$620,000 salary in 2018 .. yeah, they're being killed.
14
"Mr. Nunez himself earned over $620,000 in 2018 as the director of Homes for the Homeless and its nonprofit affiliates, according to tax documents. At a heated meeting with elected officials on Dec. 19, he claimed to be surprised by the angry reaction to the closure and “questioned why these seniors can’t fend for themselves,” Mr. Hoylman recalled."
Talk about someone who Shouldn't be running a residential center for seniors!
I say ... just wait ... everyone's day comes (or most everyones') ... one Never thinks they'll get old and timid and overwhelmed by formerly simple* things ... but if live long enough, it comes.
(*And moving!! Not a 'simple' thing; ever.)
My heart goes out to these elders.
25
This is happening elsewhere, too. And the seniors affected seems to be pretty powerless. Below is an article about the same sort of change in Bellingham, WA. I became aware of the situation when an ad for the new hotel crossed my Facebook feed, and I realized that it meant my uncle had had to move and lose his community of friends. The losses of advanced age needn't be multiplied by heartlessness.
https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article223256855.html
14
America is not a good place to be old or poor. Not safe either. These days nobody’s safe from the “boot”
21
Maybe Bloomberg, who loves NYC, could buy this building and protect the residents. This is really an outrage, but happens a lot to seniors. Very sad.
34
We have failed as a society when we don't have appropriate policies in place to care for seniors, the most vulnerable population!
36
There has always been this false impression that non-profits are cash poor.
Most of the time it is because the Administration heads are paid gross amounts of salaries and perks
This appears to be the case here
Their should be an Independent audit of the Financials.
37
OK Democrats here is your time to shine and prove you can help those who need help. All I hear is promises on the national stage but yet in NYC where the Democrats have been in control for more than my lifetime you have seniors being evicted. Step up to the plate and make something positive happen here. There is more than enough taxation income to provide help here to those need it the most.
26
When Reagan was in office, a lot of elderly pensioners died, homeless. That is when this rent-control destruction strategy was enacted by the Republican party, and that is when the homelessness situation grew to epidemic proportions.
Remember that when you vote in November - just how depraved the so-called, self-proclaimed "moral majority" is - so low, they are defending the likes of Donald Trump now and have no qualms about kicking the elderly to the curb.
They've been doing it for your years, and, really, it's up to us to vote them out of office.
42
This story, in particular the info about the dude's salary, reminds me of the reason I'd rather deal with for-profit entities: I know what they're after.
14
Seems that it is the CEO who is mismanaging things that needs to be evicted.
34
Maybe Homes for the Homeless is "getting killed" by costs because of the ridiculous salary paid to Mr Nunez. It's hard to believe that with the need so great Riverview would be unable to fill its units. Before closing, why not get rid of Nunez and hire a CEO with at least some idea of how to market these units to the vast population of elderly New Yorkers who need assisted living?
31
A shameful abdication of the needs and basic human dignity of vulnerable people.
But then again what else is new? There isn't a whole lot going on in New York and in the United States generally these days that doesn't make me ashamed to be a New Yorker and an American.
21
"Why can't these seniors fend for themselves?"
Unbelievable.
29
:...he claimed to be surprised by the angry reaction to the closure and 'questioned why these seniors can’t fend for themselves...',” - well they can...on the street - have a nice day!
11
City or state should buy it. All these residents should be allowed to live out their lives in the building they call home. Kicking them out is the most heartless act, especially for those who already upended there lives to move there. Moving is always stressful. At their age, it is life threatening.
16
There are a lot more options out there that people need to check out, preferably at a younger age. When I was young child my parents divorced and my mother moved back home with her parents and my sister and I. It was a great situation with no concern about child care or babysitters and lots of time with grandparents. Now in my later years we have opted to move to a new state and share a big old house with our middle aged divorced daughter and her 27 year old daughter. The youngest gets the third floor space which she shares with her younger cousin when she comes to visit and she cooks for us at least once a week. My husband gets medical attention when he needs it from me or my paramedic daughter. We love the new city we live in and are making new friends. Best of all, I have a garden again. Before we made this decision we had tried an "independent living" apartment for seniors. Even as a non-profit the cost was over $5000 per month with one meal a day, and one could move to assisted living or full care in another wing of the building as needed (and at a higher cost). We found it stultifying, and were shocked at how long it took to fill any vacant apartments although there was a long waiting list. And there were far too many staff members being over paid for the work they actually did. Moving out was the smartest thing we did. The house does cost money to maintain, but it is an asset that has a chance of at least holding its value if not increasing.
11
Perhaps the scariest thing is that the lot currently in office is doing NOTHING to address this.
15
The management of the "nonprofit" Riverview who sold these poor folks a bill of goods should be arrested on criminal fraud charges. One man in the story moved in less than a month before receiving the eviction notice! The corporation owning the building knew full well they could not continue maintaining the place - or more likely - a real estate developer offered them a price that satisfies their greed. It would not surprise me if Riverview started trying to find a buyer the day they opened two years ago.
38
Welcome to what is facing the elderly in a capitalist society. We need to find a way to embrace democratic socialism if were are to embrace ideas about how we can support the elderly, the infirm, the disabled and the poor in humane ways with the financial base being shared across our society.
23
There are no affordable options for seniors to live in NYC or in any major metropolitan city.
Cities are trying to get rid of the elderly, the disabled, the poor and people of color.
And to pay $6,400 a month is a waste. For that amount of money, you can move to Panama, rent a 3 bedroom house, and have 24-hour nursing care and have a beautiful view.
31
this is a serious issue. my father lived in Atria at exorbitant rates until he passed away, AND we had to hire our own independent help since he needed 24/7 assistance. It really cost a small fortune. And, let me tell you, that building is not exactly luxury. The elevators broke regularly, the carpets were stained and the wallpaper peeled. Everything was too small, especially given all the extra space seniors need to get around. Plus, I found more than a few bugs. Still, it was the best option where I could actually regularly visit my father while knowing he was properly taken care of. This is not a good city for the elderly/terminally ill, and that needs to change.
26
Part of the issue is people can never see themselves in this positin when they are younger...say 40s to 60s or when they are in the best of health. My partner who is older than me by 8 years is in her early 70s- is healthy and for the most part has enough savings to live off unitl she dies, if she doesn't overspend. She loves to visit NYC and has always lamented that she could live there. Always being the practical one - I pointed out NYC is very expensive to live in and that it is not a city for the poor and/or old. That there are many who can barely afford a small studio. NYC and other large major cities are not kind to live in when you have no money and/or family to look after you in old age. I imagine there are many elderly people who NYC is not a Shangri La. I feel lucky that my partner and I have planned options as we age, like moving to a less expensive area and closer to relatives who can help us manage our finances and living situation as we further age.
11
It shocks me that there hasn’t been a NYC political candidate who runs on an anti- real estate platform yet. Real estate firms ( developers / brokers) have long run rogue in the city. This is long overdue.
39
@JCAZ DiBlasio actually sort of did that.
3
The issue appears to be incompetent, overpaid management, not seniors who have kept the heat too high. Then to question why these seniors can't fend for themselves??
For $620,000 a year, Mr. da Costa Nunez could muster at least the appearance of compassion. Competence is clearly beyond him. A basic understanding of cost accounting, projections including the amount of time it would take a project like this to achieve sustainable financials are not Economics 101. They are Business 101.
