Saturday, January 24, 2015

The Tenants Association: Worthless or Helpless?


So how's your Tenants Association doing? What is it doing?

While we appreciate the self-sacrifice of spending one's free time in the TA and trying to help our community, what does the TA have to show for its efforts and accomplishments? And it's not even a case of accomplishments in a "victory" sense, but just some serious movement that is putting pressure on management to make things work here effectively for the middle class, and some serious fight in retaining whatever affordability is possible in ST/PCV? (Though affordability is now becoming a joke to more and more residents here.)

What I experience from the TA is secrecy and stubbornness. Tenant concerns have been raised about the legality of certain procedures on the part of the landlord, whether it's the growing student population that is packing itself into 1 or 2 bedroom apartments, whether it's the addition of wall partitions that change the occupancy of an apartment (but, at the same time, officially NOT its occupancy), whether it's many other matters, but the TA refuses to respond to these issues.

Instead, the TA, joined at the hip to our councilman, Dan Garodnick, has placed much of its energy on the pipe dream of tenant ownership of this property. That's it. That's the TA's plan for this community. People in the know privately laugh at this dream, but even if by some very small chance (about 1%) tenant ownership would become a reality, it would be a tenant ownership of a few, while the rest of our buildings would be under the lordship of a Big Read Estate landlord or a conglomerate of such landlords whose vision for this property is much different than ours. And "affordability" would be severely diminished and on the way to expiring in the years to come.

If the TA is going to disappear one day (and that appears to be the logical direction of its life span), then let it at least go out with a fight and not with a whimper about conversion. "Please, Sir, can I have an apartment to buy? Pretty please."

129 comments:

Anonymous said...

The TA has absolutely no credibility any more.
Its sycophantic obsequiousness with regard to Garodnick is absolutely nauseating and, in my opinion, quite inappropriate and ethically questionable.

I view Garodnick as an opportunistic predator who is in the service of the Paul Weiss law firm, Brookfield and the REBNY. Disgusting.

Anonymous said...

Those in the know realize that a connversion is almost an inevitability. Not necessarily a tenant lead or tenant friendly one but a conversion nonetheless. The TA is being realistic in their effort to get in front of the issue. Not sure that a pipe dream of enacting tenant friendly legislation in a hostile state senate is a smart expenditure of time and effort.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

I'd love to know what people "in the know" you know! I actually was told that conversion is a no-go long ago by someone intimately involved with ST/PCV, someone who has proven to be correct on other issues related to the complex. If the economy tanks (which it could) perhaps conversion has some outside chance. Otherwise, forget-about-it! And IF conversion would happen, it would leave this place unaffordable faster than anything else. Only a minority of tenants would be able to afford such conversion (Dan even hinted this in his last message to tenants.) So the rest of the apartments would be owned by a mega-wealthy landlord.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

Also, if the land is more valuable than these old buildings, isn't the most likely decision for anyone who becomes the new owner obvious? Adios old buildings.

Anonymous said...

I don't know STR but I think (and I'm not a DG fan at all) Pcv may go the way of conversion. Not sure about ST and I do think it' slikely they )St and pcv) will split. Just my two cents, but Dan has a plan, connections and fights the fight. Again, not a fan.Just reality.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

It would be good to know what the plans are. Everyone has "I've got a secret." Meanwhile, tenants (excluding students) are left hanging about the future of this complex.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

If I had to guess, my guess would be that Peter Cooper Village is going to be the experiment, not a conversion, but a razing of the buildings with high towers taking their place. Obviously, not a simple thing (tenants would have to be moved), but I think doable in the future.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

And, if those high towers will be condos, no one here will be able to afford them.

Anonymous said...

I have no inside knowledge on what will happen to your community. But if this is so --- a good guess is inevitably ST would be dorms and poor / de blasio affordable housing (so the landlord woould get huge tax breaks) --- PCV would be luxury condos with politicians, Dan, Marsh, NYU professors, and wealthy nyu board members kids like they did to Mercer Street --- there would be no middle class. The laws they are passing now for the bankers and RE vision is to remove tenants from their apartments, displace them, for renovations, thus the inspections that were illegal but the Peter Cooper Village Stuyvesant Town Tenant Association told tenants in a published flyer to allow the landlord to inspect when they should have challenged and stopped the illegal inspections. The acts against the middle class tenants and the open space land development in ST and PCV are undoubtedly the Peter Cooper Village Tenant Association's doing.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

Dan the Man gave us a preview of what's in store IF conversion happens: "It bears noting that a unit's sale price would be dependent on the sale price of the entire property. And if CWCapital can get $4.7 billion -- a far cry from the less than $2 billion when we initially started this conversation -- that means that in a conversion, the cost of units would inevitably go up."

Anonymous said...

I want to buy my apartment and hope the TA can help negotiate it as one of those two tier/moderate income non-eviction conversions where you can buy the unit at a moderate price that prohibits flipping or even sale on a high open market price--i.e., you'd need to sell to another moderate income household for not much if any gain. Meaning, I want to leave here feet first in like 40 years and not have to worry about rent increases driving us out. So yes, I want to buy.

8:23--why do you go right to ugly language like "sycophantic obsequiousness" "opportunistic predator" "disgusting", etc.? I see no evidence of that. Maybe the TA isn't always effective or do exactly what you want, and Dan is not every second just in our corner but really, that is just not true.

Anonymous said...

If the TA would just fight for some heat in this fucking hell hole, I'd be happy. They can keep their conversion.

Anonymous said...

There are a whole slew of unpredictable ways in which CW Capital can profit from this prime real estate, including an overbuild like the 8 story addition on top of a 6 story building on the UWS. Brand new condos on top, renters below. They could just build skybox penthouses on top of the buildings and sell them for tens of millions apiece. The years of noise and dust would likely force out more renters below allowing them to increase the rents on the "bottom bunk" apartments. Mission accomplished.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>I want to buy my apartment and hope the TA can help negotiate it as one of those two tier/moderate income non-eviction conversions where you can buy the unit at a moderate price....<<

See the Dan Garodnick quote. The price, if a conversion occurs, won't be moderate. Dan is preparing everyone for that.

Anonymous said...


"Another round of rent hikes at Stuyvesant Town should make the massive East Side apartment complex more attractive to investors.

City Council Member Dan Garodnick said this week that the move announced by the state housing agency would bulk up the rent roll, a dangling carrot for potential buyers.

The state’s Division of Housing and Community Renewal last week sent out letters to the 30,000 Stuy Town and Peter Cooper Village tenants advising them that five Major Capital Improvement charges for various renovation projects around the 110-building complex were about to be lumped onto their rent checks.

The charges were retroactive to 2009 when the work was done by then-owner Tishman Speyer."


http://www.rew-online.com/2013/11/06/brookfield-still-interested-in-stuy-town-as-tenants-brace-for-rent-hikes/

Now we see why they did not challenge or fight hard against the illegal MCI charges for things we should not be paying for and why the TA made a deal where the MR pay less then the RS tenants for the same services on the same MCI charges. To make PCVST more attractive to Brookfield.

