Friday, July 3, 2015

This Place Sucks

Unless you are a true old-time rent stabilized tenant whose rent is far less than what the "new stabilizers" are paying, you are being scammed.

This morning, at around 9am, I saw a guy taking a piss right into the Oval island between Oval Study and Oval Cafe. He was standing against the low fencing, legs partly spread, and urinating into the island garden. Of course, if he had to go he could have used the free Oval toilet facilities on the east side of the Oval, but probably didn't have a key card for access, or he could have easily made his way into the many side trees and bushes about the complex, out of public view. I wasn't quick enough to catch "the act" with my camera, but this is how far Stuyvesant Town has deteriorated in the past years.

In my building a person or persons or a dog or dogs is/are using the stairways for urinals. Tenants from other buildings relate similar stories.

Meanwhile, beware if you want to sit at the chess tables at Oval west today. There are dog turds there and a lot of flies buzzing around which may land on your food if you want to have a later snack at that location.

Speaking of dog turds, I saw others this morning on my way to 20st from my building. Never a surprise to see them.

There are cracks and gouges in the pavements and roadways all about Stuy Town and Peter Cooper Village. They've been there for years, of course, and are probably waiting for the expiration of previous pavement MCIs, so that new MCIs can be charged.

Stuy Town and PCV still have positives, but not for the amount of money the "new stabilizers" are now paying, though I'm sure dorm life is a positive for our rapidly expanding student population, even if things are tight for them living, illegally, four and more students per apartment.

200 comments:

Anonymous said...

There's a scrubby patch of grass that I can see from my bedroom window. I frequently see people take their dogs onto it and let them piss or shit (usually the owners don't pick up the shit) and then when the sun comes out, the "beautiful people" spread out their blankets and sun lotion, refreshments, etc. and lie for hours in the shit and piss-soiled grass. Idiots!

BIGMO said...

As a long-time rent-stabilized tenant of 26 years in my current apartment and a resident of Stuytown for 35 years total I always thought that the tenants paying 'market rate' are suckers. The students don't care because usually mommy/daddy is paying the rent.

My rent is half what others pay for a 1-bedroom apartment. No way in Hell I would pay $3,000-$3,200/month for a 1 bedroom apartment here. The landlords are laughing all the way to the bank while you tenants are being 'jacked' because you want to live on this island.

I've lived in New Yawk my whole life of 54 years and I've seen this city through decades of crime and shitty living so I can appreciate how far it has come since the old days. The city will continue to get more and more congested as more people want to live/work here. Quality of life will decline in many respects due to the added congestion. How's your ride on subways/busses these days? Enjoying the waits and the crowds? Get used to it.

For those of you lamenting the old days get over it. Stuytown will never be what it was when Metlife was owner/manager. Dogs are here to stay with their turd-drops all over the property and the dormification is well under way.

On a positive note my building will get new dryers installed next week; no mention of new washers which we need. Yipppppeeeeeee!!!!! Is this another MCI in our future?

In 3 years when I retire maybe I'll ask whoever owns this place to buy me out. What should I ask for my 1-bedroom apartment $100K?, $300K?

Let the games begin!

Anonymous said...

Low caliber people all over this place now.

Hippo said...

Pissing by the Oval...no big deal...I think the guy should be given an award for good citizenship.
I saw a frat guy taking a shit in the stairway...seriously. He saw the shock on my face. From his squatting position he looked up and said, "Hey, man, when ya' gotta ya' gotta go". Who can argue with logic like that?
How about the slobs who leave bags of garbage by the carriage room door? Too lazy to open the door and properly dispose of it...pathetic.
Love the empty beer cans, the marijuana fumes throughout the halls.
At least I don't have to go down to the park and buy a nickel bag like in the old days.
Now I just go out in the hall and breathe deeply...lol...just kidding!

Anonymous said...

Bigmo @ 11:16 am : you can retire at 57? Lucky you! Wish I could! I'm slogging along at 64. I doubt the owners of this place would ever offer a buy-out. It would need to be pretty generous if it were to be worthwhile.

Anonymous said...

yeah, so true. I myself have found large, nicer areas with lower prices and closer to a real subway. This place is gross. Good luck all peace out.

Anonymous said...

WE'd definitely sell ours back to the owner or some putz. where can we sign up for that? Retiring in California & will be out of here in 4 years.

Anonymous said...

It is same in peter cooper. Not only the student garbage but parents. Lower level crowd here now and even the 'families' let their dogs shit and pee in the hallways here.

Anonymous said...

Dorms are Speyer's revenge.

Anonymous said...

You'll get nothing but a kick in the ass on your way out the door.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>Dorms are Speyer's revenge.<<

And the continual and overwhelming crap and piss from dogs all over the place!

Anonymous said...

Who's overpaying? The "new stabilizer" who knowingly pays whatever he/she pays for an obvious product or a real R/S tenant paying their "cheap rent" who always complains about the state of the property? I think you have it backwards STR. It's you and I who are the suckers, not the "new stabilizers." If they minded the piss and shit and frat houses I think they would probably find alternative housing don't you? I pay $1500 for my real R/S apt. and believe me I think I'm overpaying. I'm still not moving because I'M THE SUCKER. I assume that if you have a 1 bedroom in stuy then you are even paying less. I won't be an idiot indefinitely, just until I can retire. I will move then, not stay and be miserable reminiscing about the good old days. I remember when I first moved here and was lying on a bench and within 5 minutes security came and told me I couldn't do that. Now there are dogs wiping their asses on the benches. I remember making the mistake of trying to walk across the oval field and having security on my back literally within seconds telling me to get off the grass. That's how you maintain an "oasis within the city" as it was once called. There I go, reminiscing.

I hate to tell you this STR but you and I and all others of our ilk are entirely irrelevant. We're dinosaurs. The shit and piss aren't going to go away (most of the raw sewage is coming from old timers by the way). So I reiterate, who's getting scammed, the "new stabilizer" or you?

Anonymous said...

StuyTown luxury living that attracts the low denomination crowd. My neighbors are low level money worshipers.

Anonymous said...

Thee is hardly an area that hasn't been adversely affected by dogs. What really makes me sick is seeing the typical dog defense at this site: "There are lots of good dog owners. It's just the bad ones who are to blame." Wrong! So long as dogs are allowed, there are always going to be rotten owners and that fact messes up the whole place for all of us. And at that, even the good owners lapse enough so that when Fido starts going as soon as he clears the door, the flagstones get strained with pee and the fronts of the buildings start looking like hell. On top of it, no one can stop the dog owners from surrounding areas from bringing their mutts in here. There's just one solution: NO DOGS ALLOWED. PERIOD.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>I remember when I first moved here and was lying on a bench and within 5 minutes security came and told me I couldn't do that.<<

Funny, something similar happened to me. I was sitting on one of the benches around the Oval and I started to nod off to sleep. Before I knew it, a security guard tapped me and said to wake up and that I couldn't sleep on the bench!

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>I hate to tell you this STR but you and I and all others of our ilk are entirely irrelevant. We're dinosaurs. The shit and piss aren't going to go away (most of the raw sewage is coming from old timers by the way). So I reiterate, who's getting scammed, the "new stabilizer" or you?<<

I still think it's the new stabilizers. For the price we pay as older tenants, living here is still a good deal compared with other rental prices that are not RS. Now, will I live here for the rest of my life? Don't know. I'm finding the city is changing for the worse month by month, and I'm beginning to really like nature's scenery in the country more and more.

Anonymous said...

With the high speed diminution of everything that made Manhattan what it is-bookstores, good real ethnic food restaurants, unique retail, art havens- what's the sense in staying?

Anonymous said...

What do you mean by the raw sewage is coming from old timers? I am an "old timer" having been here 35 years. ALL my raw sewage goes down the toilet! I never put any of it anywhere else! You won't find us peeing and pooing in the stairwells and on the grass! Please explain that horrible statement. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Trying to sleep on my day off - constant running slamming and banging from above tenants - children with an animal they continuously run after and jump on. 16 playgrounds and these kids never go out to them. Calling security.

Anonymous said...

From a business perspective, this is why The REBNY / de Blasio "Build Higher" is bad for the American people and the economy - it is "more unequal and dangerously dependent on hot money"

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/jun/25/shard-metaphor-for-modern-london


New Yorkers and Londoners fight for your cities. Don't let corrupt leaders sell them to foreign investors causing capital flight. Keep small businesses and communities in our city homes.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jul/04/leave-london-never-ill-be-staying-and-fighting-for-it

Anonymous said...

"What do you mean by the raw sewage is coming from old timers?"

