters. What does a Bronx councilmember know about S.I., and conversely what does an S.I. councilmember know about the Bronx? Nothing.
@NYC Taxpayer. Exactly, I said high density urban areas. Keep in mind SI property owners are benefitting from Brooklyn real estate appreciation and overflow. So, owners benefit even if they’re not landlords. And, you’re profit is directly affected by policy and the community boards in Brooklyn protecting highly valued land. I don’t really have an opinion on whether locals should control development. That’s tangential to my comment.
No, no and no. I lived in an apt. that had been renovated (?) and was formerly rent-stabilized in the East Village (12th St. between 1st and Ave. A). This was 1988. The rent was $730/month. I looked it up at the records at city hall & found the previous tenant had been payin g about half that. I know the percentages landlords can raise the rent for new tenants, repair work, etc. I have seen larger sinks in airliners. It was It was outrageous. I confronted the landlord with all my certified information. All he ever showed me was a carbon copy of a 2 sentence estimate for potential work. It did not have a contractor's name or any signature. It had obviously been quickly dashed out in his car, and even if it was useful (an estimate is not), he was required to show me a receipt (or receipts) for renovations. I was fyurious, and moved out long before my lease was up, and didn't pay him the last few months rent to make up for it. What I did was not proper protocol; one should go to Housing Court to get it lowered. Since I was there only a few months, it all worked out. Then, I was incredibly lucky: I was able to legally sublet a rent-stabilized apt. on Sullivan Street between West Houston St. & Prince St. (a great block). This was 1989. After 2 years, I got the lease in my own name, & lived there until 2000. When I moved in, rent was $420/month! When I moved out, it was only $480/month. The only drag the size: 250 sq. ft: Shower in the kitchen, loft bed, etc. It was still great.
1
The best rent I ever saw was friend of mine's who lived in a 160 square foot apt. That was 2/3 the size of my 240 square foot one. He lived on Thompson Street between Price and Spring. I was on Sullivan, a block over. My rent was under $400 & change/month for almost 11 years, ending in the year 2000 (not long ago). His rent was the lowest I have ever seen in Soho: About $140/month, & this was at the same time frame as me! Those are very, very few and far, far between.
1
"City officials said that H.R.I.’s claims are overblown."
Those same "city officials" are in the pockets of the real estate industry. And since the mayor, the governor, and the vast majority of New York City politicians, and the building inspectors are in the pockets of the real estate industry, it's good to read about lawyers like Aaron Carr.
And while Poppa Kushner is out of jail and back at his old criminal activities, Prince Jared, has inherited the throne and is one of the top slumlords in Baltimore.
39
I'm surprised the article doesn't include a link to the Housing Rights Initiative's web site. For the record, here's the link: https://housingrightsny.org
40
“New York State’s broken campaign finance laws have turned housing enforcement into a real estate protection system,” he said.
This is NY state politics and corruption in a nutshell. The RSA landlord group that is quoted in this article is the single largest lobbyist and campaign contributor in NY State. Although they focus on Republicans, any politician is a target to be bought off. The former IDC and countless others included.
The NY Times is doing a stellar job with the tenant crisis in NY city and state, and needs to keep up the good work. As a 20 year tenant of NYC, having spent close to a million in rent and trudging through 2 years of aggressive litigation with my landlord, I can definitely say there is a war on the ground. The legislators on all levels are responsible for this mess and raising awareness is most important.
Mr. Carr’s organization should be a city agency and not having to fight them. I will donate.
18
@South Of Albany
The largest real estate lobbying group that provides close to 70% of statewide campaign contributions is REBNY--the Real Estate Board of New York. REBNY is front and center in shamelessly promoting the questionable interests of its mobster members. Wining and dining politicians they stuff their pockets with campaign funds to further weaken rent stabilization legislation. They are the bullies, bums, and gangsters on the block.
The RSA is the deformed at birth sibling of REBNY who managed to survive its single handed near destruction of the Rent Stabilization system in its disastrous management that came close to upending the entire law due, once again, to their disdain for tenants.
Replaced by the equally corrupt and disgraceful DHCR (Department of Housing and Community Renewal) the state agency and sole regulator of the Rent Stabilization who unabashedly promote landlord fraud with impunity. Why the state tolerates this nasty and corrupt agency that endangers the entire rent stabilization system with decisions that misapplies the law in favor of landlords. The fact that the DHCR still oversees rent stabilization regulation is all you need to know about the state's collusion with the criminal interests of landlords.
The fastest way to improve the housing situation in NYC is to get rid of antiquated rent regulations. Boston did it years ago with very few ill effects.
8
@MikeJ 100% agree with you on this
2
But now we’re faced with too much luxury housing and not enough affordable housing...
8
100% disagree with you on this.
5
Having litigated against at least one of the lawyers quoted on Mr. Carr, I can tell you with 100% certainty that the phrase "very dangerous... with his tongue," is laughably hypocritical.
44
When I lived in a rent stabilized apartment, trying to get basic services like heat and hot water, was always a challenge. The landlord would do a dance around the building department's violation notices, and somehow, nothing would change. No matter how smart and resourceful you were, you just couldn't win as a tenant. Infuriating! Landlords who break the law must be prosecuted and jailed.
68
@BestPuns DotCom: How about fined, with interest starting the day after the fine is imposed & compounded daily (not hard with computers), with half the fine going to the tenant(s). The idea being the fines will be paid the day they are imposed. The tenants will receive half that money. If whatever caused the fine would be fixed immediately, because otherwise a new fine would be imposed the next day with interest........ Landlords could end up paying former tenants rent in luxury apartments in perpetuity.
Also, definition of ‘luxury’ apartments is in the eye of the owner, not beholder. One complex (called luxury) has 3 gas grills for the use of 200 apartments. The other has a pool, tennis courts, central air conditioning for 175, & is not called luxury. They only update an apartment when it is vacant. From the building through ‘upgrades’ only ‘in’ colors & materials are used. I know, I have an avocado bathroom (so 60’s). They do the same thing when redoing. Classy? They think so, but, only redo every 40-50 years. LOL.
1
I’m sick of this “checking the wrong box”excuse given to corporations that hire lawyers to submit legal paperwork. As someone that deals with the federal government, checking the wrong box could land me in jail.
87
Landlords should always follow the laws, especially regarding renovations when safety is an issue! Tenants should also follow laws. Is there any website that confirms tenant income or primary residency? Many lower income New Yorkers need and deserve rent stabilized apartments now occupied by high income folks who own housing elsewhere or can afford market rate prices.
18
@Donna Gray Punching down from Virginia eh? Why not devote your energies to getting rid of Confederate statues?
8
@Donna Gray You haven't described anything that comes close to law breaking on the part of tenants.
6
In fact there’s an entire industry of landlord lawyers in NYC to research primary residence. This is the primary reason landlords install surveillance cameras in front of tenants doors - to track comings and goings. Generally speaking, primary residence is where you sleep the majority of nights in a year.
As to income, that’s a requirement for lease renewal and lottery application.
But, please understand, the city’s concept of “affordable” housing is not what you think. Many rent stabilized apartments are vacant at this time simply because they’re too high priced.
We don’t have a housing crisis. We have an affordability crisis.
13