Anonymous said...

The tenant association with Dan helped increase the rent roll. The rent roll is the number 1 reason for the $4.7 billion purchase price. Because the tenant association negotiated for large mci charges and large dorm conversion the rent roll has increased by almost double and the purchase price too doubled, from $2.5 billion to almost $5 billion.
Renters and buyers are BOTH getting screwed by this Brookfield Compass Rock deal. The person who is in charge of approving the deal terms is the Attorney General and he is in the photo with the Paul Weiss REBNY attorney at the REBNY party. All condo co-op conversion have to get the approval of the Attorney General.

Anonymous said...

At least Compass Rock doesn't lie to us when they screw us.

Anonymous said...

“Unfortunately, the way the rent stabilization system works, it seems that appeals from a small minority of residents could disrupt a settlement of which a significant majority of the property is in favor. We feel that it is important people know and understand this.”

This is why the tenant association keeps tenants in the dark on the deal. Its a crappy deal for tenants and if tenants fought back it would have an effect. shame on the tenant association for years of covering up and for being complicit. Disgraceful.

Anonymous said...

STR, I think that Dan quote was before the court sided with the other lenders and sent the case back to the lower court for trial or other issues (or something like that?). Meaning, they found that CW was trying to artificially pump up the selling price, etc. So it's possible that the selling price will be much lower, though we have no idea what that would be, obviously. And now that it's gone back to court, it will be a while, longer than the TA originally hoped, until there is a sale. I don't know what that means for conversion, but it does imply that 4.2 is not the real number.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>The tenant association with Dan helped increase the rent roll. The rent roll is the number 1 reason for the $4.7 billion purchase price. Because the tenant association negotiated for large mci charges and large dorm conversion the rent roll has increased by almost double and the purchase price too doubled<<

I don't buy this at all.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>STR, I think that Dan quote was before the court sided with the other lenders and sent the case back to the lower court for trial or other issues (or something like that?). Meaning, they found that CW was trying to artificially pump up the selling price, etc. So it's possible that the selling price will be much lower, though we have no idea what that would be, obviously. And now that it's gone back to court, it will be a while, longer than the TA originally hoped, until there is a sale. I don't know what that means for conversion, but it does imply that 4.2 is not the real number.<<

No way is the real number 2 billion. It will be high for whoever purchases the property.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

Anyway, all this talk about a condo conversion is just a distraction that the TA and Garodnick are caught up in. The fight should be for making sure the landlord manages this place professionally and for affordable housing. ST/PCV only makes sense as a complex for the working middle class; otherwise, just tear the buildings down, build your towers, and be done with it!

Anonymous said...

If there is going to be a conversion, it sure as hell isn't going to happen soon. And you can bet sure as hell that at best the prices might be 40% off market which will be around 700K-800K for a 2 BR, and yes, by then people with a lot of $$$ will have moved in and 15% or more of the place will be willing to buy. So unless you can handle a mortgage of at least 700K, you can forget it.
And forget the TA being involved in a conversion. They were never in it. This was Dan first and last trying something based on his experience during the Tishman-Speyer win. He thought he was being practical by coming up with a way to be working with the highest bidder. But the same thing is going to happen again. His horse isn't going to win. Someone else, Fortress or others, will put in a highest bid.
You know for the bidding to be fair, all bidders are supposed to have access to all the same inside financials. But after years of working this place to death, CW will have knowledge that only CW can have. So the odds on favorite to win is CW's parent company, Fortress. Hands down.
The TA...actually all of us...should just be focused on one thing right now. Fighting MCIs. Putting up massive resistance that no one will ever forget.
At least this is something we have a chance of influencing.

Anonymous said...

The Rent Roll numbers are reflective of the large number of families evicted to churn dorms and apartments. That is one hell of an increase in a few short years. How that happens under the watchful eye of a lawyer / politician without his / her being complicit is a wonder.

https://research-and-analytics.csfb.com/ura/htmlcontent/984131241/984131241.html

Anonymous said...

Exactly right but with a new TA and a new legal counsel. The last round of MCI's negotiated were extremely bad. We should file a lawsuit or a few for that fact.

"actually all of us...should just be focused on one thing right now. Fighting MCIs. Putting up massive resistance that no one will ever forget.
At least this is something we have a chance of influencing."
January 25, 2015 at 5:41 PM

Anonymous said...

"Those in the know" lol. REALLY?!? The only things that's inevitable is the fact these buildings will at some point be raised for the real estate.

Anonymous said...

"The TA...actually all of us...should just be focused on one thing right now. Fighting MCIs. Putting up massive resistance that no one will ever forget.
At least this is something we have a chance of influencing."

Another thing I think we can all agree upon is to support "Tenants & Neighbors".

Anonymous said...

I wish Dan Garodnick would just get lost. I it seems that things got a lot worse since he stuck his oar in.

Anonymous said...

It is not possible to look at the Credit Suisse property numbers and not immediately know there is an assault on the residents to achieve numbers like that. Each and everyone involved in the deal knows these numbers well.
These numbers are very good for Brookfield, very good for Compass Rock Fortress, very bad for tenants buying and renting.
There is NO ONE representing tenants in MCI negotiations etc and NO ONE advocating for tenants in the purchase. And a lot of people stopping tenants from protecting their rights on rent overcharges, quality of life, etc.
If Meredith Kane's client is Brookfield she deserves to keep her reputation as "Best Lawyers" but if her client is a Tenant Association then she is failing her client to an awe-inspiring, gigantic proportion making her still the best lawyer, but now the best at "worst advocate for your client". No good lawyer, let alone best lawyer, would allow, enable, be silent while their client is being assaulted and the price is being drastically increased. Is Meredith Kane's client the tenants or Brookfield?????
http://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/meredith-j-kane/59874/



Anonymous said...

Michael McKee, treasurer of the Tenants PAC, has been a longtime critic of donors like Litwin. In a statement, he cited last week’s federal charges against Silver as “yet another reminder of the corrupting pay to play culture of Albany. But it takes two to tango and it comes as no surprise that the person likely bribing Shelly Silver, whether for tax subsidies for luxury developments or for weaker rent laws for hard-working New Yorkers, was none other than Leonard Litwin.”

McKee “urge[d] U.S. Attorney [Preet] Bharara to also hold Litwin for his actions. Further, if Litwin was in fact a party to criminal activity, all elected officials who accepted money from him should either return it or donate it to charity.”


"In 2012, REBNY honored “esteemed industry veteran Leonard Litwin as REBNY’s first ever Lifetime Honorary Chairman for his countless contributions to the City, our industry and to REBNY throughout the years.”

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/albany/2015/01/8560836/developer-linked-silver-case-tops-2014-donor-list

Anonymous said...