Dog shit and piss. That IS raw sewage you know.

Anonymous said...

If Trump wins the Republican primary the politicians screwed themselves by screwing the People.

This short article says it all with thoughts from people in New Hampshire, US on the failures of politicians, the empty promises, lies says it all.

The country believes America is a corporation. Politicians treat it as that for years. That is their own undoing. The last vote shows America has no faith in politicians.

Donald Trump is #2 in polls. US politicians are not doing their job being of the people, by the people, for the people - instead are trying to be business people, using their offices for business deals.

Politicians are lawyers with lawyer skill sets, not business executives with business executive skill sets.
That is why People are on the losing end of every deal politicians make.

That is why Trump, who in my opinion would not be a good leader for a country, is doing well in polls.

Politicians using office in business deals are losing our land, our buildings, our homes, our rights, our jobs, etc.

Politicians mistreat America as a corporation for so long People think a business person needs to lead the country.

American government is supposed to be For The People, By The People, Of the People. Putting policies in place to protect, not exploit, the People and Land.

Politicians are bad business people.
AND
Business people are bad politicians.

Political offices are not supposed to be used for corporate favoring business deals sold out to the biggest lobbyist who can fill coffers from their corporations.

This article with thoughts from American people in New Hampshire

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/05/donald-trump-republican-2016

We all saw what happens when politicians use office to make business deals with failure of Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village.

Anonymous said...

July 5, 2015 at 9:14 AM I've had a 44 ounce Mountain Dew, a 44 ounce water, and a cup of coffee, and I'm just now starting to think that maybe I should pee. Maybe I'm dehydrated.

Anonymous said...

Why are the old timers always getting picked on? Can you blame us for cherishing our lower rent apartments? These are our homes and we are not giving them up and owe no apology to anyone. It's not our fault the newer tenants are being gouged. The blame lies with the speculators who bought the property (with other people's money) and left it saddled with debt. We're not the ones causing all the disruption, noise and dog mess. We have to suffer that because of the situation we had no control over. We are the ones who you will see at the TA rallies. Maybe the TA is ineffective, but who can fight avaricious predators like TS and MetLife (who sold us down the river) and CW and CR. Please don't direct your ire and insults at us just because we don't pay as much as you. It's NOT our fault and we are NOT moving out.

Anonymous said...

"Super awesome"

From one of those major BS (6/29) Yelp reviews. There has been a recent wave of them (sort by date), we all need to "funny" them up ASAP.

Today, the Oval is something to avoid, I just move through it as fast as possble to get to my destination. As a poster has pointed out, it's a "strip mall". When I walk by the Oval Cafe (a COMMERCIAL venue, BTW, not a sign anywhere outside or inside the dump saying its for "residents and guests only"), seeing the clueless eat and drink the crap there makes we want to cry. Rubes. Any local bodega blows them away.

Anonymous said...

""What do you mean by the raw sewage is coming from old timers?"

Dog shit and piss. That IS raw sewage you know."

It is NOT the old timers who are letting their dogs foul the grounds. I have never seen an old timer who did not pick up after his/her pooch, but I've seen many younger people (a lot from outside who use the property to walk their dogs) leave the shit behind.

Anonymous said...

"July 5, 2015 at 9:14 AM I've had a 44 ounce Mountain Dew, a 44 ounce water, and a cup of coffee, and I'm just now starting to think that maybe I should pee. Maybe I'm dehydrated."'

What the hell is that nonsense supposed to mean? STR, are you reading any of the comments you are letting through? There are some loonies around here.

Anonymous said...

The old timers aren't causing noise and dog mess(along with the "New Stabilizers" of course)? Are there any old timers with dogs? If there are, then they're causing noise and dog mess. I think. Maybe? Last I checked, they're not having their dogs piss and shit in a bucket and bringing it home to flush down their toilets.

Anonymous said...

Seems like a good time for the TA to come out with a hard stand on QOL .... The other big topics are now backburner (tenants ownership and RS renewal). Would love it if New TA Prez Steinberg would step up and make QOL her top issue starting with gasoline blowers and noise control: bring back carpet inspection and enforce. Bring back brooms and rakes too. Stop blowing soot, particulates, and animal waste into the air.

Anonymous said...

well the mr residents always feel like they're paying the bill for everyone here. sorry, not sorry.

Anonymous said...

Wow, must suck for the cat or dog too. Who are these people?

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>What the hell is that nonsense supposed to mean? STR, are you reading any of the comments you are letting through? There are some loonies around here.<<

Lighten up! I would think that post is a humorous comment on the human peeing I saw at the Oval.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>Would love it if New TA Prez Steinberg would step up and make QOL her top issue starting with gasoline blowers and noise control: bring back carpet inspection and enforce. Bring back brooms and rakes too. Stop blowing soot, particulates, and animal waste into the air.<<

I'm going to make a post about this in the near future. Perhaps a very minor health hazard, but still a health hazard, and for people with respiration problems damn awful.

Hippo said...

The two-bedroom right next door to me was rented to three young women for close to $5,000...unbelievable, huh?
Concurrently, the hallway light right in front of their door has been burned out for nearly a month.
They ( as well as I ) have called maintenance repeatedly to have the light replaced.
Nothing!
The poor young lady is besides herself. "Here we're paying a fortune and coming into the hallway is like navigating through the halls of a tenement. Unreal!"
The so-called New Stabilizers are being stabilized alright...by Compass Cock...right up the you know where.
So sad how this lovely pearl has hit the skids.

Anonymous said...

>>Would love it if New TA Prez Steinberg would step up and make QOL her top issue starting with gasoline blowers and noise control: bring back carpet inspection and enforce. Bring back brooms and rakes too. Stop blowing soot, particulates, and animal waste into the air.<<

and update tenants on the secret "changes in occupancy" "zoning" or better yet, fight it while it is happening instead of reporting it to us after you let it happen.

Anonymous said...

QOL issues and exposing all on the Con on this Community!

Anonymous said...

The TA will get to the bottom of all of this. Also, things should get better once the condo conversion is complete.

Anonymous said...

This place is a joke, in every aspect. It is no longer a residential neighborhood. All this place is, is a temporary pit-stop for those who want to live here for a very short period of time, and who could care less about treating their fellow neighbors with ANY amount of respect. That is why nobody wants to live here long term anymore, unless your a RS tenant. The goal is to renovate EVERY single unit,
while at the same time, the quality of life around here has diminished soo badly. What a joke. WC Fields said it best, "there's a sucker born every minute." And today, that means MARKET RATE Tenants. SUCKERS!!!!

Tommyboy said...

Advice to new tenants, after visiting the new Welcome Center, actually request to see the actual apartment you will be renting and not the demo. New tenants are falling all over themselves to get into here and lose all common sense doing so. After getting in, the reality sets in and "we should be able to do whatever we want because we pay so much" and then in a years time you get the royal screwing when your 1 year lease renewal is delivered.

Anonymous said...

It was remarkably quiet in ST this holiday weekend: the leaf blowing squad were off; no coaches yelling 5 hours straight at hockey clinics in PG10 ...

Anonymous said...

QOL issues sure, but I would rather see a new TA President demand an investigation into the renovation work, the wall partition First Rent scam, get us back our money and roll back the rents.

Anonymous said...

Check out: How to dump tenants and make a fortune, The Nation
or Listen to wnyc Len Lopate program stream today it was his 1st segment on show.
Slum lords use to burn bldgs. down; now they have sophisticated lawyers burning down rent stab.
Outstanding is how housing court participates in this, city & state have no control on the ruin, and forget our TA and new Pres SS.
Truly disgusting. Someone should do a legal case study on STPCV what's happening here in mgmt. machinations so a class law suit could be convened!

Anonymous said...

anyone get a lease this past month? Notice to new additions? CR thinks tenants are stupid.

Anonymous said...

3 07 and I'M WITH YOU. Disgrace about the fake overcharges.

Anonymous said...

In a nutshell, yes, this place does SUCK!

Anonymous said...

"anyone get a lease this past month? Notice to new additions? CR thinks tenants are stupid."

I got a lease renewal this month. What is that mumbo jumbo? I know I have to sign it or not have my lease renewed. I have a regular RS apartment. I've read the lease, but it makes my head spin. Can anyone explain what they are up to now?

Anonymous said...

AS far as DHCR goes, there are now new clauses in the leases with renovation and Dhcr upgrades. Good luck trying to get money back for the upgrades. Why do you think you're entitled to it -face facts MR residents.

Anonymous said...

Damn pathetic shame only STR and commentators were loudly opposing the management machinations for years while Garodnick and the TA were quietly complicit.

Anonymous said...

