Just in from the Tenants Association (see below). And please join the Tenants Association if you haven't already. Only in unity can there be any strength. Link to main TA page is here.
Hit CW Capital where it hurts -- at the Leasing Office
Are you angry and fed up with CW Capital?
Let prospective renters know -- at the Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village Leasing Office -- how you feel about what living here has become and why they should talk to residents before they sign a lease.
Tell them about:
CW Capital should hear you.
All neighbors, new or tenured, young or old, need to stand together and support this action. Losing good neighbors means less stability and quality-of-life for all of us.
We'll start this Saturday and Sunday and if enough neighbors respond to our call for weekday shifts, we'll have those, too.
Each 1-2 hour shift will promote our message of what it's really like to live here.
We'll do that by displaying hand written posters, distributing flyers to prospective renters and talking with them in front of the rental office.
Find out what else you can do.
Let prospective renters know -- at the Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village Leasing Office -- how you feel about what living here has become and why they should talk to residents before they sign a lease.
Tell them about:
- Staggering mid-term rent increase
- Slugging your laundry blocks away because laundry rooms are inoperable
- Unreliable elevator service -- months after Sandy
- Your personal belongings rotting in a shipping container for six months
- Tepid enforcement of the quality-of-life rules
- Noisy, disrespectful neighbors
- Worrying your next maintenance visit might become a security issue
CW Capital should hear you.
All neighbors, new or tenured, young or old, need to stand together and support this action. Losing good neighbors means less stability and quality-of-life for all of us.
We'll start this Saturday and Sunday and if enough neighbors respond to our call for weekday shifts, we'll have those, too.
Each 1-2 hour shift will promote our message of what it's really like to live here.
We'll do that by displaying hand written posters, distributing flyers to prospective renters and talking with them in front of the rental office.
- We'll tell them about CW Capital's family-busting rent increases.
- We'll also make sure prospective renters know about our noisy and inconsiderate neighbors and management's minimal enforcement of its quality-of-life rules.
- About the recent burglaries and the need to remember to lock up valuables and be present for service appointments.
- Show them how to check the TA's Bedbug Registry
- Make sure they know of the legal requirement that leasing agents must disclose which buildings have been infested with bedbugs in the past year.
- We'll tell them which 17 buildings have rotting basements and no laundry rooms and of managements providing no schedule for resolving building-wide problems.
- Make sure they understand there is (wink wink) an 80% carpet rule.
- And best of all, we'll give them homework! We'll ask them to read the blogs such as Stuytown Report, EscapeStuyTown, Town and Village Newspaper and the TA Facebook and our Official page.
- Retirees and night workers can help on weekdays.
- Loving grandparents can help watch young ones while moms and dads take a shift.
Find out what else you can do.
- Send CW Capital a Video Message.
- Contribute your legal expertise.
- Help to get our message out via Social Media.
- Post flyers in your building.
- Make a donation
Registration link here.
-------------------
May 17, 3:10pm Update:
CW Capital Sneaks Prospective New Renters In and Out the Back Door
On the TA Facebook page we get this inside look at an email blast to brokers:
-------------------
May 17, 3:10pm Update:
CW Capital Sneaks Prospective New Renters In and Out the Back Door
On the TA Facebook page we get this inside look at an email blast to brokers:
119 comments:
How does this help any of the affected tenants? We have 30 days to declare our intentions, any delay will lock us in at these higher rents. My wife and I have already found a new place and are moving out after 4 years here. We were "rent-jacked" $1050 with a year left on our lease.
My problem with the reaction of the TA and Garodnick is that they knew this was coming down the pike since January and chose to do nothing for over four months. Now they want to spring into action? Laughable.
I am in a building that still has no washer/dryers and has recycling piling up in front on a daily basis. Why the Hell should I pay 30% more to live in this shithole?I am actually very happy to leave this mess behind. I feel bad for my neighbors because I have a pretty good idea of who will take the place of a respectful and quiet tenant, NYU students.
Good Luck to all.
WHY IS REGISTRATION CLOSED?
Awesome! The more noise the better. Maybe CW will reverse their cruel and heartless decision!
Gotta agree with 9:33AM. The TA's rallying is meaningless. People are affected so dramatically and someone at the TA wants people to post signs with her invented slogan in their living room windows. I'm not affected financially by CW's move, but we're all affected by the loss of families/good neighbors, which is yet another attack on quality of life. Sad all around. Good luck to 9:33 and his wife on their move.
So the option is what? Do nothing? If enough people support this endeavor, then it will have some impact. If we do nothing, then the landlord continues to steamroll over tenants here.
>>WHY IS REGISTRATION CLOSED?<<
At this point I don't know. Perhaps there was a certain "jumping of the gun".... Or some lawyer got involved. We should know soon.