Economics 101 comes into play here. Basic supply and demand - reasonably prime real estate (already renovated) is in short supply. When demand exceeds supply, prices rise.
Thus by selling this property, da Costa Nunez does demonstrate an understanding of economics, business and self preservation -- business losses could lead to the loss of his job.
29
I was reading in a NZ online newspaper, yesterday, about how the most expensive rental property in NZ, is in Wellington, and it is no co-incidence that I read within the last year, another article, that said that the NZ Foreign Investment Department had given permission for some Chinese business or government, to buy university student accommodation building. The government should never have allowed that as foreign students will be given preference over local NZ students. There is only so much infrastructure can handle and too many foreign visitors and students are creating a housing shortage. There is no capital gains tax in NZ and it is new immigrants bringing in lots of money that are buying up everything, and foreign companies. These foreigners are creating problems for New Zealanders. Don't forget lots of foreigners go back to their own nations once they have got permanent citizenship and then cause these problems by using as Airbnb and for capital gains and there are no statistics kept of this. Stats also need to say how long the person has had citizenship. Don't forget a new immigrant will be counted as a USA or kiwi citizen. In NZ the stats say that only 30% of homeowners own one home. Lots of new kiwis are new citizens and there is a high money requirement to come to NZ. These new citizens are causing the housing shortage because they just invest the money in property and push up rents.
10
It's the same story that's happening in various forms all over America. My grandmother (who turns 100 in two weeks) was moved into an "assisted living" facility here in Austin, TX last July, expected to die within weeks. At the time, the rent for her 2 room + bath (not handicap accessible) was $3900 and included housekeeping a 3 meals per day + hospice care. My grandmother is unable to leave her bed, sit up, feed herself, or communicate. Her caretakers give her sponge baths and a home health care worker spends two afternoons a week with her. Her rent has now gone up to $5900 per month. This is not some high rise -- it is a one story building next to an elementary school where other families with no other places to go send their family member to run out their financial resources hoping they pass away before they have to turn to state care, instead. The staff are well meaning but untrained, the food is horrendous, and medical care left to a single nurse for the entire facility and - for those who qualify - "hospice" care.
Before this, my mother was my grandmother's full time caretaker. She was also taking care of my father full time, who is also in a critical health state / end of life. My mother, by he way, is 80 years old. Unlike my grandmother, my parents have no savings at all.
It will happen to most of us at one time or another despite our best decisions and intentions. I wish the election focused more on this issue.
53
These people are in independent living. The building does not handle assisted living or nursing care.
7
@Michael Blazin it doesn’t sound that “independent” if the residents are provided three meals a day. Someone will be looking at the list of services provided and the fine print.
7
I read so many articles like this and all I can say is "shame on us".
I am in the planning stages of moving my mother from her home in NY to my home here in Atlanta and balancing the need for her to maintain her independence and my need for her to do it safely. It is almost impossible to find affordable options.
39
Very sad story. With the cost of operating in NY City, I understand that non-profits struggle to maintain a building for retirees, but it is sad none the less as these are not people that can easily pick up and move on. Heartbreaking.
15
Another canary from the coal mines...
Old people. They're an expensive lot and from what I've read; Most of them, in the United States, are broke. These folks are now depended on the government for a good percentage of their income or depend on family members for most everything.
Insult to injury? They're living longer.
What's terrifying is that many of these older folks vote for people who exploit their situation. They also have the nerve to vote for expensive ballot measures that they have no income to pay for.
What's going to happen?
Multigenerational type thinking.
This is going to happen sooner than many of you are prepared for...
Much like what was happening before the 1950s. You will have numerous people, from across the age spectrum, living under one roof. Much like how those folks from the '70s show "The Walton's" did what they had to do. Those poor 1930s folks did not do this because they wanted to do it, but because they really didn't have any other choice.
Yet, this idea may ease some of our front page problems:
Older care expenses as the elderly will no longer be alone or lonely. Child care expenses. High cost of housings, education and food. The bonding with family members with its joys and pains that go with that scary idea.
The lasting result? Changing the very idea that all of us have this fundamental right to live far beyond our means without the ability to pay for it and without really understanding the consequences of our actions.
10
it is true that the elderly take a chance in renting at the end of life rather than owning. To "have" to make a move in your 70s or 80s or 90s does not make sense to me. We are well-past generations who did not and thought they would not live to very-old age.
Mrs. was 71 years old 20 years ago; 1999 or 2000. Then or earlier should have been the time to make "final" living arrangements. Those very-elderly who refused to move/plan/consider living arrangements for their possible advance years when they were still working (ages 57, 62, 68) or certainly before very-aged fragility sets in are, it seems, paying a high price (including dollars) in terms of emotional well-being at this, a more-vulnerable age.
4
These are people with the means to pay $4000/mo and they are suffering. How about the many more seniors living only on social security? With rents skyrocketing faster than social security can keep up, what happens when so many seniors can no longer keep up with their bills? I visited a homeless shelter for seniors in Manhattan recently. I know the answer to these questions.
50
We lived in a tri-plex in CA and the owner died. the new owners kicked us all out. We landed on our feet, as we are employed and middle aged, but it cost over $10K to get into a new appt and we had to get a roommate to cover the additional rent. We are fortunate, but our two elderly neighbors, both of whom lived in their apartments for over 40 years, did not fair so well. One is still "homeless" and sleeping in the back of her store. The other has to AirBnB the bedroom in her one bedroom flat to make ends meet. She sleeps on a sofa in an overpriced, dodgy rental that does not have consistent heat. It is completely legal and completely cruel that we essentially have no plan for lower income seniors. They cannot build community quickly in new places and may become depressed easily. We need to better for them, and for us, as we will be there one day.
29
The Japanese have a forest where people go to die. It's called Aokigahara, or the Sea of Trees and it's near Mount Fuji. I don't say this lightly, but it's where people go to commit suicide, or where the elderly or infirm go to die.
What are these elderly people to do, when our main interest is avarice and not the care of the old or infirm? Are they to go to Central Park and choose to die?
When do we choose "the common good" over a fat wallet of cash? These are our parents, aunts and uncles, friends and strangers.
Where has common decency gone?
61
The majority of elders are determined to leave their home feet first.Easier said than done..Like health care in general ,elder care in this country is a disaster unless you are wealthy.
Long term care insurance is complicated,extremely expensive and with some companies going bankrupt,a gamble.
Self pay can wipe out all your assets and still not be sufficient.
If you have very little or no assets,Medicaid would intervene and pick up the cost.
For the elders mentioned in the article it's also an emotional stress that nobody at that age needs
16
A director of homeless and senior operations who makes over $620,000 a year pretty much says it all. Complaining that elderly residents keep their apartments too warm means you have no idea how people live and what they need or how to run a business. Clearly this is about maximizing profits over people.
69
@Sam Right. That line was telling - and appalling.
3
American exceptionalism is meeting reality on so many different metrics. Societies repeatedly rise to the peaks of empire then slowly deteriorate. The United States is well down the slope. And please no sarcastic remarks about my adopted home, in almost every way a more pleasant place to live.
24
This isn't only happening in New York. Los Angeles has a similar problem, as I bet do all big cities.
Although the huge joke about New York City is that the occupancy rate of rentals is low. In a country where capitolism actually worked, this would mean falling housing prices. But not in America - the 1% can afford to ride it out, and would rather leave up to 50% of available rentals vacant instead of lower the rates and potentially help people at the same time; while still earning money.