Anony 2.06 PM. In addition to your post, the vast majority (90%?)of new tenants here are students or the just post college crowd, many of them parental funded. They will be here max for one year, sometimes less (roommate flux situation), so they really don’t care about QOL issues or rental exspense (the rent is split between 4 or more roomates, look at the recent Yelp and the official PCVST site reviews). The Bro bars and lounges of the LES, the EV and Gramercy beckon, the steady increase of chain stores comfort them. Their only cause for concern being the return of their security deposit. CR/CWC/Fortress loves them so that they can get that vacancy bonus which was recently adjusted from 20% to 7.5% by the new NYS RS law, still a substantial percentage to increase the legal rent and then churn the apartment. Like a canary in the coal mine, just look at playground 12 lately, how uncrowded the playground is these days, to see how this once diversified community is now a dorm dump.

"In a nutshell, yes, this place does SUCK!"

Anonymous said...

Sigh - Can we all get along? I've lived and worked in this area for 20+ years and hoped to be able to raise my family here - as such I have been a market rater, or formerly market rate tenant for almost 10 years. I think it's almost time to give up. The TA might have thought conversion was the only salvation, but it looks like that has been dangled in order to get acquiescence on other issues - any prolonged fight would delay conversion. The Roberts lawsuit turned out to be the prime example. The lawyers settled for a decent cash amount - which they could take a piece of - but the formula for setting the stabilized rates effectively deregulated the apartments. Every year we have a new set of 3 young people move into the 2 bedroom next door, who party at various levels to various hours of the night.

My thought is the TA needs to make a final decision on pursuing conversion - and if it CW isn't interested - buckle down and become a adversarial, advocating organization for the tenants. We've seen results with that in other complexes in the city.

Anonymous said...

a dorm dump is right! The mountain of trash, disposable furniture and mattresses piled in curb garbage is disgusting. Transients make more trash in one year then PCVST ever made in all its 50 years combined. Under the mattresses on our sidewalk are electronics that are supposed to be discarded at the NYC recycling events and not in the trash.

Anonymous said...

Marsh The Knife, Susan Stasi, Green Goblin and the rest of the TA are a joke. They are as corrupt as the rest of the politicians. There's no hope. All we can do is suffer or move until they demolish the buildings and build real luxury buildings.

Anonymous said...

7.22. Very well said.

Anonymous said...

DeBlasio is gung-ho on recycling, composting, etc.; he should crack down on PCVST for its tolerance of filthy, sloppy slobs who make this place look like a landfill. I think he is too much of a hypocrite to do anything about it. He doesn't give a crap about the environment really, just like he doesn't give a crap about the abuse we endure at the hands of his REBNY friends.

Anonymous said...

"The TA will get to the bottom of all of this. Also, things should get better once the condo conversion is complete."

LOL...Good one.

Anonymous said...

I can see it being converted to coops more and more as time goes by. CWC collecting a few billion and then 'managing' the place and raking in on monthly fees as well. Who could blame em? Win win instead of dealing with pesky RS tenants 24 hours a day.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>Marsh The Knife, Susan Stasi, Green Goblin and the rest of the TA are a joke. They are as corrupt as the rest of the politicians.<<

No, they are not corrupt. Just, basically, ineffectual. Maybe there's just too much stacked against any TA here and the fight has always been a losing one. (Which is why I think the TA should go for broke and just sue the present and past landlords, a final "Waterloo.")

I do have to add that despite the TA's problems, these are volunteers and should get a thanks for giving of their time to try to help tenants.

Anonymous said...

Fighting QOL issues is a distraction from the real fight that is needed but the TA is afraid to do it. The real issue are the financial frauds. Fight the financial frauds.

Anonymous said...

It makes sense now if indeed it is true there never was a tenant led bid but that was a mere distraction to get tenants to go along with the developers commercialization of the residential property. Can we tenants, without the (intentionally) ineffectual TA, organize a fight on this First Rent fraud to give relief to Market Raters?

Anonymous said...

"My thought is the TA needs to make a final decision on pursuing conversion - and if it CW isn't interested - buckle down and become a adversarial, advocating organization for the tenants. We've seen results with that in other complexes in the city."

What kind of TA would hold multiple conversion meetings and gather together a legal and financial advisory team when they have no idea whether or not the project is up for sale? This is the height of arrogance and incompetence. For most of us, it was just a waste of our time, but many continued to stay in the Stuy town projects (overpaying) because of the actions of the TA (and let's not forget DG). Terrible representation.

I agree STR, this has nothing to do with TA corruption, just arrogance and incompetence.

Anonymous said...

Susan Steinberg said there is dead silence on our tenant led bid. The TA is responsible to make the noise, the demands, the outcry so why the silence?

TA is supposed to make things happen and not wait for things to come to them then parlay that, those scraps, to tenants.

"Ineffectual" might be an understatement.

Anonymous said...

Dorm dump. That sums it up.

Anonymous said...

"What kind of TA would hold multiple conversion meetings and gather together a legal and financial advisory team when they have no idea whether or not the project is up for sale?"

What kind of expert legal and financial advisory team dedicates their time without a benefit?
None.
There is a benefit but not for the tenants. Never was. What happened to the Brookfield conversion website? Or the Stuy Big Dig website? What were they really for?

Anonymous said...

"What kind of expert legal and financial advisory team dedicates their time without a benefit?
None."

Let's continue then. What kind of TA, after wasting our time with said meetings, acts as if the meetings never existed? No explanation, no apologies to overpaying renters for stringing them along.....nothing; and yeah, whatever did happen to that Brookfield website and why does the TA pretend that THAT never existed. It's all so pathetic that one really does have to laugh.

In a couple of years, when the city is back in the crime and filth we're all going to be grateful for the TA's incompetence.

Anonymous said...


As per the posters here, the TA is dead, the TA is corrupt, the TA is not effective, etc., etc., ad nauseam . So what do we do now? The answer is to join/volunteer/donate to the overall tenant rights organization of your choice such Metropolitan Council on Housing. If you don't, then you're all talking out your butts.


http://metcouncilonhousing.org/

Anonymous said...

Will we ever be rid of the corrupt and avaricious filth who incompetently run this place? With the affordable housing crunch in NYC, where do they get off turning the place into a giant dorm with students packed (illegally) into chopped-up apartments? Where do they get off charging real new tenants outstanding rents that are in no way reflective of the quality of apartment they are moving into? Where do they get off chopping down so many trees and putting in all those commercial efforts? There has to be a fix in with the City. The politicians and City agencies are up to their necks in corruption and theft and want Preet Bharara to weed them out and nail their dirty asses to the wall. I will never vote again in this sewer of a city until that happens.

Anonymous said...

ok, wehre do we join? Again, WHY CAN'T WE FORM A NEW TA??? what is stopping us? is this just a site to gripe one? zzzzzzzz

Anonymous said...

I'm going to disagree with STR to this extent: there was something 'corrupt' about the way the TA tried to put over the Brookfield deal to the community. The whole condo vs co-op discussion was deliberately skewed and didn't even come close to giving both sides of the story. In addition, several statements made were clear false.

In addition, this TA 'leadership' subverted the pure function of a TA into some kind of business partnership, thereby diminishing its effectiveness as a TA.

No. I think were was indeed something corrupt here...something that smacked of enjoying the limelight and rubbing elbows with 'big shots'. And I think Susan Steinberg was very much a part of this.

I would like to see a TA that just advocates strongly for tenants, that shows landlords it can organize effectively to make trouble.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

I would like to see that, too!

Stuy Town Reporter said...

The TA should be crafting a massive lawsuit against the present landlord and the past one, something of the Roberts type but without the ultimate surrender that followed that decision. Everything else is trivial.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>ok, wehre do we join? Again, WHY CAN'T WE FORM A NEW TA??? what is stopping us? is this just a site to gripe one? zzzzzzzz<<

This blog has various uses and various results. Even if it were limited to being a "gripe one," that would still be a positive. Isn't it nice to blow off a little steam?

But it is a place to read about what's happening here, without influence from the landlord, the REBNY, the TA, or our politicians. There's material here that won't be found on any other site/blog/message board dedicated toward ST/PCV.

Anonymous said...

Left a review on yelp. It has not shown up.

Anonymous said...

...I would like to see a TA that just advocates strongly for tenants, that shows landlords it can organize effectively to make trouble....

Yes that's MY kind of TA too.

Anonymous said...

COMPLETELY AGREE

Anonymous said...

I'm going to disagree with STR to this extent: there was something 'corrupt' about the way the TA tried to put over the Brookfield deal to the community. The whole condo vs co-op discussion was deliberately skewed and didn't even come close to giving both sides of the story. In addition, several statements made were clear false.