New York is the poster child for Government Corrupted by Real Estate. De Blasio blew his chance in the first year to be the progressive solution he campaigned and became part of the problem. NYC and Albany are blowing any chance of being the national model for how to protect constituents from predatory landlords by failing Peter Cooper Village Stuyvesant Town Middle Working Class people.

Anonymous said...

Almost 100% of the Assembly voted to re-elect Silver as Speaker two weeks ago. The Assembly was more interested in protecting themselves then in improving and protecting the lives of their constituents. Almost all in the Assembly need to be replaced with members who Serve their Constituents.

Anonymous said...

Every MCI is a way of raising the rent. As these MCIs keep rolling on unchallenged and the Rent Guidelines Board keeps pumping up the rents, more people here...older people...are going to get forced out. Just like with Ess-A-Bagel and Capucines. Except instead of the restaurants being gone, you'll be gone. Are there any tenant protections against what CW is doing? I didn't need a new security system and in fact the new one is a pain. I used to be able to buzz in from any phone in the apt. Now I have to go to our apt door. Now they're putting in new lighting. I don't need this. If CW were doing this because of a genuine desire to improve the value or safety of the property I suppose that would be okay, but it's putting in the MCIs for the sole purpose of raising rents and driving people out.
I'm sorry I see no movement at this site to organize an effort to fight this stuff. As has already been pointed out here, the TA has failed to meet the MCI challenge and in focusing on the conversion & Brookfield has really made itself mistrusted and irrelevant.

Anonymous said...

De Blasio and cuomo building luxury condo towers which go uninhabited by the owners for most of the time is for a sort of illegal hotel scheme where wealthy friends and acquaintances of the owners use the pied a terre when they are here for conventions and events at the Barclay Center. These luxury condo towers are not for New Yorkers to live in full time. If a real estate expert looked into it they would see the NY market is saturated with an oversurplus of luxury condos that are just sitting empty -- used for this hotel scheme and for laundering money through NY real estate. Build Higher is making a lot of corrupt people around the world happy.

Anonymous said...

DG, Moelis, Paul Weiss, and STPCVTA all doing the Texas Two Step and do-si-doing each other on stage for successive T/A meetings(without proper rehearsals I might add). Terrible dancers them all. All the sheepal in the audience lapping up all the bullshit. Stories of lonely money with no where to go (homeless money if you will). Great prices on NYC condos for insiders.

On a positive note, I did here that under the direction of the T/A, an apology is being drafted as I write this to be read by said T/A at the next meeting (sans Texas Two-Stepping).

Anonymous said...

As an earlier commenter noted Berlin Rosen is the PR firm hired by the Peter Cooper Village Stuyvesant Town "Tenant" Association and their top client is Sheldon Silver. It is also Dan Garodnick's PR firm, Mayor de Blasio and Scott Stringer's. In fact all the politicians in the previous REBNY gala STR post are clients of Berlin Rosen. All the politicians involved in the PCV ST real estate deal are clients of Berlin Rosen.

The ties between Berlin Rosen clients have long been under scrutiny at least in Brooklyn where the top real estate developers are Berlin Rosen clients as is a long list of politicians:
"that these cross connections can be the source of a corrupt and anti-democratic power dealing situation.."

http://www.star-revue.com/berlinrosen/

PR firms often spin and manipulate to use people as pawns in pushing politicians agendas for real estate industry.

The City Hall PCV ST Tenant rally last summer was about announcing Fannie/Freddie alliance on the Brookfield/Paul Weiss deal and Mayor De Blasio's Affordable Housing Plan (which Berlin Rosen controls and does not provide middle class housing needs). It had nothing to do with and did not provide anything to tenants in PCV ST.

Paul Weiss says they are not getting paid anything until (unless) the deal is done.

Berlin Rosen's expertise is in Events, using people to push political agendas.

Author: gbrook@pipeline.com

http://www.star-revue.com/berlinrosen/

...more Berlin Rosen dark money letter writing crossover conflicts mentioned in the comment section.



Anonymous said...

From the sublime to the mundane...HOW ABOUT SOME F*CKIN' HEAT in 5 Stuyvesant Oval? Repeated
calls to maintenance..."Yes, we know. We are working on it."
Still no or minimal heat this entire winter.

Anonymous said...

Just a heard a pretty funny thing. On wcbs am radio, they said there was a coyote captured in stuy town, and they referred to it as the "Stuyvesant town HOUSING PROJECTS". Boy, they sure hit the nail on the head with that one!
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Ten degrees cooler then the rest of Manhattan in the summer because of the trees

http://burdenofeden.com/

or it used to be before would-be buyers CWCR and Brookfield/TA killed thousands of trees.

Anonymous said...

What's the LOL? are you five or trolling? There are people who are in the know and i'm not that poster, but there are people who know what is going on for our future. They're just not telling.

LOL

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>Just a heard a pretty funny thing. On wcbs am radio, they said there was a coyote captured in stuy town, and they referred to it as the "Stuyvesant town HOUSING PROJECTS". Boy, they sure hit the nail on the head with that one!
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<<

Yup, that's what this place is.

Anonymous said...

We had no heat for most of the winter so far. No end of calls to RS and just empty lip service. "We'll put in a service report." "We'll notify the engineer." All utter bullshit. Most of the tenants have purchased space heaters. Don't be surprised if there is a massive, fatal fire in this dump at some point because of the perfidious, nasty, criminal assholes who run this shit hole.

Anonymous said...

Yellow snow at the STY

Anonymous said...

If the TA is going to disappear one day (and that appears to be the logical direction of its life span), then let it at least go out with a fight and not with a whimper about conversion. "Please, Sir, can I have an apartment to buy? Pretty please."

Fantastic blog post and analogy. Thanks for the years of great reading on PCVST.

On this last line, whether or not the Ta ever decides to fight anything, nobody in their right mind would go into battle alongside them since they have proven over and again they will betray the community during their pursuit for a seat at the table. This TA has well proven itself unreliable and probably even worse.

Anonymous said...

"Just a heard a pretty funny thing. On wcbs am radio, they said there was a coyote captured in stuy town, and they referred to it as the "Stuyvesant town HOUSING PROJECTS". Boy, they sure hit the nail on the head with that one!
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

What exactly is the "wow" all about? STPCV is and always was a housing project. This isn't a newsflash. You must be new here. The only difference is that it is privately run, and in the past was a very safe, clean, and quiet place to live. It was always the projects.

Anonymous said...

Housing Project? Why is that funny?

STPCV was always a housing project. So is Waterside, Tudor City, Lincoln Towers, Penn South and London Terrace.

Not every project is NYCHA

Anonymous said...

The Tenant Association should operate free and clear of political influence, truly and wholeheartedly representing Tenants. The current board gets all their words, opinions, and directions from politicians. They are too far gone.

Anonymous said...

If Susan Steinberg, John Marsh and the other so-called, self-appointed "volunteer officers" of the Tenants Association had a modicum of shame or self-respect they would resign IMMEDIATELY. They DO NOT have the confidence of the vast majority of the renters. They speak for nobody but themselves. Leave, quit, slither away now and allow fresh voices to do battle with our ghoulish landlord. Let someone who is up to the task go forward!