Greedy, greedy, greedy...
28
@Greg G Where did you ever hear the occupancy rate of rentals is low? In Manhattan it has run 97 to 98% for a decade. Are you sure you don't mean vacancy? High vacancy would mean falling housing prices.
5
Young people moving to NYC that need to find a place to live where their jobs are can not find apartments
Seniors, long past the point where the need to live in NYC continue to occupy apartments because the want to live in NYC
It is need vs want
4
@Carol Asking people to move away because they don't have a"reason" to be where they are is not ok. Seniors have their friends, families, communities where they live and that is so important to well being in every way. Just because someone cares about seniors does not mean it should be at the detriment of other age groups. Young people have no more entitlement to "place" than middle aged or senior people. Good communities are diverse and diversity includes, gender, race, income, and age.
49
@Carol I assume you are aware that many seniors live in NYC because their families are there, because their friends and social contact are there, and because that's where they they grew up. That's as much of a "need" as anyone else wanting to live in NYC. Not all folks that live in NYC are transplants.
44
@Carol Maybe they stay in their apartments because those are their homes, in the communities where they have lived most of their adult lives. NYC has always had housing issues; because of rent control, people didn't just move to a new apartment for frivolous reasons. You found a good apartment and you stayed. I have friends who have lived in the same apartment for more than 40 years, despite other areas becoming "more fashionable" or newer developments being built. Are you actually suggesting an independent elderly person should move away from all that is familiar to them just to make it more convenient for some millennial to walk to work?
34
$4,000 a month for an apartment and 3 meals a day in Manhattan and they could only fill 35 of 82 units? I smell a rat.
99
How Americans treat the elderly.
21
An appalling lot of nonsense in the comments previous. NYC mayor and City Council, NY State legislators and Governor -- are you all asleep? FIND A SOLUTION...! NYS AG -- DO SOMETHING...!
And @Mark from Anchorage -- I can't wait for you to turn 95 to see how well you've done with your "own decisions."
22
Surely in this great city there are enough apartment dwellers with brand new refrigerators who can donate the cardboard boxes in which their appliances were delivered for use as temporary street-level dwellings until the weather turns and it's warm enough for these seniors to sleep out under the stars in Central (or Riverside) Park. C'mon, people: where's your civic pride?
21
Why are the rich and gentrification allowed to ruin everyone else' life?Ordinary people can no longer afford places to live because of this. Something has got to be done for regular folks.
38
They had DECADES to make arrangements. Every single person on this Earth makes their own decisions. There are consequences for those poor decisions.....my real empathy goes out to the whole generations of young people under 35 who never got a shot. The system was long ago rigged by the oligarchs so they wouldn't have a shot
2
@mark ...
What in the world does THAT mean?
33
@mark Are you aware that in this country, all it can take is one serious health crisis to burn through hundreds of thousands of dollars of savings? These people you speak of with such contempt are not the oligarchs you are criticizing.
8
If this residence is so fantastic and there is high demand and few options, why can’t they fill the space? I wished the writer had explained this better.
And having a month-to-month lease seems like a terrible idea for people at this age range. That strikes me as extremely risky.
25
"Mr. Nunez himself earned over $620,000 in 2018 as the director of Homes for the Homeless and its nonprofit affiliates..."
Ralph da Costa Nunez is running a non-profit? I don't think so.
37
$620k salary for a partially full building? Capitalism is supposed to reward performance, not incompetence.
Why isn’t The Riverview marketed to seniors on Long Island and in Westchester? Many wish to stay in the NY metro area after downsizing and would have adequate funds.
Fire Mr. Nuñez, pay his successor $125k base + an occupancy bonus, and invest the remainder in a targeted outreach campaign.
47
He’s getting paid $600,000 as the Chief Executive for a large organization. That’s almost certainly below market rate for NYC. The $125,000 you suggest is less than the starting salary for an MBA grad NYC. If you want charities to be well run, you need to adequately pay skilled people to run them.
9
@Jacob
Mr. Nunez does not appear to be adequately skilled to run that operation. And starting salaries for NYU MBA grads range from $49k-$117k.
19
@Jacob
If the guy cannot fill the building to capacity in this market I would say he is incompetent
8
We need two wage scales. Those with jobs in the private, profit-making sector should have wages set by the market or by compensation committees of people with similar jobs or whatever. Those with jobs in nonprofit sectors -- government, education, welfare -- should make much less, so that their jobs and careers are worth less in material terms but rewarded spiritually.
2
@sdavidc9 I grew up on a high school teacher's salary, and believe me, they do make less, and spiritual rewards don't put food on the table.
21
@sdavidc9 Strongly disagree with this. If people in nonprofits were paid better there would be more competition for those jobs and performance would be better overall. It would benefit everyone if people were rewarded for being good people and helping others. Most of those careers you mentioned require masters degrees which are expensive. People who get spiritual rewards still need to pay student loans, rent, utilities and all the other bills everyone else has to pay.
6
@sdavidc9 , I'm sorry, what? why is a teacher, lawyer or doctor working for the government or a nonprofit worth less than someone with the same education working in the private sector? The idea that a job should be compensated at a higher rate because the person in it is pursuing profit is part of what fuels the rampant inequality plaguing our society.
8
"The EastView, a new independent living facility that the Salvation Army just opened in Harlem, has space, but many residents felt it was too far from their families."
Riiiiight...too far from their families. Nothing at all to do with it being located in Harlem.
6
@NYStriker Buzz off....
4
@NYStriker
I have friends who live in Harlem by choice and they are educated with a reasonable amount of money. If you are not familiar with how Harlem has changed in recent years you need to visit more of your city!
3
Well, I just turned 72 - so another decade plus - I could find myself in a similar situation.
Luckily, I don't live in expensive NYC, but in Bogota where my penthouse of some 3,000 sq. Ft - a 10 year old building in their Upper East Side - costs one third as much.
And with staff - these costs are nowhere that of NYC.
I planned for this as living in an expensive city - to be brutal - what do you expect.
"..“but Economics 101 is Economics 101.”
And it sure is - regardless of how heartless or cruel it might be.
Not knowing exact economics of many of these folks - hard to say what choices await them.
And really, not for me to say.
But folks commenting below about capitalism etc - may want to remember that many of these seniors benefited handsomely from the American way.
4
@Neil
Ah yes I've got mine so too bad for you. A sad philosophy.
24
And these senior citizens are being kicked out for what? More luxury housing? Who needs that? I thought there was a recent article in this same paper about 1/4 of new luxury condos still waiting for buyers...
18
@Mary
Agreed. How about relocating a whole lot of seniors to one of those buildings?
7
End stage capitalism as espoused by Denethor: "Now go and die in what way seems best for you...(as long as it is either in a manner that turns me a profit, or that I cannot see or know of).
15
Our profoundly immoral Trump caused this to happen. He is in real-estate and by allowing him to charge 13,000 a month for rent and millions for homes watch out middle class and lower income. The GOP will make laws to remove you from your homes even if you are 100 and on a stretcher. That is why the Evangelicals called Trump profoundly evil. Lock him up.
7
@D.j.j.k. You got that wrong. The evangelicals “Christians” voted Trump into office. And still support him.
2
Shame on America.
18
Well, those old people need to get out and find honest work. Coddle them, and who is going to pay Mr. Nunez's modest salary?