In addition, this TA 'leadership' subverted the pure function of a TA into some kind of business partnership, thereby diminishing its effectiveness as a TA.

No. I think were was indeed something corrupt here...something that smacked of enjoying the limelight and rubbing elbows with 'big shots'. And I think Susan Steinberg was very much a part of this.

I would like to see a TA that just advocates strongly for tenants, that shows landlords it can organize effectively to make trouble.




July 8, 2015 at 10:58 PM
Blogger Stuy Town Reporter said...

I would like to see that, too!

July 9, 2015 at 6:51 AM

Anonymous said...

So I get a call from a woman I work with who has a daughter that just graduated and is looking for an apartment. She says don't you live in Stuy Town? Yes, I love it I have been there almost 20 years. Well her daughter and 3 girls are moving into a 2 bedroom. But the broker promised them they will split it all up and make walls. They are all going to see today the demo apartment that shows how they do this. Now of course I didn't get into the politics of Stuy Town with her. She is just concerned about her daughter living in a safe place.
But...what happens if there is a fire and the firemen can't safely navigate the layout? That is really upsetting. And the obvious impact of putting all these people in these apartments and overloading the resources of the building.
The brokers here have no shame in their awful game.

Anonymous said...

"The TA should be crafting a massive lawsuit against the present landlord and the past one, something of the Roberts type but without the ultimate surrender that followed that decision. Everything else is trivial."

But the NYS Court system is corrupt as well.

"The New York State Court of Appeals gave a thumbs up Tuesday to New York University’s campus expansion plans, which will expand the school by about 2 million square feet in Greenwich Village."

Listen, I agree, one needs (the TA?)to try a lawsuit. But doing one requires BIG bucks. As I posted in another thread, a tenant going against CR re a recent succession issue. just in NYC Housing Court, will cost the tenant around $35,000 in legal fees (quote by a very reputable tenants’ rights law firm) with very little chance of getting that fee back from CR as part of the settlement, even if you win. And, again, the Catch 22 here by posters on this blog is that the TA is corrupt so why would anyone contribute to its legal fees even with such a narrow focus? You can't have it both ways.


Anonymous said...


"But it is a place to read about what's happening here, without influence from the landlord, the REBNY, the TA, or our politicians. There's material here that won't be found on any other site/blog/message board dedicated toward ST/PCV."

The fact the information is only found on STR and is without the influence of those listed, says those listed (landlord, TA, the REBNY, politicians) don't want tenants to have complete information. Probably those listed will stop any new TA from forming to honestly inform and represent tenant needs too with harsh retaliation for anyone who helps tenants. The Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village Plan was put in the the works by Speyer, the REBNY Cuomo Garodnick long ago. De Blasio probably wants to help but can't. It is on his mayorship the largest residential middle class community meets its demise. I doubt De Blasio wants that as his legacy. It belongs on Cuomo's shoulders.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>Well her daughter and 3 girls are moving into a 2 bedroom.<<

Unless they are related, this is illegal.

Now if we had an aggressive TA, they would be collecting information like this and adding it to a lawsuit.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>Left a review on yelp. It has not shown up.<<

Takes a day or two, and sometimes a review gets bounced to the hidden reviews.

Anonymous said...

So much discontent with the TA, so much the angst. So many calls to form a new TA, but that's not gonna happen. There are 110 buildings in STPCV. Organizing them is a huge undertaking. Funding will be a problem. Lack of interest will be the biggest problem. Why not change the TA from the inside? It can be done. You'll just need the time, the will, and some creativity.

Anonymous said...

Well the Fire department apparently (ahem) approved these weird arrangements of walls CR builds.

It's all one huge scam. Please know this people.

Anonymous said...

Fire Commissioners and NYPD commissioners regularly attend the gala of the anti-tenant lobby group REBNY

NYPD and Fire Dept will always side with landlords over tenants on all matters including safety.

Anonymous said...

1:54 PM: Do you think the FDNY would be in on a scam like this? It is detrimental to the fire fighters as well as the tenants. If we had a TA that was worth calling a TA and a Councilman who was not corrupt and who gave a damn, there would be a massive inspection of every unit of the property by OFFICIAL Fire Inspectors, not paid grunts or college kids who conducted the other so-called inspections - which were mainly for the purpose of harassing tenants, especial the older ones.

I recall that they didn't bother to fill in the gaps around the new risers they put in the stairwells until some tenants threatened to notify FDNY. Those gaps were a catastrophe waiting to happen if a fire started on a lower floor. It would have rushed up through those gaps to all the upper floors as well as cutting off access by stairwell (our ONLY fire escapes) for tenants to get out and fire fighters to get in. We need to remember that this place is being run by a bunch of incompetent, uncaring, money-hungry grifters (graduates of Compass Crock University) and they would have applauded the operators of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company if they had been around then because they are of the same calibre and moral fibre.

I wish we did have a TA. I really, really wish we did have a TA. But, alas, we DO NOT.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well the Fire department apparently (ahem) approved these weird arrangements of walls CR builds.

It's all one huge scam. Please know this people.

July 9, 2015 at 1:54 PM

No doubt it is one big scam with a lot of players.

Anonymous said...

Listen, I agree, one needs (the TA?)to try a lawsuit. But doing one requires BIG bucks...

I pointed that out on at least two other threads. The suggestion by the person demanding said lawsuits was to use "interns." At some point it'd be nice if some people here would acknowledge the limits to what the TA can accomplish against a corporate behemoth like CWC with the limited resources and manpower that it has available.

Anonymous said...

>>Well her daughter and 3 girls are moving into a 2 bedroom.<<

Unless they are related, this is illegal.

Now if we had an aggressive TA, they would be collecting information like this and adding it to a lawsuit.

Even if the TA had the money for a lawsuit, that's not the one the TA should launch. That piece of city code is one that the city tries its best NOT to enforce. Even if we were to win in court (how many $ thousands later?), be certain that the code would be re-written at the behest of NYC landlords.

Anonymous said...

As sucky and rotten as this place is since it became a badly run dorm/AirbnB dump thanks to incompetent, money-hungry assholes and contemptible politicians, I have to say that the people in Resident Services are stellar. That is my opinion, anyway. They are always polite, patient and pleasant. Just had to get that in. Thankfully, they do not reflect "management's" scummy, lazy, incompetent work ethic.

Anonymous said...

Yoga girl: at the oval. You need to be less than $15. See you there for $10.

Anonymous said...

You are not going to believe this, but tenants in my building are now, NOT going to the post office to mail their letters. They are leaving them by the mail boxes with THEIR return addresses and stamps placed on them so the letter carrier is forced to take it back to the post office for them. Unbelievable. Real sneaky. These are the types of people the Leasing Dept. are renting to. Do you really like living here? I don't. And yes, this place DOES suck.

Anonymous said...

God forbid there is a major fire and the FDNY finds negligence.

Anonymous said...

If there were massive new membership in the TA, it could be changed from the inside. The biggest obstacle is participation. Right now the voting membership is small and any newcomer seeking office would have to deal with the friendship & politics already there. So long as there are limelight issues like a conversion in the offing, people like Susan Steinberg will fight hard to stay at the top. I can't believe that the entire TA board supported going into business with Brookfield. When people run for TA office they should state their positions about such things. If the TA ran elections that circulated positions, I would be happy to join up again and vote. But they don't do that. You just don't know who stands for what. It becomes the equivalent of voting for class officers back in Jr High.

Anonymous said...

Good heavens Dan is now working for no reality tv in hospitals. Really Dan? nothing else to work on? sad joke this guy is now.

Anonymous said...

"But it is a place to read about what's happening here, without influence from the landlord, the REBNY, the TA, or our politicians. There's material here that won't be found on any other site/blog/message board dedicated toward ST/PCV."

If you air an opinion or even ask a simple question on the TA fb or the independent ST Tenants fb, you will get an annoying sock puppet jump up and bite your head off and subject you to ridicule. This sock puppet is so obvious that I don't how she gets away with it. Karma will get her eventually. I think she ventures over here from time to time to scold and do her hall monitoring thing.

Anonymous said...