Anonymous said...

Seriously?? PCVST TA is in the news on AirBnB issue from 2012 and before for what -- a press mention for going to a hearing and not speaking? They had years to get on top of this and ahead of this. What a joke.


http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2012/06/13/neighbors_hate_stuytowbnb.php

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>If Susan Steinberg, John Marsh and the other so-called, self-appointed "volunteer officers" of the Tenants Association had a modicum of shame or self-respect they would resign IMMEDIATELY. They DO NOT have the confidence of the vast majority of the renters. They speak for nobody but themselves. Leave, quit, slither away now and allow fresh voices to do battle with our ghoulish landlord. Let someone who is up to the task go forward!<<

Well, there are periodic elections for those positions.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>What exactly is the "wow" all about? STPCV is and always was a housing project. This isn't a newsflash. You must be new here. The only difference is that it is privately run, and in the past was a very safe, clean, and quiet place to live. It was always the projects.<<

I think no one who is paying 4-5K or more for their apartment considers this complex "the projects." They should, but their pride stands in the way. And certainly our landlords have tried hard not to have ST/PCV considered "the projects" as well.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>Yellow snow at the STY<<

You beat me to it. But if the storm turns out to be truly historic, we may also see yellow puddles inside our buildings!

Anonymous said...

Another example, recent and huge construction example, of DOB bending and breaking rules for developers. Did Dan and the TA really think telling us simple-minded tenants that DOB is compliant or an "authority" would make us trust them or that would hold any credibility? Where is the DOB audit of the management office construction Dan? We know its full of all sorts of tall tales but we still want and deserve to see it.

"The lawsuit requests that the court invalidate the DOB's policy statements, compel the agency to enforce the code, and to enjoin DOB from issuing building permits that violate the code."

http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/2013/07/lawsuit-aims-to-reverse-dob-approval-of.html

Anonymous said...

DOB is complicit with developers on shady construction practices. Past DOB commissioners are on record with Commissioner LiMandri's bad practices. The construction was, at the very least, largely problematic to thousands of tenants for over a year -- with many other problems.


"Most troublingly, it appears" that DOB was part of "a transparent effort to accommodate the cost-cutting needs of a single developer, Forest City Ratner," the lawsuit charges.


The lawsuit includes supportive affidavits from two former DOB Commissioners. "Allowing non-licensees to complete plumbing and fire suppression work is not only in gross derogation of the Construction Code, it also subjects citizens of New York to safety and health hazards that the licensing provisions of the Construction Code were designed to alleviate," stated Charles M. Smith, Jr., an architect, consultant, and DOB Commissioner from 1984-90.

Rudolph Rinaldi, Smith's successor as DOB Commissioner, through 1993, signed a similar affidavit."

Anonymous said...

Well, the annual winter time competition is in full swing. Which place has more dog shit on its sidewalks now: ST or PCV? You be the judge. And the winner is...

Anonymous said...

Anybody wanting a good laugh or barf should visit the PCVST official facebook page. The postings by "management" are so twee and fairylandish, it really is pathetic. Anybody who makes an even remotely negative comment or question is immediately banned!

I think the little fat guy who runs North Korea is the moderator on "management's" facebook page!

Anonymous said...

To my upstairs neighbor

Please GET RUGS! It's midnight. Shut up and get rugs! You are loud, obnoxious, rude, and a liar. Get rugs!

Anonymous said...

Many valid critiques of the TA posted on this tread. However, I am still waiting for the alternative organization to be formed/started. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

Anonymous said...

"Time For You to Move On CW Capital"

--STPCVTA

Anonymous said...

It is mind blowing the tenants who have been part of this anti-tenant lawyer crafted scheme don't see how they are being ripped off. As if everything said these past 3 or more years flew in one ear and out the other with nothing blocking in between, the Credit Suisse report is so simple the dimmest of apartment buyers would see through the scheme. Thank you Credit Suisse - we are no longer buying into this rip-off.

Anonymous said...

January 26, 2015 at 4:53 PM

This place was never considered a housing project. YOU, my friend, must be new here because this word was NEVER EVER mentioned when this place was once a very nice place to live. No one even knew what a MCI was back then. So YOU do not know what you are talking about.
Have a nice day.

Anonymous said...

"This place was never considered a housing project. YOU, my friend, must be new here because this word was NEVER EVER mentioned when this place was once a very nice place to live. No one even knew what a MCI was back then. So YOU do not know what you are talking about.
Have a nice day."

Normally I would start by saying "nice try", but I think you could have done better. Whether or not it's mentioned has absolutely no bearing on what it is and was. The complex, by definition, is a housing project. It used to be a nice one to live in, now it isn't.

As far as the MCI's are concerned, well that wasn't part of your original post so I'm not sure how that's relevant. For what it's worth though, they also existed way back when (albeit not in the current frequency).

Anonymous said...

Public housing in NYC is popularly referred to as "projects," not private housing like STPCV. People who don't know any better sometimes refer to STPCV as projects because of the no frills architecture that resembles the architecture of projects.

Anonymous said...

I don't like all the board people on the TA either, January 26, 2015 at 5:31 PM. But i only speak for myself. And you should do the same unless you've done a door to door survey of the 25000 or so people who live here.

Anonymous said...

January 26, 2015 at 7:51 PM

The guy from the DOB was asked about the audit that Garodnick requested at a meeting about the management office way back when and the DOB guy said the city found the landlord in compliance.

If you want to see the audit yourself, you have ask to see it. Did you go to the DOB or Garodnick about it? CB 6 might know something about it too.

Anonymous said...

Jan 27, 9:57 AM: what you say is very true. How much longer will the TA and DG hang on to this pipe dream and try to coax gullible tenants to do the same?

Also, I would love to see a copy of the DOB audit for the hideous management office (that will be completed just about in time for this while project to be torn down). CWC, with the aiding and abetting of the so-called TA and their slimy Pied Piper, have committed so many abominations against the property, the grounds, the tenants and the quality of life here that a whole book could be written about it.

Anonymous said...

12 24 am. Same here. Rude, idiotic, nasty tenants who don't give a Fuck about those living under them. Two/three kids (ages 3 to 9) who literally jump off furniture and chase their puppy at 7 am and continue throughout the day. Get a lawyer. We are. Fuck this.

Anonymous said...

"the TA, joined at the hip to our councilman, Dan Garodnick, has placed much of its energy on the pipe dream of tenant ownership of this property."

I have not heard or read anything about "tenant ownership of this property" coming from Garodnick and the TA since they entered into retainer/partnership agreements with Moelis, Paul Weiss and Brookfield. Pay attention to what they actually say, not what their rhetoric infers. They say "our" financial advisor, "our" attorney and "our" partner, not the ST-PCV tenants' advisor, attorney or partner. None of those parties (except Garodnick and the TA betraying us) hold any fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of ST-PCV tenants. Moelis and Paul Weiss aren't billing us because they can't. They don't work for us.