41
Probably building for wealthy Asians and all those other millionaires and billionaires from third world countries that the USA gives foreign aid to, who come to USA once a year for a holiday; or for their kids to stay in while they're at school/university. When it comes to ghost apartments and houses it is all about Capital Gains. As my parents used to say when the government they didn't like was in power; only buy freehold land with fee simple title as they can even tell the Prime Minister to get off your property.
11
@CK "... Probably building for wealthy Asians and all those other millionaires and billionaires from third world countries that the USA gives foreign aid to, who come to USA once a year for a holiday...". Statistics? Data? Absent facts, your comment, CK, reeks of bigotry.
3
@Tamar Not bigotry - just the plain, honest truth. And it's a catch 22 situation because if the government doesn't keep statistics on what ethnicities and what countries, the owners of these properties, live in, then you cannot prove it. No government stats on this, then you can't prove or disprove this fact. Absentee landlords/ladies are a problem all around the world. And not having closed property markets, and stricter rules for foreign buyers, have caused this problem all around the world.
8
It can't continue to be just about profit on the 21st century Earth. There are ethical and moral considerations involved.
A judge should create a time frame within which the non-profit's books are examined for fraud and efforts are made to raise funds to protect the tenants.
If one million Americans gave $5 each, problem solved. Try 'Go Fund Me' and I think miracles can happen.
7
@HoodooVoodooBlood
The reason this place failed was (supposedly) due to a lack of people opting to live there, because it wasn't designated assisted living. Unless it becomes designated assisted living, the same problem would return when that $5 million was exhausted, which wouldn't take long at all. This place needs a professional running it, not an annual charity miracle.
7
@Jrb If there's a will, there's a way Jrb. Do you have the will? Did you read the part of the article where the man responsible...Nunez took a salary of $608,000? Kind of smells bad for a on-profit, doesn't it?
8
It's the government that allows foreigners to buy and sell property in your nation for capital gains. It's up to the law making legislature to bring in new taxes to stop property speculation by wealthy foreigners and absentee owners who'll only occupy the property when on holiday or their kids are at school/university. Maybe bring in a new tax on absentee owners who don't occupy the building as a permanent home as it is creating accommodation shortages for locals. Also bring in a huge tax to discourage residential buildings from being used as Airbnb. Airbnb is a commercial use of a property and not residential use.
29
@CK Absolutely agree. This approach has been adopted and has been working in Vancouver, BC for several years now.
11
I doubt it is constitutional in US to tax foreigners surcharges. The only taxes that pass muster are non-resident taxes. It is not a question of being empty X days. It is whether the owner does not pay other taxes, usually on income, that fund other services for owners. Or says the justification. Florida and Michigan do it that way. Non-resident taxes on property scoop up mostly US citizens though.
@Michael Blazin
there are many countries, including New Zealand, where foreigners are not allowed to buy property.
4
The naïveté and ignorance displayed in some of these comments is regrettable.
- The facility is owned by a nonprofit that is LOSING money operating it. It can't sustain those losses - no organization can, be it for-profit or nonprofit.
- It's made a wholly rational decision to terminate the operation as an assisted-living facility and sell it to some who an operate it without losing money.
- It's alternatives would have been to raise the rental rates for the residents, which would likely be unsustainable for them (forcing many to leave), or ask the city to subsidize it (no chance of that happening).
No organization can continue to exist in the face of persistent, mounting financial losses.
10
@Stratman Losing money but yet the director makes $620k a year, hrm
18
@Stratman I wonder if they are losing money as the man who gets paid $628,000 a year said or if they are seeing their profits be reduced. I suspect the latter. Something about this doesn't smell right to me.
11
@Stratman
People over profits.
They happily took their money with the hopes of making a profit. They invited them in and now they can humanely and with great care lose some more money while these folks are given time and assistance as they transition to someplace else.
And your observations narrowly, stubbornly choose to ignore the big picture and only focus on the transactional aspects of this event. These people's options are limited at best and no one cares. That's the real story.
13
The rich, who are cherry picking properties for gentrification, should be required to pay a tax equivalent to the housing and relocation costs for each elderly person kicked out of their apartment in addition to fees for moving and refurbishment. The taxpayers are essentially subsidizing millionaires who then turn around and wriggle out of paying taxes. Crapitalism, the Trump way.
34
@Dr. Conde The building in question is an assisted living facility owned by a nonprofit, not a wealthy developer.
3
@Stratman I think the issue is who will the non-profit sell to? Should the buyer who likely will not be a non-profit, be required to assist the residents in relocating? Particularly if the buyer has benefitted from taxpayer subsidies to develop high rent housing?
7
@MrsWhit No, why should the buyer of the property have any responsibility for that? They're buying a piece of real estate, not someone else's notion of a "moral obligation".
5
A similar thing happened in Tacoma. A church run retirement home "sold" residences for the lifetime of the tenant. They then decided that they could make more money with the space by a different model and are moving the residents out. Some are fighting. The management says that they are moving the residents within the facility, still giving them residence for life. The seniors had chosen their spaces and want to live in their patio homes with outdoor space, not an enclosed building. Still pending.
Why are contracts only enforceable for companies and not individuals?
21
This is a non-profit and they’re losing money running the facility. How does suing them make things better? The only possible outcome would be forcing them to close their other facilities that serve the homeless, provide summer camps to low income kids and other senior homes.
3
Some of the residents had lost earlier apartments when they were sold to build luxury apartments. Are there enough millionaires and billionaires to rent or buy all these thousands of luxury apartments being built? From the articles I've read, whether it is New York, London, or Paris, half of these luxury apartments sit empty.
23
We have lost our humanity and are heading towards a dystopian future.
41
@Dharma
You mean there's more? I thought we were already there!
Seriously, it's been a lousy week.
2
Capitalism. Ain't it grand?
35
Just capitalism at work. I intend to avoid a similar fate and my personal elder care plan is based on the one used by the Inuit people.
With the rapid breakup of glaciers in Greenland and the splitting of the Antarctic ice sheet, it's becoming ridiculously easy to locate a suitable ice floe.
43
@Gp Capt Mandrake : Hey, that's sorta my plan too! Walk out on the ice with a bottle of gin. Hopefully the polar bears will eat me quickly. I hear they're hungry.
10
This would appear to be an updated version of what various early societies do with their elderly: send them off to fend for themselves in the woods, knowing that they will not survive for very long. A non-profit that does not fill its apartments seems to be looking for an excuse to sell the property for a large profit. The people running the non-profit will probably get far more than their ample salaries from the developer who buys the property.
33
The guy in charge gets $620K, only half the units are let, and a number of elderly people who should not have to be uprooting themselves are being forced to do so. This is a disgrace, and the people who run this so-called non-profit should be under investigation. Now that the Trumpsters have been fined for their charity scam, perhaps the relevant authorities could train their sights on this scandalous situation instead.
69
Why not move out of NYC where everything is so expensive ? Face facts, not everyone can afford to live there. There are hundreds of options in the NE area and you will have much more disposable income, because the rent will be half of what you are now paying. It doesn’t take a genius to figure this out.
10
@Susan Dallas Most of these people have lived in the city their entire lives and want to stay near family. AND this article is talking about a lot of people in their 80's and 90's. So move away from your family and the few friends you have left? It should not have to be this way.