The entire comp;lex complains about the students and their issues and disrespect and filth. What about the moms that live here now? A good amount of moms are stroller crazy, nasty and foul. Ive been here 22 years and have not seen this before. Moms of stuy and Pcv ysome of you are rude and ill-mannered.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>The suggestion by the person demanding said lawsuits was to use "interns." At some point it'd be nice if some people here would acknowledge the limits to what the TA can accomplish against a corporate behemoth like CWC with the limited resources and manpower that it has available.<<

That was my suggestion. It could be done with leadership from Dan Garodnick, himself a lawyer. He should get his previous law firm to sign up fresh-from-law-school or still-in-law-school interns to collect data and investigate the legality of everything here. Work with the TA and its volunteers. (Hell, I'd even volunteer for something like that!) Acquire a massive load of documentation and then go for it, a lawsuit to end all lawsuits. Stop this trivial crap and the hope of condo conversion that will benefit only a few, while effectively destroying affordable housing here forever.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>Yoga girl: at the oval. You need to be less than $15. See you there for $10.<<

I don't understand. Are you charging us to watch a yoga girl at the Oval?

Anonymous said...

"They are leaving them by the mail boxes with THEIR return addresses and stamps placed on them so the letter carrier is forced to take it back to the post office for them. "

This is SOP for Suburbs. Go to Jeremiah’s Vanishing NY blog, the banner page, for a link explaining this mentality that is occurring here, the EV, etc.

http://vanishingnewyork.blogspot.com/2008/09/gated-new-york.html

Anonymous said...

"You are not going to believe this, but tenants in my building are now, NOT going to the post office to mail their letters. They are leaving them by the mail boxes with THEIR return addresses and stamps placed on them so the letter carrier is forced to take it back to the post office for them. Unbelievable. Real sneaky. These are the types of people the Leasing Dept. are renting to. Do you really like living here? I don't. And yes, this place DOES suck."

I haven't seen the behavior you describe, but I HAVE seen the letter carrier dump parcels in the lobby without even trying to deliver them to the apartments. This happens all the time. We have the laziest, nastiest letter carriers in the city, so I doubt they put themselves out to mail people's letters for them. They can't even fucking deliver the mail as they should! If they put the mail in the correct boxes (or even correct buildings) it is purely by accident.

Anonymous said...

There are now yoga classes taught be another tenant on the Oval. Tuesdays I think.

Anonymous said...

8:40 AM: The letter carriers are under no obligation to pick up mail that is outgoing. If these lazy schlubs leave their mail to be picked up by the postman, I hope the postman just leaves it there. The nerve of some people! Entitled Flyover State brats! They are probably used to having a mailbox at the end of the drive/garden path whatever, where they deposit and receive mail. They need to get used to the fact that this is New York, not Flyoverlandia.

Anonymous said...

What were the tenants who pushed for Dan's plan promised in return? They were vicious in their push, so what is in it for them?

Anonymous said...

Stop this trivial crap and the hope of condo conversion that will benefit only a few, while effectively destroying affordable housing here forever.

Affordable housing has already been destroyed here forever and the conversion plan seems pretty much over since CWCapital appears not interested in the least. As for the conversion plan itself, I wasn't crazy about it either, but what workable alternative was ever presented by anybody?

Anonymous said...

Sure STR, TA volunteers could do the work of collecting data. Then it has to get litigated which is where the money problem comes up. Going to court is a VERY expensive process and CW Capital can drag that on for years.

Anonymous said...

Suburban residents leave their outgoing mail in their own mailboxes for the letter carriers to pick up. That's how it's worked across America, forever. There are very few mail drop boxes in suburban areas, and the alternative is to drive to the post office. People trust that nobody will steal their mail, so that unlike NYC, mailboxes aren't normally locked.

Personally, I'd never leave a letter or package to be mailed in a ST/PCV lobby, because I'll assume that it would be picked up by a junkie or other miscreant looking for cash or checks. The people leaving letters are simply oblivious to the reality of life in the big city. We've been through this discussion a zillion times, especially as it related to packages left in the lobbies or hallways.

Atomic Man said...

Re mail...

One of my neighbors, a new to NY transplant, once asked me how to send outgoing mail. He said he was leaving it in the mailbox, but the carrier never picked it up!

Apparently, that's standard operating procedure in many places. There are no mailboxes, you leave your outgoing mail in your box, and put the "flag" up (if it's a standalone box) to let the carrier know there's something waiting.

So, it's just ignorance, not arrogance, in play here.

Anonymous said...

They were promised a purchase of their apartment at 10 dollars a square as they viciously thwarted the no fail plan to close our eyes, click our heels and be transported back to 1947.

Anonymous said...

"I HAVE seen the letter carrier dump parcels in the lobby without even trying to deliver them to the apartments. This happens all the time. We have the laziest, nastiest letter carriers in the city, so I doubt they put themselves out to mail people's letters for them. They can't even fucking deliver the mail as they should! If they put the mail in the correct boxes (or even correct buildings) it is purely by accident."

I checked out this situation in my building when I saw a postal employee leaving packages in the lobby. It's not the letter carrier (the person who puts the mail in your mailbox) who dumps the packages (or shouldn't be). Various delivery services (not UPS) deliver packages to the Roosevelt station on Third Avenue and 54th Street, and the postal service takes over for "last mile" delivery. If you look at the labels closely, you will no doubt see USPS on them. When I asked the postal employee why he wasn't delivering to the door, he said that if he did that, not everyone would get their packages because he didn't have enough time. I told him he should ask for help, but he gave me a look that said "Yeah, like that's gonna happen."

Anonymous said...

"What were the tenants who pushed for Dan's plan promised in return? They were vicious in their push, so what is in it for them?"

What might you think they were promised? Just wondering.....

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>Sure STR, TA volunteers could do the work of collecting data. Then it has to get litigated which is where the money problem comes up. Going to court is a VERY expensive process and CW Capital can drag that on for years.<<

Sure it can drag on for years. So be it, but does CW want that? More importantly, does the TA want that or are they still hoping for a tenant conversion? "Please, sir, can I have an apartment to buy?"

As for the expense, I don't believe it would be as expensive as people may think.

Why doesn't the TA, with Garodnick's help, lay out just how expensive a lawsuit may be and present it to tenants?

But we know that's not going to happen. There is no fight, no will to go for the jugular. At this point, we have seem to have lost ST/PCV to affordable housing, and with each year, it gets worse and worse. Less true RS apartments, more dorms, more dogs, more crap, more construction, more noise, etc.

Anonymous said...

As for the expense, I don't believe it would be as expensive as people may think.

Sorry you are just wrong, STR. The MCI negotiations, which both sides were eager to settle, only had a lifespan of months because of financial limitations on the tenants' side and the negotiations didn't even require a courtroom. Again, litigation is very expensive and the simple fact that one side can afford to drag the process out for years and the other can't and both sides know that would suggest, to me anyway, that it's not a realistic option for the TA.

Additionally, STPC tenants (not the TA) went for the jugular and won. Sort of. Remember Roberts? Moral: Litigation is expensive and it's risky.

Those tenants willing to spend their money going for the jugular might consider sending it to Democrats running for State Senate upstate against Republican incumbents who opposed strong rent regulation in NYC. Tenants & neighbors and Real Rent Reform will be targeting races.

Anonymous said...

I saw the letter carrier leave parcels in the lobby and I asked her why she didn't take them to the apartment doors. She just said "They can stay there." and rushed out. I called the USPS toll-free number and spoke to a person who told me that letter carriers don't have time to deliver parcels to the apartments in large complexes like STPCV. She said the alternative was to leave a pink slip in the mailbox and you go and pick up your package at the Post Office. The FedEx guy also leaves packages in the lobby with no attempt whatsoever to take them to the apartments. Sometimes the FedEx guy just dumps the parcels on the Main floor where there are no mailboxes. He just dumps them inside the door.

UPS is the only one who actually takes the time and trouble to bring parcels to the apartment door. He's the only one I will ever tip at the Holidays, too!

Anonymous said...

"Why doesn't the TA, with Garodnick's help, lay out just how expensive a lawsuit may be and present it to tenants?"

Garodnick is the fox who guards the chicken coop. It would not be in his fiduciary or political interest to help the tenants like that. He does not work for his constituents; he works for REBNY. Do you seriously think his masters at Paul Weiss, Brookfield, REBNY would allow him to assist us in a lawsuit against CWC? Get a grip!

Anonymous said...

Str, can you set up so w e can add photos to comments? the property is disgusting. the people are shit, they don't even pick up after their pets. i'd love to attach the photo of the dog who pees in our building. often.

Anonymous said...

OOOOO Yoga on the oval. I see. I agree, why is it more than indoor yoga (ten dollars a class)?

Anonymous said...

Don't think a probable forced Greek exit from the EU tomorrow affects STPCV? Think again.