Garodnick and the TA hype a "tenant led purchase" that will lead to 100% ST-PCV ownership and control to Brookfield. By design at conception, their "condo" decision intentionally confiscated from the overwhelming majority of ST-PCV tenants any possibility of purchasing their homes at an affordable price. Their scam envisions Brookfield selling expensive condos on an individual basis to the highest earning, highest rent paying, most ripped off ST-PCV tenants at the highest possible price level they calculate will deliver the highest possible profit windfall to Brookfield and still generate the minimum 15% tenant participation required by NYS conversion legislation. Garodnick's letter informed that 15% demographic an expensive Brookfield condo will be more expensive.

Senator Schumer pledged and delivered $3 billion, maybe more, Fannie/Freddie funding exclusively to ST-PCV tenants and Mayor DeBlasio. Fannie/Freddie enables a tenant led purchase that will lead to tenant/resident ownership and self government. Garodnick and the TA are taking away our opportunities to purchase, own and govern ST-PCV away from us and diverting them to Brookfield.

Anonymous said...

Be very wary of politicians who claim "victory" for tenants

http://www.propublica.org/article/a-sheldon-silver-mystery-did-he-betray-new-york-renters

We all saw with Roberts that was not the victory as touted by the politicians and press but a huge loss and justice stolen with a ruling stolen from tenants.

This article is key and a must read for all rent stabilized NYC tenants.

Anonymous said...

The link to the Must Read


A Sheldon Silver Mystery: Did He Betray New York Renters?

Prosecutors allege the state Assembly speaker made changes to rent regulation on behalf of a developer.

http://www.propublica.org/article/a-sheldon-silver-mystery-did-he-betray-new-york-renters

Anonymous said...

A few years back Rose and legal was working with Airbnb to make it impossible for residents to rent their apartments by putting all of our addresses into a blacklist. Airbnb never followed through which goes to show how little a fuck they give about communities.

Anonymous said...

http://www.propublica.org/article/a-sheldon-silver-mystery-did-he-betray-new-york-renters


If this is true, Sheldon Silver and his cohorts should be thrown in the Slammer and never see the light of day again.

Anonymous said...

The betrayals are many.

If a tenant association finds itself lying, even once, to tenants or even just one, then the tenant association is on the wrong path. Being secretive is lying by omission.

The Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village tenant association takes it even further by hiring notoriously anti-tenant REBNY member lawyer to wipe out the working middle class tenant population, bring in a student population, to convert apartments to luxury condos.

Tenants need more transparency from the self-named Tenant Association Board. Starting with seeing the contract agreements with the TABoard partners including:

Meredith Kane
Paul Weiss
Moelis
Berlin Rosen

What are they hired to do specifically as it pertains to PCVST?
How much are they getting paid?
How much have they been paid to date?
What are the terms of the agreements?

The only thing these "partners" have achieved is evictions of thousands, arboricide, and development of open space so if that is what they were hired to do then they have earned their pay.

I too would like to see the DOB audit Dan Garodnick did on the Brookfield / CompassRock management office building which is very big and completely ruined the feel of the tree lined dual path open space that was once there and is forever gone. Anyone who gets a chance should go see it in all its congested, cramped design. The tall trees and breeze that were once welcoming as one entered PCVST and cut through from the L train to Peter Cooper is destroyed and gone. What a big failure.

Anonymous said...

12 24 am -- Even if they get rugs, they need only get thin tissue type found at Kmart and throw it down. We all know this does nothing to eliminate any noise at all. Donalda likes it this way. Then she can tell you to shut up, piss off as the offending tenant is in 'compliance'. Do they think we are this stupid?

Anonymous said...

Owning this place? Are you kidding? After all the millions of dollars they invested in these units for rental purposes?
Keep dreaming.

Anonymous said...

Did the TA take down their "Focus on Conversion" web site? It was a joint Brookfield/ TA site which was accessible through the regular TA website. I could see why they would take it down though. It made them, and us, look like horse's asses.

Anonymous said...

2:31 PM Then ask to see it.

Anonymous said...

Great Blog Post and Photo! Do you think the TA will go away or are they trying to morph into a condo board .... ckkgkhckkrrrghhh .... pardon me, I almost choked on my own vomit as I typed the words.

Anonymous said...

Mike McKee on REBNY on 2013

City Council candidates will not get the endorsement of the city’s most influential tenants’ rights group unless they denounce the real estate-backed political action committee Jobs for New York, Crain’s reported.

Michael McKee, of Tenants PAC, said that candidates won’t receive his group’s backing unless they publicly denounce the independent expenditures of Jobs for New York. The PAC, backed by the Real Estate Board of New York, plans to spend up to $10 million to bolster favored candidates.

Incumbent Margaret Chin in Lower Manhattan, for instance, declined to publicly condemn the real estate spending on behalf of her candidacy, despite a career as a tenants’ rights activist.

“No matter how good her record, we told her, ‘If you don’t denounce REBNY, we’re staying out,’”

McKee told Crain’s, adding.

“This is REBNY, for Christ’s sake.”


- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2013/07/29/city-council-candidates-must-blast-rebny-to-secure-tenant-groups-endorsement/#sthash.PVAy975L.dpuf

The Stuyvesant Town PCV Board must explain themselves on their hire of REBNY lawyer to evict tenants and develop open space to convert to luxury condos and step down! They have not and are not acting on behalf of PCV ST Tenants!

Anonymous said...

Of course Brookfield is a top REBNY politician buyer er I mean donor

McKee told Crain’s, adding. “This is REBNY, for Christ’s sake.”

REBNY declined to comment to Crain’s.

While the REBNY group is planning to spend up to $10 million, Tenants PAC is not planning to raise cash for the campaigns, McKee told Crain’s.

“We’re finding out whether these candidates really believe that Citizens United was corrupting,” he said. “We don’t have the money, but we have the manpower.”

As of July 18, seven real estate firms — including Brookfield Office Properties, the Durst Organization and Jack Resnick & Company — donated more than half of the $5.26 million raised by Jobs for New York. [Crain's]


- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2013/07/29/city-council-candidates-must-blast-rebny-to-secure-tenant-groups-endorsement/#sthash.PVAy975L.dpuf

Anonymous said...

Pretending Cape Crusaders fighting Predatory Equity by Day While Predator Party Pal by Night

In 2014 there was a lot of talk (no action but a lot of talk about quick action) on Predatory lending.

A few council members - clients of PR firm Berlin Rosen - had quite a few photo ops talking about Predatory lending and how they are leading the charge to protect their RE deals, I mean protect tenants from predators. Those fearless leaders in those photo ops
( a few links here)


May 30, 2014
‘CAPE’ crusade aims to fight predatory equity

http://town-village.com/2014/05/30/cape-crusade-aims-to-fight-predatory-equity/#comments

AND

Coalition vows to go after predatory equity
Group of city officials to “act fast” to stop highly leveraged acquisitions of affordable housing

May 28, 2014 06:10PM
- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2014/05/28/coalition-vows-to-go-after-predatory-equity/#sthash.qLpqoujd.dpuf

WERE PARTYING UP A STORM WITH THE PREDATORS AT THE REBNY GALA!