50
@Susan Dallas
Come back when you’re 90 after being forced to move 30 miles away from a place that was near your friends and family and where you were told you could live out your days - and tell us how it is living in isolation away from from friends and family - not to mention your doctors and all that is familiar.
Oh - and how about the move itself!?!
Please. Can’t wait to hear what you’d have to say then.
Or does simple fairness/ decency mean nothing?
41
@Susan Dallas
Susan, you are probably under 30 years old to think this way.
13
Economics 101 hasn't seemed to affect Mr. Nunez's $620,000 pay, while the nonprofit he heads has allocated its resources away from its supposed beneficiaries. The fish stinks from the head.
67
If Riverview is not renting at full capacity, why can't they rent out the empty apartments to non-seniors at market rate?
That should certainly help with any shortfall.
58
@Karen : I bet they get some sort of tax break for running an affordable senior facility that prevents them from doing what you suggest. But forcing all buildings to reserve some small percentage of their apartments as affordable housing is an idea worth exploring.
18
Judge a society by how it treats its children and its elderly.
54
@Imperato It doesn't matter what you or I "judge" society to be. Suppose we find it wanting, we do not have the power to change it, and those that do care not about our "judgement" -- only about maintaining their power and wealth. There isn't any effect on them.
1
@Imperato I thnk we are afiling at both, sadly.
If there is any real estate that needs tax breaks and hand outs, it’s real estate that caters to seniors.
31
This is a problem that will only get worse, as the first members of the massive baby boom generation move into old age. Residents of expensive urban areas will be the hardest hit, as this piece demonstrates, because housing is so expensive. And senior housing follows the market. How many people can afford $7,500 and up a month?
Cities, counties, and states need to start planning before this becomes a disaster like virtually everything else in our individualistic, me-first culture. Homeless 90-year-olds is not a good look for America--heartlessness on display for all to see.
45
These elderly need to move out of the city. Yes, urban living is very expensive, so if you can’t afford it you need to live elsewhere.
9
Reality check - most 90 year olds don't drive cars any longer. And all are in need of regular medical care, something increasingly unavailable outside urban areas.
77
@Susan Dallas what a heartless worldview. Sorry, elderly, cities aren’t for you! You don’t get to live out your lives near your family, in a walkable place with mass transportation, and access to performing arts. People gotta make money, and your life just doesn’t matter as much as that.
I’m glad this story is getting attention. What a nightmare for these folks and their families.
178
New York City has definitely been on its way to becoming a place no one can live in without owning. And even then, the predatory developers are on the look out.
32
@Barbara saw an article about the taxes paid on For Sale homes in Jersey and New York. I think even at an advanced age I think I would consider moving somewhere less expensive. Ask the Salvation Army what is available through them in surrounding states?
2
Seniors need to get out of coastal urban areas if possibility exists their finances will not be sufficient for urban living. Do it while your finances are good and you have the health to physically make the change. Counting on a landlord in an area of rapid changes for the rest of your life looks very, very risky. If in NYC, go somewhere upstate. If your family is a two hour drive away, that is close enough.
7
And be far away from old friends and family? Yeah. Let’s send the elderly out to pasture.
18
This is why families need to plan. Plan for all the contingencies.
15
@Suburban Cowboy Blaming the victim? How about support for affordable housing?
20
@Suburban Cowboy of these residents can afford 4 or 6k a month, they certainly planned for their old age and contingencies.
The razing of Riverview is the result of greed and a non profit manager who makes over 600K a year. Let's do away with malfeasance and corruption first.
26
@Marymary28
$620K annually and he frankly doesn't sound all that bright. My mom had a manager at a group home who was really dedicated and I really loved and I doubt was making 1/10th of what this fool makes. Sometimes there's just no justice...
11
How about The City buy this building and leave rents more or less alone?
If the mayor's wife can squander $850 million that was supposed to be used for education and showed zero results The City can do this.
55
This is the state of America
The country refuses medical care to the needy, throws seniors and veterans out in the streets, buses the homeless out of town and gives tax cuts to the wealthiest. Speechless...
208
@Bellstar Mason And imaginary Gods bless us?
4
Non-profits are ruining the cities. $620,000 for an Executive Director who has no clue on how to run this place?! Homeless people or mental health patients are not able to fight for themselves but what out when you mess with seniors!
49
I think this is the most important point. What was he doing?
10
@Gail
Yep. If they wanted to hire someone with zero qualifications and knows nothing about how to run anything and pay that person big bucks they can hire Hunter Biden, the son of a guy who will never be president.
2
@MIKEinNYC
Poor Mike.
Let. It. Go.
4
Whoa! All the outrage!! The culprit here is OBVIOUS. Only 35 of 82 apartments rented!!! Why is that???
There is hardly a building anywhere in the entire country that will be able to pay its bills for very long when there are more vacant apartments than rented ones!!! Seems to me in Manhattan, where apartment availability always seems to be “tight” except for the mega rich, all the apartments in this building should have been snapped up from day #1. So why are 47 apartments vacant????
Also, I don’t know if Mr. Nunez “earns” his $620K yearly salary or not. That’s another question. But even if his entire $620K salary was applied to the building’s financial obligations, the building would still be financially doomed with so many vacant apartments. The building might survive a little longer, but it would go under anyway with all those vacancies!
So let’s not be distracted by what may be an exorbitant salary from the big question: Why are so many apartments vacant? After all, that’s the source of building income that’s needed for a financial viable building!!
56
@SAH
Maybe this was the plan all along? Wouldn't be surprised.
16
@C
I wouldn’t be surprised either. They “warehouse” the apartments (don’t rent them for various reasons)and that makes it “more acceptable” to sell the building.
But, it also could be other reasons why there is this huge vacancy. I won’t jump to conclusions because I have zero facts to make any conclusions from.
4
How's that Free Market thing working for us? Is it protecting the environment? Is it creating affordable housing? Do we have affordable health care? The game is set up for the grifters and they are having a field day. And all De Blasio does is sit o his hands and smile.
48
Go to Brighton Beach and ask former Soviet subjects if a centrally controlled economy works better than the free market.
6
@Andy Deckman And with Andy's comment, we will conclude today's object lesson on "false dichotomy." Please join us later today for Andy's next lesson: how to parrot silly right-wing talking points.
2
The cost of da Costa costs way too much! How is a “non-profit” for the homeless paying the honorable Mr. Nunez over $600,000 a year? Someone should investigate him and his family who are all most probably skimming from the “non-profit” they’ve been entrusted with.
39
Calling all billionaires who can't possibly spend all their money. Here's some good you can do. Step up and do it!
43
And this is the reason why I left NYC. It is not just about seniors, but everyone. Regardless of age, anyone in NYC, except millionaires and billionaires, are at risk of losing their apartment. It can be because of a rise in rent or in maintenance fees if one owns the apartment as a condo or co-op. Or it could be because the building is sold. It's not only stressful to find and apartment and come up with the money to pay for rent, it is the fear of how long can one keep an apartment and what will happen when thrown out into the street. It's unfortunate as well that the elderly can no longer live within a family structure as it used to be.
36
A lease is a lease, not a deed (unless it’s stabilized in which case it’s effectively the deed). And NYC has the most tenant friendly laws in the nation.
9
@Andy Deckman which is why the management limited the leases in this building to 'month to month' instead of getting the designation as senior housing which would have given seniors those "tenant friendly" protections.