I call up all tenants to call the public safety and security office 24-7 and complain about any peep you hear from the dorm that is being run in the middle of this now premium rent property. If they want to jack up my rent $700 a month mid-lease, than I expect nothing less than the quality of living of an apartment that is $700 more. No forgiveness, zero tolerance effective immediately. Change my fridge, paint my walls, police the oval at night and evict noisy drunken students. Wash the carpeting in the hallway, polish the floors in the entryway, remove trash more frequently. I was forgiving when the rent is reasonable but if you want us to pay premium - I demand you give us back the quality of life we had when we first moved here.
Don't forget about painting the hallways and doors. The ones in my building haven't been painted in YEARS and now look like the projects. Meanwhile, they do have plenty of time and manpower to renovated apartments.
Residents should also not be supporting any of the commercial endeavors that exist in Stuy Town, including the Oval Cafe. And certainly if you are affected by the rent increase, you should not be giving any more of your money to this place.
Registration is back up.
Don't forget those Twitter hashtags! #StuyTown #PeterCooperVillage
Think CW just happened to decide to raise the rents at this moment instead of down the road? The spring/summer rental season is about to start, and they're planning to have a nice big crop of apartments to rent out. NY1 has a report on the rental season: http://www.ny1.com/content/ny1_living/real_estate/182268/tips-to-navigate-the-spring-rental-season. Citi Habitats president Gary Malin even suggests paying more than the rent being asked. I wouldn't be surprised if CW is preparing to gouge students illegally.
Rent-Jacked, the English language is beautiful, to precisely describe the actions of the despicable.
CW may have an obligation to the bondholders, but it also has an obligation to the tenants who are entitled to at least basic services and a quiet and safe place to live. This place has become a dirty, nasty dorm. I am sick of not being able to get a good night's sleep because of the stinking bitches who live downstairs from me and who don't go to bed until 6:30 am - the time I have to get up. I'm sick of filthy laundry rooms with broken equipment and, to add insult to injury, the constant racket coming from the renovations, the Oval "events" and the general deterioration of what used to be a good place to call "home."
To: May 17, 2013 at 2:29 PM
Thanks, I should patent that expression. I see what happened to me being no different that being car-jacked except there was no gun in my face.
To: May 17, 2013 at 1:16 PM
Thank you for your well wishes.
To STR@1:28
You are correct, doing nothing is probably not an option but it seems to me you are playing a game with a marked deck and a crooked dealer. Again, why wasn't the TA and Garodnick so outraged in January when we all knew this could potentially happen? Were they counting on the goodwill of a faceless multi-million dollar corporation? That's just foolish if they were.
Again, I am gone come June1st and will be paying less money so i am not that concerned about this, I just wish I could have had more time to prepare myself.
>>You are correct, doing nothing is probably not an option but it seems to me you are playing a game with a marked deck and a crooked dealer. Again, why wasn't the TA and Garodnick so outraged in January when we all knew this could potentially happen? Were they counting on the goodwill of a faceless multi-million dollar corporation? That's just foolish if they were.<<
I can't speak for Garodnick or the TA (I'm not sure of the TA's stance on the settlement, btw), but even if loud warning signs were not given then or outright opposition--and Garodnick did note the possibility of rents going up--now is now and we have to do something.
STR, this isn't much different than the actions by Met and TS where they played "catch-up" to the market and hit MR tenants with $500 a month increases at the end of their 1 year leases. Only difference now is that it's mid-lease, sucks, yes but basically expected behavior. Anyone who thinks that any of these real estate entities will treat them with compassion and consideration needs to have their head examined.
Hey, I took off time from work and made the infamous SSS (Sean Sullivan Smackdown) at the Community Center and the 5/15 Leasing Office Rally. Just show up tomorrow or Sunday. Enough of the dump TA and Dan stuff. Again, register with the TA, just show up tomorrow or Sunday at either the front or the back entrance of the Leasing Office and show some cojones.
Anyone have thoughts on why the NYT has an article (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/19/realestate/first-rentals-native-new-york-style.html?emc=eta1&pagewanted=all) with Peter Cooper 2 bedroom rents at $3500, while the leasing office says that those apartments start at $4800?
what is the sign THEY want us posted in our windows? thanks
What balls! How abou the Roberts SIGN for tenants leaving and termination letlters on the rent box?
wow, just wow.
>>what is the sign THEY want us posted in our windows? thanks<<
ST-PCV
A Community
NOT
A Commodity
I believe that the TA will have such signs available also, and hopefully in a bright yellow color because the make-shift ones on white paper are hard to see in windows.
At the TA FB page, there is a yellow:
ST-PCVA Community NOT
A Commodity Unity PDF posted by a tenant in a comment tread that can be downloaded and printed
To the person who said the woman on the TA's facebook page made up the slogan, you are incorrect. That slogan was made up by the TA and was on the buttons they handed out at the press conference. The woman even posted a picture of one of the buttons. It's not nice or necessary to criticize people who are just trying to help.
seriously this is all laughable now,
where the hell was the TA and Dan G. and the politicians before the roberts decision was finalized and the settlement was made?