Dan Garodnick and Jumaine Williams at the 119th REBNY GALA LIARS BALL

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1202857-nycs-real-estate-players-network-at-annual-rebny-banquet/?photo=11


You can buy a photo of the unmasked predators for only $100 at this link :)

http://photo.theepochtimes.com/media.details.php?mediaID=NTYyNTEwNmY1YTgwYTY5

Anonymous said...

Fine then, if Donalda and CR won't enforce the rug rules and noise from adjacent apartments, then anyone who has rugs can just ditch em. Never liked min anyway. Too much dust, dirt and cleaning. I'll be throwing them out and wearing high heels 24/7. If they don't care , then I don't either. FUCK THIS.

Anonymous said...

Let's put on our grown-up pants and face it folks: They are ALL, the TA, City Council, State Assembly and all the way up to the top in DC, CORRUPT, DIRTY, CRIMINAL AND DEVOID OF ETHICS AND MORALS. From Congress down to State level, there's not a decent, honorable man or woman to be found. This is our country, sadly. This is what we have and are probably stuck with. The Too Big to Fail Banks, Insurance Companies and the Big Corporations own our government at all levels, even (maybe especially, the Supreme Court) and we don't have a spit-into-the-wind's chance of defeating them unless and until we are ALLOWED to vote for real change-makers, i.e., Elizabeth Warren. It aint gonna happen because our government (ha) and all its branches are owned by the Kock Bros, JPMorganChase, AIG, Citibank, and on and on.
We "little people" are spitting into the wind and at a more local level, we have to put up with Fortress, CR, CW, Blackstone, TS and all the filthy, corrupt politicians we have who make it their lives' worth to be on their knees sucking them at OUR expense and to their benefit.

Anonymous said...

The Tenants Association: Worthless or Helpless?

How about Worthless AND Helpless?

Anonymous said...

"Public housing in NYC is popularly referred to as "projects," not private housing like STPCV."

That doesn't mean that private housing projects aren't private housing projects right? "Popularly referred to as" doesn't determine reality does it?

Perhaps this is just a matter of ego inflation. People will just not accept the fact that they are living in a housing project when juxtaposed with the prices they are paying to live in said project.

Anonymous said...

Nobody enforces any rules around here. Like inconsiderate neighbors waking up their next door neighbors early in the morning with their alarm clock radios blasting away. Just because you have to get up at that time doesn't mean that everyone else has to also. How would you like to woken up at 5:30 in the morning when you don't have to be up until 7:30. Would you like it? And the same goes for the evening hours as well. Please be more considerate everyone!

Anonymous said...

I just went to the TA website. It looks as if almost all references to the Brookfield deal have been taken off. Can this be? And if there is some shift about this, shouldn't there be some explanation coming from the TA?

Anonymous said...

I just went to the TA website. It looks as if almost all references to the Brookfield deal have been taken off. Can this be? And if there is some shift about this, shouldn't there be some explanation coming from the TA?

Anonymous said...

Management reading this as well as Donalda H:

If you gave a damn or were sincere in maintaining a decent living space you'd post permanent signs in the lobbies and /or all floors.

PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE OF THOSE LIVING UNDERNEATH YOU AND NEXT TO YOU.

She wants us to move out. they all do. guess what? i'm not, but i've hired a lawyer to deal with as swipe neighbors above us.

Anonymous said...

Seeing to rules enforcement & seeing to basic needs are something else that a good TA should be helping with. Here's a collection of complaints we've heard here and other places:
1. Dog shit galore on the walkways
2. Late night noise & reveling
3. Bringing dogs into grassy play areas
4. Playing in the hallways
5. Heels clacking on uncarpeted floors.
6. Absence of heat
7. Non-functioning laundry rooms
8. Oversized dogs
The list goes on.

Anonymous said...


Off topic
NYC deserves to have the DNC another year not in 2016. NY is too deeply and broadly corrupt and too at odds with itself in too many ways -- this is not the moment in time to host the DNC in NYC.

Plus de Blasio's campaign on man of the people were words not put into action. We already know the Affordable Housing plan is flawed. Also, according to Mayor De Blasio The "Best and Brightest" are not "of the people" -- they are the business titled, the wealthy, RE and Wall Street et al including Rob Speyer. Yes according to Mayor De Blasio Rob Speyer is the best and brightest of NYC. After what Robbie did to this community.....and of course Michael Novogratz, Fortress hedge Fund compass rock CW our present PCV ST owner. Yes the people wiping out this NYC community and burdening us middle class with their debt are on De Blasio's list of "Best and Brightest".

"In his statement announcing the members of the host committee, Mr. de Blasio argued that his slate of organizers and fund-raisers represent a broad cross-section of New York’s best and brightest.

Read more at http://observer.com/2015/01/developer-tied-to-sheldon-silver-arrest-on-citys-dnc-host-committee/#ixzz3QG7stsVz
Follow us: @newyorkobserver on Twitter | newyorkobserver on Facebook


http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20150129/BLOGS04/150129800/mayor-unveils-biz-heavy-dnc-host-committee

Let's for a minute put aside the Mayor's slap in the face to PCV ST (we'll get back to that and address it if he ever campaigns in PCV ST for a second term).

According to the man of the people, the people are not the "best and brightest" and I have to disagree. All New Yorkers are the best and brightest that is why we are New Yorkers. The "cross section" he lists is one-note. Almost all old-school wealthy business with a personal friend or two.
Not reflective of NY.
Where are the great NY writers, artists, dancers, teachers, small business start-up owners, photographers, fireman, gallery owner, police officer, publishing editors and film editors, film directors, journalists, musicians, songwriters, documentarian, world renowned chefs, award-winning perfumers, producers, comedians, the creative types with imaginations who think differently from one another and see the world completely differently from each other and are collectively interestingly. Mix that in with a few business titled too and that would be a cross over of some of the best and brightest. De Blasio's list reads like a wealthy donor list. That is not NY although it is the direction he is taking NY housing and neighborhoods. We are still here and we all should have been represented on that list -- that said good thing we were spared in this year of NY being the most corrupt state in the country - not an easy achievement with some of the other contenders. We have sunk very low.


“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

― Albert Einstein


Here is a Time Out Magazine fun read -- 50 reasons why NYC is the greatest city in the world

http://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/50-reasons-why-nyc-is-the-greatest-city-in-the-world#tab_panel_5

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>I just went to the TA website. It looks as if almost all references to the Brookfield deal have been taken off. Can this be? And if there is some shift about this, shouldn't there be some explanation coming from the TA?<<

It's "I've Got a Secret" time!

Anonymous said...