16
@Andy Deckman
Sorry, but that’s Berkeley, CA; not NYC.
1
After being compensated with nearly $700,000 last year in a job that I suspect innumerable qualified people would have been happy being paid a sixth of that, the organization that employs Mr Nunez is now crying poverty.
Where have we heard of such economics before? Oh, well, the examples in American business are too numerous to cite here. Those economics have, in fact, become American business, notably analogous to companies receiving huge tax cuts from Trump and the Republicans, advertised as a priming pump poised to generate new jobs and he higher workers’ salaries, only to be directors toward stock buybacks and bonuses for top executives.
The shadow of archfiend Snidely Whiplash has always draped itself over the American landscape as a rogue threat, but now it is the American landscape, where little light, or hope, is allowed to penetrate.
33
@A.L. Hern
Sounds like all of corporate America. Ge had two trillion in revenue over ten years yet paid no taxes.
16
@Ralph Petrillo Did you know taxes are paid on pre-tax income, not revenues?
Also, where did you get your information? A cursory look at my Bloomberg shows GE had cumulative tax expenses of $15.3 billion from 1/1/2010 to 9/30/2019.
#FactLiesMatter
The real mystery in this story is the high vacancy rate in this building, which is the main reason Homes for the Homeless gives for selling -- it is not consistent with the other theme of the article of a severe shortage of housing options for seniors. And why did H for H lose its city contract to operate the building as a family homeless shelter? I'd like to see a bit more digging into the background story.
180
Re-read for mention of availability in ‘too far away’ Harlem and other places. There is indeed a housing crunch for low/middle income seniors - as the reporter laments - but at $4k/mo for an apartment with housekeeping/meals, that’s not what this is. Lots of red herrings here. Barking up the wrong tree.
8
This is the current state of existence for the last two decades due to politicians that allowed the real estate industry to get tax breaks to build housing only for millionaires and billionaires. Hudson Yards got a $6 billion dollar tax break to build housing for the wealthy and offices fir the wealthy. Raise taxes in NYC on the wealthy immediately to help subsidize those in need.
Since this won’t happen they need to find a partner or partners and share.
Well they should share a studio that costs 6400 a month . Then it is only $3200 each.
Or better yet find a three bedroom for $6000 a month and have four share it at a cost of $1500 each. Then hire a maid twice a week and a full time nurse assistant. Individuals need to create their own path to survive with the existing government.
10
@Ralph Petrillo
Easy to say, reality is harder, especially so for seniors while independent they still need its of help with the constant barrage of people out to fleece them.
In good faith they moved into this building; it is a senior building with no shortage of seniors in need of housing; it is criminal for NYC to allow a sell of the falsehood of occupancy difficulties. These persons are being taken advantage of; it could happen to any of us.
14
@Ralph Petrillo Good idea but less than workable for "super-seniors". A situation like this would still need some management infrastructure. Sudden vacancies will arise... Seniors pass, may require long hospital stays, etc. Also, contracts and billing for "staff" need to be centrally paid and managed.
3
@Ralph Petrillo
"...politicians that allowed the real estate industry.."
Possibly "politicians paid for and working for..." might be more accurate? Just asking.
3
The US electorate made a political decision long ago to let care for the elderly be run by the market. Where the market fails, the system allows non-profits to step in instead of the State. So it puzzles me that everyone is so worked up by the clear ramifications of this long-established public-policy approach. Is it that people do not understand the ramifications of their elected choices? Or is it that the minority electorate i represented in the NY Times comments section?
11
Commenters do not appreciate the nuance because the reporter did not provide the context. This is a human interest story - about older folks and involving big bad real estate - so the outrage antennae are fully extended. Many do not seem to understand the difference between independent senior living and nursing homes.
7
These people should be allowed to stay put.
18
This is just wrong. Disgraceful, shameful and wrong.
29
Nunez earned >$620,000 in 2018. THAT tells me EVERYTHING I need to know about his so-called "non-profit!" Pathetic!!
118
Unless you own your home in NYC this is what can happen, Bloomberg started this roll to turn my beautiful/creative/quirky city that was middle class into a Epcot center for the Uber rich and tourists. NYC has totally lost it soul.
79
Nah, it has been exceedingly expensive for decades, so not Bloomberg’s fault.
I still recall visiting a friend’s 23 year-old college grad brother living with a roommate in order to better afford the $2,000/mo rent for a not-that-nice and fairly small 1-bedroom — in 1987!
31
@NYer In 1963 I rented a two bedroom walkup on 109th St. between Broadway and Amsterdam for $61.40 a month. The landlord lived in the building which was kept clean by a Pennsylvania Dutch couple. Granted, it was a rent controlled apartment old enough to have gas jets on the wall and a wooden tank above the toilet, but it was perfect for a newly wed couple. I used to love NYC, but now it's a rich man's gated community.
33
@Bill Lombard
Bloomberg? Is not known for investing in properties; Trump visions himself as a property magnet in NYC; hey did you hear how he boosted rates to fleece Republicans stepping in his property in FL; some would call that a QuitProQuo
8
President Trump and Jared know a lot about kicking people out of apartments.
They should meet with the people at Riverview and explain to them that there are always "good people on both sides."
46
@A. Stanton Well said
2
"Mr. Nunez himself earned over $620,000 in 2018 as the director of Homes for the Homeless and its nonprofit affiliates, according to tax documents." Maybe he needs to be fired and fend for himself.
42
While there are not enough affordable assisted living options in New York, there are some. They are referred to as Assisted Living Programs and Medicaid provides coverage.
It's also important for consumers to know that whether it's affordable assisted living or more higher end assisted living, they are licensed by the NYS Department of Health and there are strong consumer protections in place, including closure. Those protections are not available in independent senior living. For more information on licensed assisted living, visit www.esaal.org.
16
This is a perfect example of what’s wrong with the entire country. The haves haven’t a clue about those who have not. It’s sacrilegious. It’s a moral crime. It’s shameful. New York City is a microcosm of the country. This type of situation must be fixed because they are breaking the country down. Mr. Nunez, what do you have to say for yourself? Do you sleep well? What can you do to better this situation?
17
New Yorkers -what does it take for your full engagement in the revolving door of predatory Nursing Home owner/operators dumping vulnerable old residents/patients out of their homes?
This Riverview 'flip' is merely more of the same...whether Rivington House...CABS Bed-Stuy...Prospect Park Residence...& many other long term care facilities -they've ended up being stewarded by de facto REAL ESTATE developers. They are coming to a block near you as you age & as you or your loved one needs somewhere to go!
So, after Medicaid rip-offs by LLC 'operators' & dangerous understaffing...after psychotropic overmedicating and tsk tsk overlooked infractions...the coups de grace is to dump elders in their last home on earth. And we let them get away with it?
The decades-long reprehensible m.o. is abetted by corrupt politicians beginning with the Governor & his shameful DOH Public Health and Health Planning Commission. Lackey Albany legislators continue to take $ from powerful Nursing Home Lobbyists...with eviction notification allowed-as part of the regulations to be 1 month to pack one’s bags?!
Why wouldn't these building be flipped to the highest bidder? Yes...don’t look to DC for cruel and unusual punishment of the frail & infirm...check out our own local co-opted NYS/NYC ‘progressives’ who have no conscience-just exactly like those they unashamedly condemn.