TA and Dan and all these people were asleep at the wheel!!!
5:57 - The PCV two bedroom is what we would call a "one-bedroom" with a wall. I have seen the PCV two bedroom advertised as a FIVE bedroom.
Anony 6.59, this is Anony 6.41. Are you talking my comment here?
The new eviction dropbox.
You couldn't make this stuff up in your worst nightmare.
Two words...... Un. Believable.
No, Anon 6:41. I was referring to the comments made by Anon 1:16. Sorry for any confusion.
I've not yet seen a landlord so out of touch and cold-blooded, unless it was our previous one, Tishman-Speyer. How fortunate we are to attract such lowlifes.
I'm a longtime RS tenant with no negative record whatsoever concerning paying rent on time, not pestering management, not bothering neighbors. Now my lease is up for renewal and they want to come in and inspect my apartment. It was inspected by Tishman Speyer a few years ago and they found not a thing illegal. Why are these scumbags harassing me now? We're in America, not Nazi Germany or Austria. Why do we have to be so afraid?
Andy Mac and Rob Speyer both graduated from the same school of RE Ethics. They majored in "Screw the Tenant" which is to deliver as little as possible for as much as possible. As Jackie Mason would say "I hope they both die by Thursday."
Sean Sullivan was very "concerned" at the Community Center Town Hall meeting. He also kept saying, "That's a good question". And he never gave the mike to any of the seniors present so that their questions could be heard by everyone in the room. What a cold, empty suit.
Re: the box for termination of lease letters: Please dump your dog shit in that box. Doggie owners out there: That is the official repository for your handfuls of dog doo in the little plastic pick-up bags. Please be sure to smear some on your termination of lease letters. If you don't have a dog, baby (or adult) poo will do nicely.
Anon May 17, 2013 at 7:53 PM
Our elected reps contacted CWCapital back on Jan 25 with a warning not to raise rents mid-lease because they were "deeply skeptical of the legality of such a right." See here: http://www.briankavanagh.org/news/?p=11474
Not sure what else elected officials could do in advance of CWCapital exercising a "right" they were skeptical of. However, now that the deed's done, that may hopefully set something in motion.
See the letter. Are there any attorneys out there who can read between the lines?
Excellent letter. CWCapital's response: Fuck you.
Since the politicians understood perfectly what was in the settlement, as evidenced by that letter, their cheering of the final settlement, which did not change the mid-lease option, is bewildering. Knowing the possible impact, they should have issued strong warnings to tenants.
Garodnick made a serious misstep in advising the Roberts tenants to sign that kiss of death agreement. I hope it is the kiss of death for his political career,
What a business! "Our customers hate us, meet me in the alley."
Stuy Town Reporter
What's bewildering is the move by management. I spoke to a number of people at the press conference including an attorney who were all aware of the clause in their leases but signed anyway because (a) they felt they had little choice and because, (b) as the attorney said to me, it makes little-to-no sense for the landlord to exercise it.
It makes no sense because it's unlikely they'll see a financial windfall. It's more likely that 1,000+ apartments will be vacating on July 1. So, at what point does continually flipping apts no longer make good business sense? What's the landlord's advantage in getting the legal rent up to $7,000 or whatever on a two bedroom ST apartment? -- especially when the landlord has a crappy rep. That apartment becomes essentially un-rentable to anyone except students intending to stay for the course of one lease that features a rent waaay below that $7,000 or whatever legal figure. Who else would rent with the idea of setting down roots with huge legal rent hanging over your head?
Then there's the huge matter of 1000+ apts possibly vacating on July 1. CWCap had to consider that possible logistical nightmare. 1000+ apts emptying overnight creates a HUGE problem for Security and the mgmt office and it's a problem that recurs yearly ad nauseum (in that 1,000+ apts will have their leases expire on the same day every summer). Maybe some of the new renters of those 1000+ vacated apts may stay on. Staggering refilling the vacated apts might help too but it would be challenging and they'd lose money while some units sit vacant. Add in the response from politicians and the TA at the mass eviction that CW Cap had to know was coming. The political outrage/bad press/protests that the TA is now mounting will make it that much harder to refill those apartments. And what if the TA mounts leasing office protests every summer?
The moral here is probably do not ever expect CWCapital to do the sensible, business-like thing unless I'm really missing something.
Since 2006, when MetLife sold us to the greediest bastards in the world, we tenants have suffered physically, emotionally and financially. The abuse has escalated at the hands of CW. It is time to fight back by anyy means possible and next time you go to the voting booth, you may find the old machines back for non-federal elections. Imagine that lever is a toilet flush. Flush the bowl clean of all the shit i.e. every incubant. It's time for some serious changes in the balance of power
HUH? why would they want to lose the tenants who are pYING THEM THE MOST MONEY FOR APARTMENTS....
w.t.f. IMHO the market rate tenants are paying top dollar, so CW won't get 'MORE' from a new tenant. Plus, lose a month or more in cleaning renovating, showing .....