In the event of Grexit, US banks should be fine, but some US hedge funds could fail. Most US hedge funds fled Greece after Syriza, the anti-austerity, pro-sovereignty Greek party came to power in January. A few hung around thinking that Syriza would ultimately be forced into a deal with Europe. Fortress Investment Group is among the largest investors of those who hung around. It would now appear that Germany was not really interested in a deal.

Fortress owns special servicer, CWCapital, which is currently managing STPCV and running the sale of the property.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/29/business/dealbook/panic-among-hedge-fund-investors-in-greece.html

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>Str, can you set up so w e can add photos to comments?<<

I'm almost positive that the Blogger format doesn't allow that, but I will check again.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>I called the USPS toll-free number and spoke to a person who told me that letter carriers don't have time to deliver parcels to the apartments in large complexes like STPCV. She said the alternative was to leave a pink slip in the mailbox and you go and pick up your package at the Post Office.<<

If so, then the policy has changed. We always used to get attempted deliveries of packages, and only a pink slip if no one was at home. Also when I used to work for the post office (years ago) it was mandatory that an attempt had to be made to deliver a parcel.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>Sorry you are just wrong, STR. The MCI negotiations, which both sides were eager to settle, only had a lifespan of months because of financial limitations on the tenants' side and the negotiations didn't even require a courtroom.<<

Why, then, was CW eager to settle if they could just ride it out?

I'd like to see figures on what it would cost to initiate a lawsuit. Dan?

Stuy Town Reporter said...

AND... how was it that Riverton was able to initiate a lawsuit against CompassRock, but we are somehow too poor to do so???

Anonymous said...

Riverton had a good TA and a elected representative who cared and fought for the tenants. We have neither.

Anonymous said...

12 03 str. Wanted to post this as well. N one gives a F here is why. This is bs.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

It's pathetic that the poorer version of Stuy Town - Peter Cooper Village was able to initiate a lawsuit against CompassRock, but we can't do it because it would cost too much!

Anonymous said...

July 12, 2015 at 12:05 PM
You say:"Sorry you are just wrong, STR. The MCI negotiations, which both sides were eager to settle, only had a lifespan of months because of financial limitations on the tenants' side and the negotiations didn't even require a courtroom"

It had a lifespan of months because both sides early on decided the RS would get little relief and the MR would get a bit more relief than RS but both sides, the TA / TA lawyers and CW CR Fortress wanted the rent roll to go up for REBNY mezzanine debt holder Brookfield and Fortress.
AND
The TA would have more budget for protecting tenants from bogus MCI charges if they did not waste money on Dan's conversion and Public Relations firms.

BUT
I would not trust this TA board to do a lawsuit on behalf of tenants. They are too secretive and too close with the landlord.

Anonymous said...

Blogger Stuy Town Reporter said...

It's pathetic that the poorer version of Stuy Town - Peter Cooper Village was able to initiate a lawsuit against CompassRock, but we can't do it because it would cost too much!

July 13, 2015 at 6:30 AM

So true, so telling. It is not that we can't it is that they (TA and Dan) will block any tenant lawsuit either by refusing to bring it on or undermining tenants eg with bogus comments on a blog about the expense.

We can't afford NOT to bring on a lawsuit. Bring it on any of the frauds here.

Anonymous said...

We might be better off if Fortress loses their hedge bets on Greece. We couldn't be worse off. Let them lose everything. They make us lose everything. Let them too, it is their own undoing with a losing bet and their doing unto others coming back to them.

Anonymous said...

The more I think about it ... A lawsuit on behalf of tenants is definitely needed and definitely needs to be protected from interference from the TA, all TA lawyers, Dan and any of the politicians in The REBNY fundraiser photos.

Anonymous said...

We can not, should not, must not trust politicians fundraising for REBNY with their money and with their presence at the gala.

Anonymous said...

Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village and Riverton tenants are being sold out in a political "horse trade"

Cuomo should give power to AG special prosecutor on unarmed civilian police shootings on its own merit.

Cuomo should give rent protections to tenants on its own merit / not contingent on giving billions to developers in tax breaks robbing tenants again of tax pool that pays for infrastructure schools etc.

The game blaming the city for failing infrastructure then doing a case study on private business fixing transportation versus MTA is BS. If MTA and NYC were not robbed of $billions$ in tax subsidy welfare to the wealthy the infrastructure would be in better shape. Trump already did Dan's case study anyway.

Tenants are not supposed to be bartered and traded in the games of politicians seeking power.

Anonymous said...

Spoke to a female public safety officer on Saturday about adults and children playing soccer and having a picnic right in front of my of building, 530 PETER COOPER VILLAGE. When I asked if they are allowed to do this, the answer was "If enough people complain, then I will look into it." Can you believe this? This place is an absolute JOKE!!!!! ABSOLUTE JOKE!!! You market rate people are suckers!

Anonymous said...

Was Marsh's responsibility as President of TA really just to get the online presence established an what good has that done but to sell tenants on predator Brookfield?

Anonymous said...

Each time we blame the MR people & call them suckers, they hate us more and more. Was told recently that if I paid my fair share, this place would run better. That it's our fault it's gone downhill. We're not carrying our weight. sigh.

Anonymous said...

Isn't there one lawyer. lol. law firm in all 22600 of us that would take it on? without the TA and Dan involved??????

No one finds this odd that it's not happened in all these years?

Anonymous said...

Why, then, was CW eager to settle if they could just ride it out?

I don't even know why you're asking this. It was argued about endlessly here. Anyway, to rehash. MCI challenges can take years, as you know. If CWC was our landlord, they probably would just have allowed that to play out. But they're in charge of selling the place, so they preferred it settled sooner rather than later. Those MCI increases have inflated property value in advance of a sale which by the agreement must take place in 2016.

I'm not going to argue over the merits of the results. My point was that even with both sides eager to settle out of court, our side only had enough cash to cover attorneys' fees for a few months. The kind of court battle you are demanding would take years.

Anonymous said...

AND... how was it that Riverton was able to initiate a lawsuit against CompassRock, but we are somehow too poor to do so???

Riverton is suing over MCI overcharges in State Supreme Court. STPCV also regularly goes to State Supreme Court over MCIs. I believe that we are going to court over the roof and elevator PARs that DHCR rejected. Going to State Supreme Court is baked into the MCI process and it's probably the main reason the TA raises money, to pay for our lawyers. What you are proposing is a whole nother thing.

Anonymous said...

Did Lexington Insurance and Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village tenants pay for the nyu campus security and the office building? Did CW CR get paid twice on both those items?

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>The kind of court battle you are demanding would take years.<<

Go for it. Interns, interns, interns! Pro-bono work, too. TA and tenant volunteers! Make it happen!

Anonymous said...

July 13, 2015 at 10:31 AM

Between The REBNY, Paul Weiss/Garodnick/Stringer, and Cuomo appointed Judges

on top of the Roberts ruling stolen out from under PCVST tenants, the cards are stacked against tenants in NYC. But even when NYC tenants win, PCVST tenants do not benefit i.e. de Blasio tenant harassment will go after any landlord other than PCVST's. Dan saw to it the PCVST landlord can get away with everything, legal and illegal, they do here.

Anonymous said...

It would not take years for a lawsuit. CW and CR and Dan would never let it go to discovery phase. They would cut a deal before discovery ever happens. So file the lawsuits! Hire any lawyer but not TA lawyers Paul Weiss or Collins Dobkins Miller.

Anonymous said...

I really don't give a flying *&!#$@ what market raters think about me because most of them are not in it for the long haul anyway. With the amount of money they are spending in rent, they could almost pay 2 mortgages. Soo yes, they ARE suckers.

Anonymous said...

"STPCV also regularly goes to State Supreme Court over MCIs."
July 13, 2015 at 12:24 PM

Just curious and hope this is true, but what evidence do you have to support this statement?

Anonymous said...

Seriously?! Lawyers are paying off politicians who are paying off lawyers who are paying off politicians and round and round. One big corrupt cesspool who will take a case to make money off of victims while they cut a deal with their buddies. Look how much the lawyers made off of our settling Roberts! Even the Judge was disgusted. Law offices all over NY State are passing money from clients to politicians for favorable laws and policies. Where are we going to find a law firm that will honestly help us tenants in this REBNY owned town or state? Show me one. It does not exist.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/fat-checks-pols-law-firms-work-article-1.2290122

Anonymous said...

1:00

you know you sound angry and a tad bit jealous you don't have the wine fridge. Sorry, not sorry.

Anonymous said...

July 13, 2015 at 1:04 PM

This is the process involved in challenging an MCI.

1. owner applies for an MCI. Tenants have 30 days submit comments on the MCI to the DHCR within 30 days. Owner supplies answer to tenants' comments.