"shouldn't there be some explanation coming from the TA?"

funny joke

Anonymous said...

There are no direct references to the TA & Brookfield deal on the TA home page. There is a link to an article about Garodnick touting Brookfield. So from the home page perspective, it looks as if the TA is implying this is Garodnick's baby. However, if you go to the FAQs you'll still see plenty of deal touting by the TA. But these are old posts. So either the TA forgot to get rid of them or thought few would find them or are caught in some kind of bind with respect to Garodnick...like they want to back out from Brookfield somehow but at the same time they also want Garodnick to like them.

Anonymous said...

"shouldn't there be some explanation coming from the TA?""

Excuse me sir/madame, WE'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS OK? NO EXPLANATIONS REQUIRED. NO APOLOGIES EITHER. CASE CLOSED. CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT THE UPCOMING CONDO MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE?

Anonymous said...

"WE'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS OK? NO EXPLANATIONS REQUIRED. NO APOLOGIES EITHER. CASE CLOSED. CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT THE UPCOMING CONDO MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE?"

Condo management structure? Did Mayor DeBlasio capitulate to Garodnick and Brookfield?

Which "Volunteers" executed a partnership agreement giving away their constituents and 100% of ST-PCV to Brookfield in exchange for essentially nothing that will benefit their constituents? Preet should be interested in taking a close look at this scam.

Anonymous said...

8:18 The CASE is NOT closed.
Perhaps you should volunteer for something that has less at stake and requires lower performance standards. Volunteering is wonderful and vital to so many important causes and is not to be used as an excuse for underperforming. If volunteers are not achieving the results either they are better suited for a different type of organization or they are misguided in their goals....or worse they are corrupt. I hope it is that the TA Board volunteers are in over their heads so they fell victim to bad outside influence. And move onto other ways to volunteer because a Tenant Association needs a certain skill set to achieve goals that effect the lives of many. The stakes are too high for underperformance. You have not gotten positive results or effectively addressed QOL issues in years. The excuse you are just volunteers does not fly!

Anonymous said...

"WE'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS OK? NO EXPLANATIONS REQUIRED. NO APOLOGIES EITHER. CASE CLOSED. CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT THE UPCOMING CONDO MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE?"

Wow! Are you trying to avoid liability for betraying tenants?

Anonymous said...

Any upcoming management structure must not include any present TA board members for they and their REBNY lawyer are either Anti-Tenant or they are utterly, competley without qualification to act on behalf of residents.

Anonymous said...

It is not a good idea to discuss a management structure with a management that hired a REBNY attorney and has years of destruction to the community under its belt. No doubting the future decisions the TA board would make would be just like the past ones -- bottomline greed for more money money money mci mci mci get rid of all renters and only have luxury neighbors and more circus tents and buildings. You are right there is no need for an apology because an apology is not near enough what the TA Board needs to do. The TA Board are bad at being volunteers.
Good volunteers never do harm to those they serve.
Good volunteers never ever say "I do a crappy job because I am just a volunteer."
The TA board is doing a crappy job and would make a crappy condo board. Crappy. Crappy. Crappy.

Anonymous said...

What's a condo? Ain't no condos here - we are rentals. Overpriced, rent churning rentals.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>"WE'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS OK? NO EXPLANATIONS REQUIRED. NO APOLOGIES EITHER. CASE CLOSED. CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT THE UPCOMING CONDO MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE?"

Wow! Are you trying to avoid liability for betraying tenants?<<

I have a feeling that "volunteer" quote was super sarcasm.

Anonymous said...

OMG thank goodness it's sarcasm. Couldn't believe when I heard about the post.
Excellent sarcasm!!!! Awesome! Brilliant.

Anonymous said...

Just wondering how the MarkRate tenants will stay and raise families.?

Allare paying $3.4 to 4.5 a month. How long will they stay at levels as such as increase annually + Mci Mci Mci.

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Such nasty vitriol for the TA as usual. If I were them I'd close up shop just to spite you nasty monsters. Where was your community spirit during the rent hike rallies the TA organized FOR YOU at which none of you pissants showed up? You found the time to bore us with your excuses in the comments: 'I was busy. I had to go to work. General Hospital was on.' Etc. etc. Why the hell should anyone volunteer anything for you? Get off your self righteous, lazy, spoiled, me, me, me asses and be the change you want to see. Otherwise crawl back in the sewer where you belong.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

Actually, THIS pissant showed up at all the rallies, excepting those bus tours to Albany. I was also there at the failed demonstrations in front/back of the leasing office. What have these rallies accomplished, btw?

Stuy Town Reporter said...

As far as rallies and demonstrations go, they are rather insignificant. The landlord just waits them out and carries on. What the landlord does NOT want are lawsuits. The TA should be involved with those and get the support of politicians like Garodnick and de Blasio (now that Bloomberg is gone). And please, no victories like Roberts!

Stuy Town Reporter said...

Speaking of Roberts, that's another scandal that Dan and the TA were complicit in. Yeah, I know that officially they had nothing to do with it, but the market-rate tenants were royally screwed by the lawyers under the watchful and guiding light of Dan and the TA.

Anonymous said...

So true STR on all three points.

Lawsuits -- not photo op rallies!

btw the photo op rally on the mid-term increases was to set the pols up to look like heros in shutting down something that never should have been allowed as pointed out by the AG. the plan was to get a mass amount of tenants crying out so a pol could sweep down and be a hero. but we didn't show up for the photo op rally because we know the pol was complicit with their watchful eyes on the robbery of the ruling.

Anonymous said...

Exactly right. We do not need faux heros to save us. We need politicians to do their public service jobs and stop using their office for business deals for their buddies and themselves.

Anonymous said...

I am one of the Pissants who showed up for the rally against the rent hikes and I really don't know why I bothered. I am a long-term RS tenant and was not affected by the mid-lease rent increases. I showed up because I was so disgusted with this blood-sucking move on the part of "Management."

As for vitriol, 10:32 AM, you seem to have buckets of it to spare and, as far as I'm concerned, as a longtime member of the TA, they might as well shut up shop and go away because they ceased to be effective or even interested in us tenants since the day DG arrived on scene. They are wannabe owners, not a tenants association anymore.

Anonymous said...

"As far as rallies and demonstrations go, they are rather insignificant. The landlord just waits them out and carries on. What the landlord does NOT want are lawsuits. The TA should be involved with those and get the support of politicians like Garodnick and de Blasio (now that Bloomberg is gone). And please, no victories like Roberts!"

Be careful what you wish for, STR. If the TA ever institutes any law suits it will probably be AGAINST the tenants, not the landlord. Just look at who their new counsel is!

Anonymous said...

1:39 why are you against taking a little responsibility for your future and not supporting ownership? Why so content to remain in a child's role while the negligent, absent parents reap all the profit?

Anonymous said...

WOW 5:49 that is quite supercilious of you. Really you think renters are "in a child's role" -- is this all millions of renters in NYC or in the US or just the renters in PCVST?

http://www.nmhc.org/Content.aspx?id=4708

64% of renters are between ages of 20 - 64 with 30% of renters between age 45 to 64.