What kind of shit is this. THERE HAS TO BE MORE TO IT THAN THIS.
Possibly, a new owner l, landlord this summer.???? MAKES NO SENSE.
Sorry to all my friends in ST and PCV who are suffering from these greedy bondholders, but you really need to remember what Dan Garodnick has been saying and doing regarding a condo/coop conversion these past few years to understand how you got rent jacked in one of the worst mass evictions in NYCs history. This is being done to clear the road for the impending sale by CW Capial to the highest bidder, and the plan ha gets the highest price will very likely be a condo conversion.
Hiking rents now and pushing out tenants who cannot afford a condo conversion makes the ability of the new owner to do a condo conversion much more likely and doable, as higher income tenants are more likely to opt into the plan.
The reason that Dan G. and the attorneys did I not emphasize how bad theRoberts agreement would be is obvoius; that many have already concluded that a tenant buyout or condo conversion is where PCV/ST is headed anyway.
This deal is the beginning of the end of rent stabilization in NY. The rent stabilized tenants will eventually be squezed out, bought out, or isolated within their own community as older tenants leave in droves. It is a very sad day when NYC no longer cares about evenhaving a semblance of affordable housing, but that's what the leaders we elected have decided. The question is now will you leave, or will you fight it? The other side is betting you will eventaully leave, or give in, and Unless we start electing people who care about people and not just money, it looks like they might be right.
Why would CW kick out those people who may be able to afford a condo conversion?
"Why would CW kick out those people who may be able to afford a condo conversion?"
Because those units would no longer qualify for an insider price.
The window signs are a great idea. Unfortunately, the text means nothing to people outside of this insular community.
The signs should read "This place sucks! The landlord is a crook!"
Prospective renters will understand that language and, if they see it in a lot of windows, they may get the idea.
The TA approved sign is a nebulous expression of community support. A prospective renter might well say "gee...these people really love this place!"
Anyone else notice that the NY Times hasn't covered this situation at all? I thought they might have been behind the curve as usual and would come out with a longer, more "thoughtful" piece, but no.
I am not leaving until I go out in a box and my wife and kids will probably outlive me and they will not leave either. My son is on my lease and he's not going anywhere any time soon. My two daughters are also on the lease and I won't take them off it even if they do move out.
Why would CW kick out those people who may be able to afford a condo conversion?
Maybe because CWCapital is planning on sticking around for awhile.
I believe something is "brewing". I think they realize that the masses are at the breaking point . Having said that, I can't figure out why they are raising rents mid lease because it will drive people out. Some of these people would buy , I am sure. Is it beneficial for the buyer to have empty apartments??? Yes, we have been sold out. I feel terrible for the people impacted by this decision. It's the end of the middle class in manhattan.
Wait, so CW needs to kick out the market rate tenants in order to have a percentage of the property go condo?
????
Those ARE THE tenants whow would buy. Are they not wanting the tenants to have the insider price? so if 12A leaves, then new tenants at 12A do not get insider price?
The moderator of the TA FB page, Peter Stuyvesant, posed this FB comment regarding yesterday’s demonstration in front of the Leasing Office. “Public Safety attempts to block protestors. Calmer heads at the 13th Prec prevail.”
The insider 'price' of any condo conversion must be really low. So if this is true, then the tenants should hang on, not leave.
typical manhattan RE bullshit. What a fucked up city this has become to live in.
“Public Safety attempts to block protestors. Calmer heads at the 13th Prec prevail.”
I don't see that on the TA Facebook. Whenever I was at the leasing office, there was no attempt by PS to interrupt what our people were doing.
STR - scroll through the posts on the TA's Facebook page and you will see it. It was posted at 1:23pm and has 12 Likes. Those Mismanagement, lowlife scumbags know the law and were still trying to stop tenants from protesting. Why am I not surprised. They will stop at NOTHING to get their way. I hope the investigation by the NY State Attorney General into their deceptive renting practices DESTROYS their mass eviction plan.
I also saw that somewhere- TA Facebook page ??? But I know I read that.
At about 11am, the 13th Precinct came by. Security tried to move us to the other side of the sidewalk behind a fence barricade. However, after speaking with the 13th and explaining that we wouldn't be blocking the sidewalk, we were allowed to stay against the leasing office building. Security tried really hard, though, to get us to move.
Well, then, a sweet victory!
"Those ARE THE tenants whow would buy. Are they not wanting the tenants to have the insider price? so if 12A leaves, then new tenants at 12A do not get insider price?"
Not if the keep 12A empty and "warehouse" the apartment. Then there is no insider to get a price. So maybe it costs them $40k in rent but they can sell it for $200k more.
Just heard the tragic news from our jackal landlord: the Carnival is cancelled today because of the weather. Oh! Such a tragedy! I'm sure all those people who just got a constructive eviction notice were just looking forward to going to the Carnival so that everything would feel right with the world and they could forget their problems.