2. DHCR rules on MCI application.

3. Depending on who the ruling is in favor of, a Petition for Administrative Review (PAR)is filed. In the case of STPCV, we have never gotten a favorable MCI ruling (except partially on the windows after they started exploding), so we've always filed the PARs. the PAR has to be filed within 35 days.

4. DHCR makes final ruling.

5. Whoever gets the unfavorable ruling (landlord or tenant) now goes to the State Supreme Court to challenge the DHCR's ruling by filing a petition within 60 days of the DHCR's ruling.

I know we went to Supreme Court over the rewiring/windows (and still lost despite having all kinds of documentation that should have tossed the MCI right out). I believe we have challenged every other unfavorable DHCR MCI ruling in court too.

Obviously navigating the entire process of challenging MCIs requires attorneys, but especially once it goes to court.

Anonymous said...

Cuomo is a liar and good for de Blasio for calling him out on his hypocrisy!

Anonymous said...

This thread is too unfocused. I think that perhaps paid surrogates for CR / CW hijacked it to [successfully] shift the focus off the post topic which I thought was the quality of life conditions that currently prevail in ST/PCV.

Anonymous said...

Well they'd like to be in it FOR THE LONG HAUL. How can they when you don't pay the real share?

Anonymous said...

SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY GOING ON WITH PCV. THEY ARE NOW RENOVATING APARTMENTS THAT WERE RENOVATED 6 or 7 years ago. They are making these apartments " platinum apartments". All will have very high end amenities -with new floors and the air conditioner placed in the wall. I was told that these renovations are running $125,000 for each 2'bedroom apartment. Strange -especially since they have not done one thing to improve PCV. All the $$$$ seems to have been put into ST. Most of those improvements were not great.

Anonymous said...

If so, then the policy has changed. We always used to get attempted deliveries of packages, and only a pink slip if no one was at home. Also when I used to work for the post office (years ago) it was mandatory that an attempt had to be made to deliver a parcel. >>>>>

STR, it may well be the official policy of the Post Office to try to deliver packages to tenants, but as our lazy, incompetent, poor apology of a "management" has not updated the intercoms or the directories that are in the lobbies in at least a couple of years, it is pretty much impossible for the letter carriers to notify people they have a parcel. People come and go every few months in my building and their names never appear on the intercoms or the directories. Also, these people don't leave forwarding addresses. On the other hand, tenants who moved out or died as long as 2 years, are still listed. We really all suffer because of the revolving door/dorm policy and the fact that management doesn't give a flying fuck about anything except squeezing the last penny and drop of blood from "tenants."

Anonymous said...

"Spoke to a female public safety officer on Saturday about adults and children playing soccer and having a picnic right in front of my of building, 530 PETER COOPER VILLAGE. When I asked if they are allowed to do this, the answer was "If enough people complain, then I will look into it." Can you believe this? This place is an absolute JOKE!!!!! ABSOLUTE JOKE!!! You market rate people are suckers!"

I hope you called PS and spoke to whoever it is they have in charge these days. The lazy cow you spoke to just doesn't want to do her job.

Anonymous said...

Yes and we now all know who runs DHCR, Cuomo. I never voted for him and will never vote for him for anything. He is not anything like his father.

NO MO' CUOMO

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>STR, it may well be the official policy of the Post Office to try to deliver packages to tenants, but as our lazy, incompetent, poor apology of a "management" has not updated the intercoms or the directories that are in the lobbies in at least a couple of years, it is pretty much impossible for the letter carriers to notify people they have a parcel. People come and go every few months in my building and their names never appear on the intercoms or the directories. Also, these people don't leave forwarding addresses. On the other hand, tenants who moved out or died as long as 2 years, are still listed. We really all suffer because of the revolving door/dorm policy and the fact that management doesn't give a flying fuck about anything except squeezing the last penny and drop of blood from "tenants."<<

Of course, this mess makes tenants look to, and pay for, Oval Services.

One wonders if this is another management infraction that could be part of the lawsuit that is never going to happen.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>They are making these apartments " platinum apartments".<<

Best Practices!

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>Well they'd like to be in it FOR THE LONG HAUL. How can they when you don't pay the real share?<<

Don't know if you are being sarcastic, but in case you are not, this place was doing fine (much better, in fact) when there were only true rent-stabilized tenants paying their low "real share" rent.... If you are now paying too much, then you agreed to that once you signed the lease. PS: CW is scamming you. Nothing to do with the older RS tenants.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>This thread is too unfocused.<<

Is this our hall monitor? Sorry, but the thread is doing fine. "Unfocused" would be posts about baseball games or flea markets.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

I have to mention that the other day I received a comment, insulting me for posting my thoughts about suing CW/CompassRock. I find it interesting that there are voices out there (perhaps from the TA itself) which want to smack down even the discourse of a lawsuit.

Anonymous said...

At the core of the quality of life issues is the financial fraud. The financial goals are the reasons for the quality of life issues. DUH!
File lawsuits on the financial frauds and the quality of life will get back to where it used to be which is a thousand times better than where we are now.

This is thread very focused and that seems to scare some including maybe you:

" This thread is too unfocused. I think that perhaps paid surrogates for CR / CW hijacked it to [successfully] shift the focus off the post topic which I thought was the quality of life conditions that currently prevail in ST/PCV. "

Anonymous said...

They painted half the roadway outside ST building 17A bright yellow for loading zone purposes. It looks horrible. What an eye sore. BRIGHT YELLOW! Nice to be able to make up your own parking rules as you go along. Oh, did I mention it looks horrible? You have to check this one out. They definitely do not know how to run a residential complex. Oh yeah, forgot to mention the new bright colored rugs on my floor are absolutely filthy. ABSOLUTELY FILTHY!! Another great business decision made by these IDIOTS. And the beats goes on and on....................

Anonymous said...

If they are smacking down even the discourse of a lawsuit then that filing lawsuits is exactly what tenants should do whether or not the corrupt REBNY politicians, TA and their REBNY lawyer would interfere in the lawsuit. File away! Harassment! Overcharges! Frauds! Bringing REBNY lawyers to clean up Robbie's mess made this disaster for tenants.

Anonymous said...

Garodnick and the whole TA board have known since 2007 about every planned renovation, construction, commercial entity, the whole plan for wiping out the working class community and have kept it hidden from tenants. They pretend to be hearing about it for the first time when a tenant raises it. The whole TA board knows and agreed to everything being done to all of us in Peter Cooper and in Stuyvesant Town. No doubt.

Anonymous said...

Wait....was that the trade off? We are catching up on comments and news now. Riverton gave up going through discovery to protect thousands of working class people keep their homes and hard earned pay away from greedy landlords stealing both so politicians could have a moment of glory when Cuomo signs a one year temporary protection of families from unarmed shootings by NYPD? (surely to be rescinded by Cuomo at a later date)

If so that is an insult to the NYPD, to the AG, to the District Attorneys, to all the Working class tenants and families of shooting victims. In one fell swoop Cuomo solves nothing and hurts everyone.

Anonymous said...

The city administration and city agencies are failing The People.

This is really bad.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nycha-misreporting-repair-numbers-scott-stringer-audit-article-1.2290656


http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/editorial-bill-de-blasio-mayor-landlord-article-1.2291027

Anonymous said...

Glad De Blasio did not attend this circus

http://nypost.com/2015/07/14/de-blasio-ducks-democratic-fundraiser-honoring-cuomo/

Anonymous said...

Here is a great lawuit idea to start things off.

A lawsuit to open the Tenant Association books to see how Treasurer Salacan spends our money since MetLife sold the property to Tishman on the PR, the phony tenant lawyers.

EVERYTHING Salacan spent tenant association money on. I want to see what we have really been paying for that got us our disaster results even when we protest for affordable on city hall steps. We have a say-one-thing while do-another TA Board of Directors. I want to see what they and Dan have been cooking up behind our backs.

Anonymous said...

I have to mention that the other day I received a comment, insulting me for posting my thoughts about suing CW/CompassRock. I find it interesting that there are voices out there (perhaps from the TA itself) which want to smack down even the discourse of a lawsuit.

That's me you're referring to. I'm not a TA voice, I'm not TA. I should have used the term "clowning around" instead in reference to your comment
Go for it. Interns, interns, interns! Pro-bono work, too. TA and tenant volunteers! Make it happen!
which was just a snarky brush off of my point about the financial feasibility of the TA pursuing long term litigation. So who exactly smacked down who during the discourse of a lawsuit?

Anonymous said...

>>Is this our hall monitor?<<

I'm the guy who commented a couple of your posts ago that a lot of threads here are hard to follow because comments don't stick to the point so it might be an idea topost open threads. Did that make me a hall monitor? Wow.