9
This is independent senior living - not a nursing home. They are very different
7
@Andy Deckman While they are 'technically' distinct and parsed to protect the owner/operator-this is a distinction without a real difference. Check out Riverview's own PR hype...luring the most vulnerable to move there-an excerpt: https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/a-new-definition-of-home "Nestled on the West Side of Manhattan, Riverview offers an Independent Living facility for seniors. The facility provides visiting doctors, nurses and podiatrists, delivery of medication and housekeeping..."
Sorry Andy...this is bait and switch of the most reprehensible kind...the invitation to elders who obviously need to rely on on-site healthcare support-and then cast aside to be discarded as monetized objects-must not be parsed as 'okay'. Equally, 'legal' business privileges-no matter how evil the consequences-given a pass on a 'technicality' must be stopped. It's on us to call it out and fire legislators that think it's perfectly all right. No Andy-it is not.
8
A hotel also provides for visiting doctors, delivery of medications and housekeeping. People that need care can not live in independent seniors residences. You transition from one to another to another. May places have areas that handle independent, assisted and nursing. Those areas while co-located are separate. Independent senior living is essentially a safe place, with all passages designed for elderly, that serves meals, provides for recreation, and that does not allow children except as visitors. That is what you get for your four thousand a month. The moment you are not truly independent, you have to leave.
1
if they weren't responding to inquiries because they knew they were selling and at the same time kept re-signing current tenants only to keep some funds flowing in only to tell them at the kast minute they have to leave then that's an issue. Maybe not illegal but highly unethical and should prompt an investigation.
53
@Sean Yes, an investigation that will be stonewalled by our wonderful lawyers for decades. Same as the Trump impeachment, that's why the Democrats avoided the courts in subpoenaing witnesses. The lawyers on the Trump team would prevent any testimony until well past the next election. Welcome to the legal profession in America.
5
The building doesn’t belong to the tenants, and there’s no lease being broken (unless reporter failed to mention), so what’s with the outrage? This is independent living - meals, housekeeping and ‘some social events’. Yes they are old but let’s acknowledge the level of need.
This is the most competitive real estate market in the United States and there’s a comparable facility with availability in Harlem even if it’s ‘too far.’
This property has been open less than two years - no track record of sustaining itself, but tenants thought it would be around until kingdom come?
The rents here are $4k/mo. Save your outrage for the truly needy.
When SCRIE isn’t even mentioned, it’s clear this is not in depth reporting but rather a human interest story.
12
If I had to pick sides, I will pick the elderly who are being displaced. Anybody that purchased a property like this where people need to be displaced to complete the transaction should be made to wait as long as necessary to the benefit of the elderly tenants. Damn the markets. The city probably makes it worse by tax abatement on luxury new condos while charging exorbitant property taxes to older buildings. Where is the justice here.
35
If only we knew of someone who is a wealthy New York developers and realtor who had the resources to help these people.
20
And people hate physicians because they make too much money? I am a physician and don't make even a significant fraction of what Nunez rakes in each year from his so-called non-profit. Time for the New York State AG to take a look at this guy and his organization.
295
@BA
Exactly! My husband is a physician, and any 25-year-old with an MBA earns more than he does. Meanwhile; he works a horrendous number of hours under horrible stress and spends many hours every day arguing with insurance company bean counters, then many hours each night doing paperwork. Add in the weekends he must work and also most holidays, and he has essentially no life.
91
@Susan L. A similar irony characterizes the lives of our teachers. The people who do the most good are often the least valued. American way.
109
And don’t get me started on how little most masters- and even PhDs in social work make — many still under $50k/year and often with similarly stressful and all-consuming jobs. And, truly, there should be skilled and knowledgable social workers involved in planning and operating and overseeing (as in, on the board) assisted living communities. Doing so might have saved the project community in question. Assuming, that is, that the CEO making well more than half a million dollars annually and his board of directors/investors didn’t plan and plot for the project to “fail” or negligently allow it to do so in order to justify the en-masse sale of the entire property at a significantly-increased market value rate.
39
Sell the building, but the new owner should be required to let these people remain, and provide the same services.
113
This is shameful and we need to do better as old age will meet all of us if we are so lucky. I think the CEO needs to get out of this industry - he’s making close to $1 million a year in salary - salaries are often the highest expense for any business and he says the residents have the heat too high!.. and other expenses are killing them?.. like food?, a necessity at any age. Has he tried to trim expenses a bit before selling?.. and they can fend for themselves?..unbelievable
101
"...the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life; the sick, the needy and the handicapped. "
~Last Speech of Hubert H. Humphrey
302
@Dominique —
Thank you. Such an apt quote! Our government is failing by these measures. Hubert Humphrey would be appalled.
20
So well said. Thank you for that quotation.
11
@Dominique And by this fundamental moral test the United States has failed many times over.
14
Maybe Mike Bloomberg can write a check to cover these folks increased tab for the next 10 years or so. He'll have to cancel a few TV ads, but it would be a nice gesture.
152
Better yet, ask the Real Estate Developer in Chief, currently living off the tax-payers’ dime, to pony up the money!
Failing that, maybe the CEO and board of directors members selling the building. With a base salary of well over 1/2 a mil, he can afford to help them out too.
28
@Richard In three years Donald Trump has spent 130 million taxpayer dollars flying around to play golf.
16
Bloomberg could set up a foundation to buy the building & fund the annual operating costs.
1
Um, Mayor DiBlasio, if you could bail out a historic bar in Woodhaven, Queens, surely you could step in and save this facility and its elderly residents from being homeless, no?
323
"Mr. Nunez himself earned over $620,000 in 2018 as the director of Homes for the Homeless and its nonprofit affiliates, according to tax documents. "
It's certainly profitable for him. Someone needs to audit this group and see if it's truly a Nonprofit, or if it's just a tax dodge.
275
I don't trust nonprofits. In lieu of declaring profits many of them pay high salaries to the principals.
40
@Arthur Weiler
That kind of salary is outrageous, and needs to be investigated. Is there a Board of Trustees for this nonprofit? The fact that his salary didn't flag up before now makes me wonder what other nonprofit leadership are making while working with NY's homeless population. There also needs to be an investigation into why new tenants were being recruited for a building that was up for sale.
100
@Arthur Weiler Apparently Director of Homes for the Homeless, a position which pays him more than $620,000 per year, isn't Ralph da Costa-Nunez' only job.
Ralph da Costa-Nunez also has a side gig: "Dr. Nunez holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University where he has served as Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs since 1980. He is the Editor of the international Journal of Children and Poverty...."
30
This is what our profoundly immoral Trump supports and the GOP leaders. Plenty of money for wars lavish 3 million a weekend trips us taxpayers are spending on Trump and not enough money for nursing home care. The religions in America must support tossing mom and dad into the street if they support Trump and his meanness.Very sad
61
@D.j.j.k.
Love him or hate him, this has nothing to do with Trump. Not every problem in America is Trump's fault.
Cuomo pulled the same tactic a few weeks ago, pretty much blaming Trump for the stabbing at a local yeshiva, when it was clear the suspect had no political motivation at all.
7
"Mr. Nunez himself earned over $620,000 in 2018 as the director of Homes for the Homeless and its nonprofit affiliates..."
This is the little-known dirty secret of when social service agencies own real estate.
84
The $620,000 paid CEO of the “non-profit” ought, with fellow high-paid execs and board members/trustees of the organization, reduce their own salaries and give meaningful amounts of money from the market-rate sale of the property to the elders who were or are being displaced. It sounds like those executives and board members were somehow negligent in their planning and deceptive/manipulative in their promises to actual and prospective residents and their families.