Can't believe these coldhearted fuckers. They are not human.
Not if the keep 12A empty and "warehouse" the apartment. Then there is no insider to get a price. So maybe it costs them $40k in rent but they can sell it for $200k more.
This is it then. This is most likely what they are doing. WHICH IS ILLEGAL.
Such crookedness allowed in NY on a daily basis. Shameful. Did you know we have one of the top most CROOKED states in the USA? (politically).....
Tape big signs on the doors to the model apartments that read
"Be sure to ask the leasing agent about bed bugs!"
Or mid-lease rent hikes, or no amenities, or no laundry rooms, or no intercom, or brown water, or subdivided dorm apartments, or noise complaints, or human feces in the stairwells, or dog feces in the stairwells.
The list goes on!
Everyone has to realize that with respect to the rent increases or the upcoming auction to sell, tenants have only one option, like it or not, and that's take to the streets and make as much noise as possible. Months go, believe it or not, a city official told me that CW has a good reputation. Bad press...very bad press...matters to companies like CW. It affects future business. Bad press can have an affect on the rents & on the auction. It's up to the TA to rise to both occasions. There's no other mechanism in place.
And you wouldn't think that the Dan "the Man" Garodnick would have figured this out and called them on it?
Warehousing is illegal. We'll have to fight that too. Right now management is busy renovating apartments and renting them as quickly as possible. Anyone who notices an apartment being warehoused should report it immediately to the TA so they can keep track.
Can they raise the rents mid-lease for ALL tenants, or this just the Roberts Class tenants?
I'm sure they can't raise the rent on all market-rate paying tenants. Depends on what the "real rent" could be....
>>And you wouldn't think that the Dan "the Man" Garodnick would have figured this out and called them on it?<<
Garodnick, as others, knew about the mid-lease clause, but figured (wrongly) that CWCapital wouldn't act on it.
They can't raise the rent midlease on unrenovated (original RS) apartments.
Some market rate–paying tenants got decreases.
Not all tenants with preferential rents and leases containing the Roberts clause have been hit with rent increases--yet.
If you haven't been notified about a rent increase (or decrease), check your lease for the clause that gives management the right to adjust the rent. You may get an increase down the road--we don't know what management has planned. Prepare yourself for how much more you can afford and consider what to do if the increase is essentially an eviction notice.
"I'm sure they can't raise the rent on all market-rate paying tenants. Depends on what the "real rent" could be...."
I thought we were all rent stabilized now? Could they suddenly raise the rent on the long-time tenants who pay below market rate? I know they can raise it for MCIs, new appliances and "hardship" on the part of the landlord. Wonder when CW will start crying "hardship?" As for me, they would just have to evict me because you can't get blood out of turnip, but I would make them wait until it was time to send in the marshall! Meantime, they'd get zippo rent! Hopefully, it won't come to that.
Garodnick was "advised" by CWCapital that there would be no more mid-lease rent increases.
A few things.
First, I wish to applaud the Tenants Association and all of their volunteers for organizing a weekend-long protest so quickly. They stepped way outside their usual comfort zone this time and fired back aggressively at CWCapital like never before, and rightfully so.
Second, there are almost 30,000 people in ST/PCV. WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU THIS WEEKEND? Aside from the dedicated group of people who protested the leasing office, making prospective tenants aware of things like mid-lease rent hikes, lack of utilities and the usual QOL issues we face, where was everyone else???
You have the time to complain on Facebook, you have the time to complain here, you have the time to print up a sign for your window, but you know what, IT IS NOT ENOUGH! ACTION IS NEEDED YOU SLACKTIVISTS!
Stop sitting back and letting the same 30 people do all of the heavy lifting FOR YOU. GET YOUR ASSES OFF THE SOFA AND TO THESE PROTESTS! The only way these rent-hikes stand a chance of being reversed is by hitting CWCapital in the wallet. That means telling potential renters FIRST HAND how, since Sandy, you've had no laundry facilities, elevators and storage. How CWCapital's outside contractors re ROBBING the tenants. How college kids are defecating in the hallways. How noise complaints are not dealt with in an effective way. How they are too busy hosting weekend Circus Carnival Spectaculars and marketing a false image while force-evicting tenants, the very ones who barely keep ST/PCV a stable community.
Thank YOU STR for taking the time to blog, and provide updates for people in real-time. THAT is an example of a strong community. Stop being so complacent already! Otherwise you are part of the problem and not the solution.
Anyone who believes anything CWCapital says is a fool and a moron. They can't be trusted. Period.
If you want to hit them in he pocket, don't pay the rent increase. What are they going to do.....mass evictions????
Just keep paying the rent that you've been paying all along and simply ignore the increase.
What are they going to do? Call out the National Guard?
POWER TO THE TENANTS!
How were the midterm raises agreed upon? Who agreed? What were all the options? In a class action suit who has the authority to make such calls? You know....lawyers have a vested interest in getting settlements done especially when they're on commission. No settlement, they're out of pocket until a deal is done.