It is condescending to think the 45 million renters in the US are in a perpetual "child's role" -- come on. That is such BS.

Anonymous said...

Here is a little reality check on the state of the housing market after the banks played gambling games with people's homes including some facts from the 2013 "State of the Nation's Housing" report from Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/27/us-usa-housing-renters-idUSBREA0Q1A220140127

Home ownership is mostly done by the big hedge funds for investor purposes. People are no lo0nger buying homes or brainwashed into believing that is "the American dream" a myth perpetuated by real estate industry lobbyists and ad campaigns. The American dream is what people want to make of it and not for some greedy industry to tell you what your dream is. Home ownership is just not appealing to millions of American. That does not mean they are childish. It probably means they are not gong to be suckered into RE and Banker scams again after the housing crash (thank you Cuomo from your HUD days)

Anonymous said...

There is NO ONE representing the best interest of Tenants in the purchase negotiations.

Brookfield is a long time client of Paul Weiss. Paul Weiss is representing Brookfield making sure the best interests of Brookfield are met. That is why the construction and over development happened and the Rent Roll increased as Dan says increasing the Rent Roll is very attractive to buyers. Paul Weiss is representing Brookfield as the buyer and Brookfield wanted the office building, the rent increased with endless MCI charges, the apartments at market rate with 5000 dorms to churn it etc. Whether Tenants are buying or renting the deal is a bad one for Tenants and a good one for Brookfield.

Anonymous said...

The links

http://www.paulweiss.com/professionals/partners-and-counsel/scott-m-sontag.aspx

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-01-03/weil-gotshal-tax-partner-sontag-joins-paul-weiss-in-n-y-

Tenants are getting screwed whether we rent or we buy. That is the deal the TA made.

Anonymous said...

5:49pm: 1:39 pm here. If I wanted to buy, I certainly would not even consider buying here. I came in as a renter and prefer to remain a renter.
This place would be a money pit and a bottomless one, at that!

Anonymous said...

Are rallies still technically rallies if three people show up? That's why they're innefective.

Anonymous said...

Why would a family who pays beyond $4k a month and always climbing, not buy a coop somewhere else? Dumb to thrown 50K at this landlord annually and then what?

Anonymous said...

11:24 PM: Paul Weiss doesn't represent Brookfield. Another big law firm does and it is salivating to get a piece of the action when PCVST is sold. Absolutely drooling.

Anonymous said...

Anyone else pick up on trolls attempting to hijack STR threads to distract attention away from Garodnick and TA malfeasance?

A constant stream of extraneous comments press various emotional hot button issues they hope will inflame Old RS against New RS generation warfare. Another phony theme repeatedly hyped is that only Brookfield can save us from imminent bulldozer apocalypse.

Garodnick and the TA need to divide and pit tenants against tenants. Don't be suckered into their false narratives. We are all victims of their Brookfield scam.

Anonymous said...

8:11 so right.

We are moving and there are a lot of great apartments out there. We are looking for a 3 bedroom doorman, but these one bedrooms doorman are same price as PCVST and has much more to offer and the price just came down $500 per month. The photos are here
http://streeteasy.com/building/the-kingsley/1102

400 East 70th Street #1102
↓ $4,000


Beautifully Furnished One Bedroom/One Bath in the wonderful Kingsley Condominium! This high-rise building includes: Full time 24-Hour Doorman, Concierge Services, Lounge, Fitness Room on 31st floor, Common Storage Room, Garage, Laundry on every floor. Apartment has South and West exposures of the City bringing in lots of Natural Light! Bedroom: Queen Size Bed, TV, Large Closet. Kitchen: Fully Equipped, Stainless Steel Appliances, Dishwasher, Microwave, Wine Rack. Living Room/Dining Room: Large Wrap Around Sofa, TV, Dining Table. Outdoor Space: Spacious Private Balcony, Table and Chairs. Apartment is in Mint Condition! Wood flooring throughout, large windows, great closet space. In the heart of the Upper East Side; Conveniently close to transportation, shopping, restaurants. ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED! Call/Text/Email me anytime to view this Wonderful Apartment! [less]



400 East 70th Street #203
$3,150 for rent
3 rooms1 bed1 bath

http://streeteasy.com/building/the-kingsley/203

Separately, Paul Weiss does some work for Brookfield as I am sure the big disgusting-drooling law firm you mention does too 1:35. Maybe if the big drooling law firm joins REBNY the PCVST TA will hire them too.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-01-03/weil-gotshal-tax-partner-sontag-joins-paul-weiss-in-n-y-



Scott M. Sontag at Paul Weiss represents:
Brookfield Asset Management in the $866 million acquisition by BSREP Industrial, L.P. (a Brookfield fund) of Verde Realty, a Houston-based real estate investment trust focused on industrial distribution properties;

Anonymous said...

THAT IS SO TRUE February 2, 2015 at 10:20 PM!!!

Anonymous said...

Anyone else pick up on trolls attempting to hijack STR threads to distract attention away from Garodnick and TA malfeasance?

A constant stream of extraneous comments press various emotional hot button issues they hope will inflame Old RS against New RS generation warfare. Another phony theme repeatedly hyped is that only Brookfield can save us from imminent bulldozer apocalypse.

Garodnick and the TA need to divide and pit tenants against tenants. Don't be suckered into their false narratives. We are all victims of their Brookfield scam.

February 2, 2015 at 10:20 PM

Anonymous said...

8 11 and agreed. At this point, we'll just buy a coop a few blocks over. Interest rates still low. Payments would be same as rent if not lower.

Anonymous said...

Bears repeating

Blogger Stuy Town Reporter said...

Speaking of Roberts, that's another scandal that Dan and the TA were complicit in. Yeah, I know that officially they had nothing to do with it, but the market-rate tenants were royally screwed by the lawyers under the watchful and guiding light of Dan and the TA.

February 1, 2015 at 12:08 PM

Everything Dan takes under his watchful eye seems more and more like a condescending cover up.

Anonymous said...

And exactly right - yes to lawsuits -- no to political photo op rallies.

Anonymous said...

I still can't get over the TA board hiring a REBNY attorney. I want my Robert's victory ruling back and all the apartments rolled back to pre-overcharge amount.

http://therealdeal.com/blog/2009/03/16/rebny-hires-attorney-to-fight-pro-tenant-stuy-town-ruling/

Anonymous said...

@ February 4, 2015 at 4:24 PM

"I still can't get over the TA board hiring a REBNY attorney. I want my Robert's victory ruling back and all the apartments rolled back to pre-overcharge amount.

http://therealdeal.com/blog/2009/03/16/rebny-hires-attorney-to-fight-pro-tenant-stuy-town-ruling/"

Your link goes to REBNY attorney Meister Seelig & Fein LLP. Are you saying the TA retained this firm? If not, then what are you saying?