Someone adissionsally should look into whether the “non-profit” organization or non-residents affiliated with it somehow gamed the system in order to reap tax and other benefits while building/upgrading or operating the property, perhaps with a plan to later sell at (higher) market rate.
53
In America where the average Social Security benefit in 2020 is $1,503 a month and the maximum is capped at $3,011 a month, these seniors represent a select segment of American retirees. The ones with adequate finances signifying the receipt of income from pension plans and investments, those sources having become necessary to supplement Social Security. And adequate is the key identifier here as it reveals that the elderly dependent on Social Security as their only income are living in poverty. The senior housing complex these people are being forced to leave by greedy real estate investors is representative of the type of housing for retirees offered nationwide. Requiring a retirement income, considering level of amenities and services offered, somewhere in the range $40,000 to $60,000 a year. And up.
30
I'm surprised at the surprise voiced by some that Riverview couldn't make a go. An "independent living" building for nonagenarians sounds on its face a bad idea. Some of these seniors left their former apartments out of concerns over aging. If that's the issue, then what good--really--is a lateral move to a building with meals? The falls, the increasing dementia, the medication management--these require the regulated space of "assisted living," not 1940s-style hotel living. I've seen over and over and over: both the elderly and their older-middle-aged children are often mired in denial.
22
@Blair People are looking for what they can afford and hoping for the best. Even if you can live 5, maybe 10 more years and not require more assistance would save the renter plenty of money. The fact that they may need more help down the road doesn't change the fact that there are very few affordable options. The fact that they can just be thrown out on the street with little notice is troubling. NYC housing laws protects most renters against such treatment. If my landlord sells the building, the new landlord can't just toss us all out. A "charitable institution" should be held to these same laws. PS: $ 620,000/year salary for the person running the charity? Who is actually benefiting the most from this charity? i wonder what the rest of the salaried personell make?
136
@jd We see it time and time again: highly paid executive staff while the staff in the trenches are paid very little
11
@jd I stipulate to everything you write. My point--based on years of experience--is that it is at best irresponsible and at worst willfully delusional to talk about "years" of independent living for nonagenarians. There is much to criticize in the current tragedy. My point was one about the initial reasoning that went into opting for this arrangement. I promise you that too many families are out there living in a fantasy world.
8
With fixed costs and such a low occupancy rate (roughly 35 of 82), it is not surprising that the building is being converted. Low occupancy, no lease (month-to-month rent), apparently little effort to recruit new renters, none bode well for continued operation.
14
From the Riverview Assisted Living site:
"Bringing you the best in senior living with no lease..."
"No Lease." That alone is scary. A lease can be a burden, but it can certainly be a protection for the tenant.
What claim does a month-to-month tenant in NYC have, then?
71
@MikeJaquish
"What claim does a month-to-month tenant in NYC, have then ?"
None ?
1
Nunez makes over $600,000 a year and wonders why seniors can't fend for themselves? Blames seniors for leaving the heat too high. Says the costs of running the business - one believes the same business model that works in other of his locations - is "killing" them.
Could he be more out of touch!?
Cut his salary in half, and spend part of the savings on insulating the apartments. I'm sure he'll survive.
332
@Mari
Many commenters seem scandalized by Mr. Nunez’s salary, which is hard to judge since the article does not indicate how many affiliates he manages in addition to the primary residence described. There are other, similar non-profit corporations whose heads make surprisingly large salaries, so how much of an outlier Mr. Nunez actually is could easily have been established by more in-depth research.
What struck me most was that the residents are on month-to-month contracts, which is a sure sign that eviction with little notice is a real danger.
If there is a housing crunch for seniors like those described in the article, it would also have been helpful to establish—and report—why there were so many unoccupied units at Riverview.
4
@Mari - this obviously was a long-term plan - the management company was just not interested in operating it on even a 'break-even' basis
3
@Mon Ray
Seems obvious - not a lot of seniors who can afford monthly expenses of nearly $10,000.
What about those who live on SS of $1200 a month?
8
The lottery of rent control in NYC, along with the inheritable artificially depressed property taxes in California, are highly inequitable. Both need to be eliminated to lead to fairer access to housing in both markets.
5
@JDK ideed!
In what planet do you live, sir?
Like saying the free- market will take care of everybody!!
24
"Fairer" seems to mean richest man wins. Subjecting long-time homeowners to wild spikes in property taxes would destabilize California's landscape, not make it more equitable. Neighborhoods where residents live and invest in their properties for decades is the definition of stability, a virtue many people value.
24
Flushing House in Queens. Great place -- my mom lives there, she's 95. It's an active community in a bustling neighborhood. Rent is about the same as quoted in the article.
25
Children become parents, live near their spouse’s relatives, enjoy your visits, and have established their lives elsewhere in our wide nation. You might fall into security, comfort, affordable living. Or not.
USA Americans have a lot to rethink and to accomplish.
6
@Anne Borthwick: Indeed. Plus there may be no children. The silver tsunami is coming, and the nation—including our society and federal, state, and local policies—is not prepared. In addition, individuals do not have sufficient retirement funds.
12
My mother lives in an assisted-living facility in suburban Baltimore (where she first lived in the independent-living section). She was widowed more than 41 years ago, so I'm very thankful that she has a decent income at her advanced age (93). It's already costing more than her after-tax income to pay the monthly cost, but meanwhile my life is made much more difficult handling every iota of her life from a distance (probably 99% of her fellow residents have family living locally). I'd love to move her to Manhattan, so I could see her much more often and also make my life a lot easier - but given her family history, she could potentially live for about ten more years and she'd run out of money before then. I'd always promised myself that I'd never put her in a nursing home, so this is the only viable option. I'm comforted by the fact that at least she's well taken care of.
32
Yeah YOUR life would be easier if your mother lived close by. But what about your mother’s feelings? What about leaving friends, cherished care givers, the building and neighborhood she is familiar with? Doesn’t that count for anything?
8
@NYCSANDI
It's INCREDIBLY presumptuous of you to say that - and I'm all that my mother has left at this point, since my sister died several years ago and all of my mother's friends have died already. FURTHER: the (huge) "building" means nothing to my mother, and the neighborhood is totally irrelevant because she seldom leaves the building (and besides which, it's in distant suburbia and there's absolutely *nothing* nearby the building except for a townhouse complex). She didn't even *live* in the Baltimore area until I moved her there nearly six years ago, when my sister was dying and couldn't even physically tolerate the ride to D.C. My mother's dementia continues worsening and I probably spend about half of my waking hours handling her life and talking to her. I'm 68 and have some health problems, as does my husband - so my last good years have totally been destroyed and there's no end in sight.
60
@NYCSANDI Less judgement would be better. Susan L. and her mom need more empathy and less criticism.
29
I’m torn. Seniors who can pay $6400 a month for assisted living? They had my sympathy until I read that.
21
@Yaker Those who, like my parents, bought Long Term Care insurance when they were younger. It can cover that amount and much more.
21
@Yaker
My same reaction. What do the poor folks do who are living on social security and a little more and paying for healthcare. Even working I can't afford that.
34
Repeat after me, retired teachers on defined benefit pension plans, police on defined benefit pension plans, autoworker on defined benefit pension plans....
29