I am seeing on the TA FB idiots posting nonsense such as rent stabilized tenants who've been here for 40 years are paying $800 for a 2 br apartment. That is patently untrue and I don't know why they post such nonsense. Up to now, I have felt sympathetic toward the MR/Roberts tenants who are being fucked up the ass by CW, but if they are going to perpetuate such myths as the $800 2 br in PCV or anywhere in PCVST, then I am hoping they don't let the door hit them in the ass on the way out.
What I don't understand, and maybe someone can clarify for me, is how on earth CW was allowed to put in leases involved in the Robert's case the ability to raise leases mid-lease? Did the Robert's tenants even know this was in the fine print?
Well, I think that impression is being corrected on that Facebook.
I attended the Town Hall meeting with Sean Sullivan last week. He made Sara Palin look intellectual and knowledgable. Well, I'll back to ya on that.
Those Roberts tenants who are being hit with these obscene mid-lease increases need to lawyer up and sue the attorneys who "represented" them for malpractice. The attorneys walked off with multi-million dollar fees and the tenants they supposedly represented were hung out to dry. Sue the bastards and do it NOW!
Anonymous 7:01 pm:
Great post! Thank you! And thank you for enriching my vocabulary--I'm going to be using "slacktivists" from now on.
"Slactivists" "Rent-Jacked" - Stytown is getting a vocabulary all of its own. Better than OMG and Woo-Hoo!
I guess I am a slacktivist. I have no dog in this fight. I would NEVER join the TA and I will vote against Garodnick (if there is someone to vote for, otherwise I'll write in STR). Now, if CWC decides to sell to Brookfield, I'll be in on the lawsuits on that one.
Don't forget "Generation Woo!"
I have yet to see any yellow sheets of paper in any window.
I've seen a few. But more have to be up, obviously. Certainly everyone who has been affected by the rent increase should have one in their window.
Any piece of yellow paper will do. No need to write a message. The yellow paper is symbolic.
I see on the PCVST official FB site that CW/CompostCrock has arranged for the Salvation Army to come on the property on Saturday to pick up any items people want to donate. Is this a special amenity for the tenants who are being constructively evicted in a few weeks?
I had a letter put under my door last week saying that an inspector would come to my apartment on 5/21 to inspect for structural changes I might have made. I called the number they listed on the letter and told them I wouldn't be available 5/21, so make it 5/22. They agreed. Sure enough, early this morning (5/21) SOME ASSHOLE WAS RINGING MY DOOR BELL AND BANGING ON MY DOOR DEMANDING TO INSPECT. Are these idiots capable of ever getting ANYTHING right? I let them in because they had already disturbed me. They had better not come tomorrow and tell me I have a 5/22 appointment! I wanted a 5/22 appointment rather than a 5/21 appointment because the letter just said they would be here between 9 am and 12 pm and I knew I had to be out of the house by 11:30 am. They are so stupid that if someone pissed on them, they would think it was raining.
BTW, where they put in the new risers in the stairwells, they left gaping holes around the risers. If a fire broke out it would come licking up the stairwells and incinerate us all. Now, THAT is a fire hazard and violation of the FDNY and NYC Fire Safety Codes.
Anon at 523 PM
Actually I hear that Salvation Army is scouting out some apartments for some of its homeless clients. CW found out there is more money to be made from the government for housing the homeless than there is in cramming 4 students into a one bedroom apartments.
If it is indeed a violation, have you called the FDNY? CWC certainly deserves as many fines and inconveniences as we can get thrown at them. ;)
Re: Standpipes in stairwells. Sean Sullivan appreciated a question on the topic at the Town Hall. When asked how soon the standpipes should be sealed, he indicated that that should be done quickly. In other words, whenever CW gets around to it. So, yes, call the FDNY. While they're here, they inspect all the stairwell doors that weren't properly repaired.
Re: 10:01PM May 21st poster..You are so right.
Indeed there are gaping holes around the newly installed risers in my building too. The openings are hidden by some cheap metal flashing...a real fire hazard and surely a violation. The FDNY would issue numerous building and fire code violations. What a schlock job done by these half-assed contractors.
"Re: Standpipes in stairwells. Sean Sullivan appreciated a question on the topic at the Town Hall. When asked how soon the standpipes should be sealed, he indicated that that should be done quickly. In other words, whenever CW gets around to it."
Yes! I was at that Town Hall meeting and remember somebody asking Sean Sullivan about that. He got that "deer in the headlights" look and mumbled something. How would one go about reporting this violation to the FDNY? Via 311?
This is completely off the topic of the deplorable and disgusting tactics of CW with regard to raising rents, however, I must comment on the City's new bike structures. They have installed bike stands all around STPCV and have completely decimated the parking around the complex. Believe it or not, there a people who live in Manhattan and own a car. The parking was bad enough before, now it is virtually impossible. I am all for alternate modes of transportation, i.e., bikes, but certainly there are other locations to place these bike stands that do not take up legal parking. This is all Bloomberg.
Anon at 1125am
Yes call 311 and file a complaint
Anon at 1209PM
Mayor Bloomberg and his transportation commissioner have used their best efforts to make life as miserable as possible for car owners in Manhattan. In their world, vehicular traffic in Manhattan would be limited to taxis, trucks and ,of course, cars for the privileged few, like Mr. Bloomberg and his uber rich friends. Yet another example of Mr. Bloomberg's view of the rest of us as people not worthy of living in Manhattan . in his warped view of the world, Manhattan (aside from some public housing) should be limited to Masters of the Universe and their families.
Charles Bagli is going to be interviewed about his book about STPCV tonight on "The Road to City Hall." It airs on NY1 at 7 pm and 10 pm.
Those of you who have RCN or FIOS for your cable probably won't be able to see it.
Watch out for this little turd when he leaves office.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/mike_unleashes_hail_storm_HMHlgCTlmYYBlH7Cu9iG6M
FYI, Dan Garodnick supports the removal of these parking spots as well. He needs to go.
I'm one of the few that picketed this weekend, and have a sign up in my window. There is apathy here. Or maybe hopelessness. But I believe it is apathy, for one main reason:
The community that STPCV has always been has been eroded by the practices of MetLife (towards the end of its reign), TS, and now CW. Tenants have been assaulted by their predatory, bottom-line is God practices for a decade. And what is the end result? A mostly transient population with little care about this place beyond a year or two. One needs to look no further than the problem we've seen in the news that they're having trouble getting tenants to collect their Roberts settlement money. Sadly, most of this uncollected money is going to go right back to CW. And it's because those that stand to gain don't care, and more likely don't even live here anymore because they were pushed out long ago and are completely unaware of what is happening.
It's a really sad state. The only thing that gives me hope is that one day CW will be gone, and ownership will be transferred to tenants. I know many disagree with the push for condo or co-op, but I don't see things ever getting better or changing if this doesn't happen. I become less and less hopeful this will actually happen as days, weeks, months, and years go by, unfortunately, but I refuse to not be voice. CW isn;t wanted here, does;t belong here, and has been a disaster 100X worse than Hurricane Sandy.
The Bagli interview on NY1 is athttp://www.ny1.com/content/politics/road_to_city_hall/182562/ny1-online--breaking-down-a-historic-real-estate-mega-deal. I don't know if it's accessible to non-Time Warner subscribers, though.
Re: bike lanes. Bloomberg and especially Janette Sadik-Khan, his transportation commissioner, don't acknowledge that there are people who may need to travel by car or taxi, and that they therefore need to be able to get close to buildings' entrances. Even the new taxis aren't accessible to someone with a broken leg. Litter is already collecting on 23rd Street between the bike rack pad and the curb. I look forward to the day when someone doesn't move their car or the bikes aren't in the racks properly and the street cleaner can't get through on the service road.
Regarding the bicycle issue. What people ned to do is call Bikeshare(1-855-bike-311) and file a complaint. I did this yesterday and they were very friendly and understanding. They will offer to "escalate" the complaint and take some info from you. They then instructed me to go to NYC.GOV/BIKESHARE where there is a page to write about the issue of too many docking stations and submit, which I did this morning. Maybe if enough of us do this we can have some of these removed.
I'm not against this program, but do we really need 4 docking stations taking up approximately 50 parking spots around the property?
Who are the folks getting these mid leases increases?
I am a little confused as to what 'affordable rent' around here is. I have been living here since 2008 and have been renewing my lease every year. Over the past couple years they send a lease with a very high market rent and a preferred rent choice that is offered. Some years I have even been able to negotiate down on the preferred rent so they are not that unreasonable it seems so far.
I am in a one bed, approx 700 sq foot I think. What is the 'affordable rent' here that I should be fighting for?
Completely agree with Anon 9:10 am. I will be filing a complaint- 4 docking stations in such a concentrated area is excessive.
I guess it is never as the tenant protest lasted no more than 3 days.
What is going on here with these inspections??? Just got a 2 page notice under our door re: inspections. They are looking for something & not just walls & carpet. They are looking for violations of the lease so they can possibly evict you !!! I am in a RS apt . so they would LOVE to get us!! Oh you have a new counter in the kitchen. Out with you. How dare you!!!!!!!! This is a scary situation going on here. Very invasive.
STUY TOWN STANDPIPES STILL A FIRE CODE VIOLATION!!!!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/stpcvta/permalink/10151631590411690/
>>I guess it is never as the tenant protest lasted no more than 3 days<<
Maybe yes, maybe no. Remember, all of this came down just last week.
To 3:37 p.m.: Go to the Tenants Association page (stpcvta.org) for a plain-English explanation of the mid-lease increases. Although you haven't received one, others in about 1,000 renovated apartments have. As a result of the settlement of the Roberts case, management has the right to raise your rent from the preferential rent to the legal rent, even in the middle of the lease. The TA page also has an explanation of the Roberts decision. You should be a part of the class in that case and should have been contacted by the lawyers.
What is going on here with these inspections??? Just got a 2 page notice under our door re: inspections. They are looking for something & not just walls & carpet. They are looking for violations of the lease so they can possibly evict you !!! I am in a RS apt . so they would LOVE to get us!! Oh you have a new counter in the kitchen. Out with you. How dare you!!!!!!!! This is a scary situation going on here. Very invasive.
Just wondering. what do you mean you are RS? all of stuy/pcv is rent stabilized. How many years have you been here? also living here but for 25 years. WE ARE GETTING INSPETION TOO. why? why? anyone else or just the 'new' leases?
I am one of the renters getting a $500 a month rent hike. My family was one of the original tenants in 1948, so I remember how it use to be, but it is over. I don't like it but CW is working within the guidelines of the Roberts settlement, so remember which politicians were involved in that settlement when it comes time to vote in November and going forward. That is all you can really do at this point.
CW is not operating in the spirirt of what is good for ST-PCV renters, they are operating based on what are the best tactical moves in order to get the most for the creditors when they sell ST-PCV. By the way, for all the rent regulated/stabilized tenants, that will affect you. As a sidenote, every time you get a rent hike you get closer to the $2,500 number, so one day you will also be at risk and it might be sooner than you think. In addition, every time they flip an apartment it becomes renovated, deregulated and/or rent is increased. Consequently, they can charge whatever the market will bare. Renters who are market rate will be thrilled to see this place go condo/co-op and their numbers will be increasing and stabilized/regulated decreasing. That is what CW wants to happen.
According to the latest "under the door delivery of a manila envelope, " I believe the writing on the wall is pretty clear. CW will to sell our community very soon: (1) Roberts is settled. (2) Mandatory inspections of every apartment. (The last time that was completed Tishman & Speyer filed for bankruptcy. They also hid behind the guise of inspections of illegal walls and improving quality of life issues by making sure 80% rug compliance. They need an architect to sign off on that in order to sell, hence, every apartment must be inspected.) (3) Acceleration of "pointing" on buildings. (Metropolitan Life did that before they sold to Tischman & Speyer. You can't sell without that in order.) (4) Increasing value and revenue by increasing rents of 1,000 mid leases now, to prove it can be done, and about 3,000 more to come. (5) Making grounds look pretty with flowers, shrubbery and expensive trees. (For four years, I lived with a "compose pile" full of leaves, dog urination/ feces, garbage and rats outside my window. One day it was gone and now there sits shrubs waiting to be planted.) I could go on, but those are the highlights and you get the idea.
For a city that has always embraced diversity, only the rich will be able to afford to live in Manhattan. But since I am a native New Yorker, and a cock eyed optimist, I am going to hold on for one more lease and hope that the tenants do get the opportunity to buy our apartments.
8:21 a.m.: Thanks for your informative post. Can you tell us what was in the manila envelope? I saw a security officer distributing them in my building.
Anony 8.21 AM. Thanks you for your post. The light bulb just went in my Woo/no rugs/noise damaged head. In addition to what you have posted, I saw surveying teams on the property as well. We are being prepped for a sale. Window dressing, indeed. It's Met Life 2.O. CWC, CompassRock, its Golden Parachute time for Andrew and Sean. Buh Bye. Here we go again.
"FYI, Dan Garodnick supports the removal of these parking spots as well. He needs to go."
Damn right, Garodnick needs to go! The sooner the better! Let him go back to being a fair-to-rotten lawyer and stop being a half-assed, insipid politician.
The latest Manila envelope contained CW"s "Newsletter" which was posted on line. By the way, are notices from management slipped under doors a legal form of notification by management? Just wondering.
@8:21, good post.
FYI, "Peter Stuyvesant" IS John Marsh AND ALSO 3 (possibly now 4 or 5) others who help him to moderate the TA's FB page. When he posts as "John Marsh" it is when voicing his personal opinion (which he has certainly done, wisely or not, many times). When he (or WHOEVER) posts as "Peter Stuyvesant" it is ONLY in the capacity of an administrator. I have been personally privy to at least three of these different persona (and will not "out them" here or elsewhere), so am positive of what I am stating here. Point being, "Peter Stuyvesant" is NOT ONLY John Marsh (who seems to get blamed for an awful lot these days, despite his ridiculously long hours, zero pay, and years long devotion to this community's tenancy). Get it right, STR! (You usually do and are yourself an under-appreciated treasure here.)
Okay, I'll alter the main post to reflect this.
Thanks, STR. JM & the TA get bashed enough (sometimes rightly, sometimes wrongly). Couldn't help trying to at least make sure they get a fair shake. During these troubled times we're living in (in our community, at least), it's important to know who our friends are and who they aren't. Again, thanks for the correction; you're a gentleman. :)
Post a Comment