Also, no that wasn;'t me who posted that this thread is unfocused.

Anonymous said...

UPS packages always flooded by our mailboxes not being delivered. They could care less. This is something new that has only started a couple of years ago. Time is money, soo good luck having a package safely arriving to your door. It might not get there. Welcome to the new world of "I don't care any more."

Anonymous said...

Ignore STR (7 34) trolls, losers and jealous people who want to cut us down.

Anonymous said...

6 42. what do you think is going on then in Pcv. 125k in renov is nothing new. Next year, it will be 175k - THIS ALLOWS THEM TO RAISE THE REAL RENT EVEN HIGHER. win win for CR, CWC but not tenants. Nice laws nyc. lmao.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

So about 2 hours ago, on the TA Facebook page, former TA President John Marsh congratulated CW (!)on its bedbug program: "Credit and kudos should go to @CompassRockRE for their very aggressive remediation program."

Response for a TA Facebook member:

"I know at least 6 apartments that have them at the moment, people simply want to keep it private, it's worst now that at any other time."

Strange.... Unless Marsh still has hopes of owning a condo here.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>A lawsuit to open the Tenant Association books to see how Treasurer Salacan spends our money since MetLife sold the property to Tishman on the PR, the phony tenant lawyers.

EVERYTHING Salacan spent tenant association money on. I want to see what we have really been paying for that got us our disaster results even when we protest for affordable on city hall steps. We have a say-one-thing while do-another TA Board of Directors. I want to see what they and Dan have been cooking up behind our backs.<<

I've no idea why there is zero transparency on these issues from the TA.

Anonymous said...

Working class quality of life issues in PCVST and all NYC is because of the greedy hedge funds, developers and danny boys NYU plan. Politicians will let The REBNY developers and hedge funds turn our homes into a playground for the rich. Changing PCV into platinum homes smacks of a Schumer/Langone/Spinola sandwich with the low men on the totem pole like danny boy keeping a lid on it for them.

Anonymous said...

On the TA fb, John Marsh is giving praise and "kudos" to CR for the fact that there haven't been any more bedbug reports lately. Could be that people just don't report them anymore and hire their own exterminators. Some people may not even notice them. I can't believe there are no more bedbugs in this project because we have people moving in and out all the time, leaving their unwrapped mattresses and upholstery in the lobbies. Plus we have the AirBnB crowd rolling their luggage in and out 24/7. I think my building and the one adjoined to it are the AirBnB mecca. I couldn't count all the travel-weary, touristy-looking people who I see going in and out of the buildings with their rolling luggage, and even pet dogs. Go into Associated any time and see the people walking around the store, getting take-out food, a couple of toilet rolls and a quart of milk for their overnight stays. They are not regulars because they don't know where anything is; then when they get out to the street you see them looking for the buildings they are staying in. We don't have bedbugs, John Marsh? Sure! Just like they don't have gays in Iran!

Anonymous said...

There used to be a saying in the Catholic Church: There are three mysteries of the church that even the Pope doesn't know the answers to: Whether the Jesuits are good or bad; how many orders of nuns there are; and, where do the Franciscans get their money.

I wonder why that made me think of the unanswered questions of the TA? LOL!

Anonymous said...

Tenants deal with the bedbug infestation themselves because they don't want
the idiots from Compass
crock entering their apartments with their "sticky" fingers. That's why a lot folk changed their licks after giving CR their keys. We know the use cheap, non-Union labor when they have to hire "contractors."

Anonymous said...

The TA should open its books. Isn't there an audit they are required to have by law?

Anonymous said...

>> I've no idea why there is zero transparency on these issues from the TA.<<

Agree ... the absence of transparency in board deliberations, financial decisions, setting priorities, et al is astonishing. The TA are averse to engaging with tenants openly. Never a survey to ask about priorities for instance. And I think we should all have the option to opt-out of the Unity Pledge this many years out, otherwise they can keep speaking on behalf of all the people (dead and alive) that signed that pledge.

Anonymous said...

Riverton files lawsuit CW CR are fraudulently over charging tenants. CW CR are pulling same creative rent calculations in Peter Cooper Village Stuyvesant Town.

Anonymous said...

Good call, open the TA books Ms Salacan. What are you hiding?

Anonymous said...

http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/238509/brennan-center-state-lawmakers-sue-board-of-elections-over-llc-loophole/

Squadron, Krueger, Kavanagh et al making good things happen, cleaning up the Board of Elections and Governor Glenwood's Albany! Nice move!

Anonymous said...

The horse trade in Albany included politicians agreeing to look the other way on the frauds in PCVST in exchange for their own political gain and power. Unbelievable deal making. Am now team De Blasio but he still has a few campaign promises to make good on with results and not PR number spinning.

Anonymous said...

...and I agree the TA treasurer Salacan needs to be transparent with how, where she spends our money with Marsh and Steinberg answering to why it was spent in the ways it was. Plus the TA should release everyone from the unity pledge that was a lie, they kept this community hushed with all city agencies listed on that pledge instead of out loud protesting the destroyed open spaces and forever gone 100% residential integrity. The Unity pledge was only for keeping this community quiet while Salacan, Marsh, Steinberg carried out Dan's plan to give away our working class homes to The REBNY.

Anonymous said...

Yes this place sucks because politicians sold their offices and our homes to The REBNY.

Anonymous said...

Steinberg may be temporarily qualified for a coordinator position on smaller QOL issues (bikinis and washing machines) but not as TA President to take on financial frauds, across the board rent overcharges, safety issues, construction issues, and other past present illegal acts by CR CW TA. We have too many CW CR Steingberg/Hoylman Marsh/Garodnick damaging results including Steinberg's REBNY lawyer Kane.

Anonymous said...

Cuomo's Tenant Protection Unit Is Working For The Landlords More Than The Tenants

"From my perspective the governor and the TPU used us to promote themselves, yet we as tenants haven't seen any real changes. We were used for publicity purposes."

Tenants plan to hold a press conference Wednesday at which children of tenants will present the TPU with a report card. It is expected the grade will be an 'F.'


SOUND FAMILIAR LIKE SOMEONE(S) HERE IN PCV ST
Instead, many tenants say the (TPU) monitor, Peter Heuzey, acts more as an agent for Castellan, repeating the company line rather than independently verifying claims. They say he ignores their calls and only acts when faced with the spectre of public criticism.



Tenants say that they have contacted the TPU multiple times, over the phone and in writing, but have been ignored. "Since the monitor doesn't listen we've been forced to turn to the TPU, but they've ignored us," said Aguirre. "We've shared our grievances with them. We have no other recourse but go public. The TPU should intervene. They should be protecting us."

Morales said she isn't looking for a free ride, or even a pro-tenant monitor. "We were the ones who fought to get an independent monitor in place," said Morales. "All we want is someone who is impartial, I don't expect him to get my rent for free, I just want someone who will follow up, independently verify Castellan's claims, and not treat us like we are making up stories."

http://gothamgazette.com/index.php/government/5774-landlord-harassment-neglect-continue-despite-state-monitor-tenants-say


Anonymous said...

Peter Cooper Stuyvesant Town should collect all our unresolved and inadequately addressed DHCR complaints and TPU complaints and add that to the public complaints by the tenants at Castellan properties that use the same tricks of "value enhancement". The value enhancement in Peter Cooper Stuyvesant Town has decreased Quality of Life!

Stuy Town Reporter said...

Why is ex-TA president John Marsh posting on the TA Facebook page Admiration Postcards to Dan Garodnick for something that has nothing to do with ST/PCV? Where's the hall monitor there to chastise him?

Anonymous said...

What are you trying out for FB hall monitor?

Anonymous said...

“When a landlord is using illegal tactics, it’s not just in one of their buildings, it’s in all of their buildings,” said Kerri White, director of organizing and policy at the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, who wants addresses of the buildings made public in order to identify landlords.

“They shouldn’t be shutting us out,” said Jaron Benjamin, president of the Metropolitan Council on Housing. “This is ridiculous.”

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/uptown/rent-regulation-mystery-brews-uptown-article-1.1609033

Overcharges in Riverton are done to PCV Stuyvesant Town too.

Anonymous said...

Other Senators are calling out landlords harassing rent stabilized tenants with excessive court appearances, unsafe conditions from construction work, ..........

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/bronx-landlords-harassed-evicted-rent-stabilized-tenants-article-1.2267289

Stuy Town Reporter said...

>>What are you trying out for FB hall monitor?<<

Yes!

Anonymous said...

There's already a double-headed fb monitor. Just sayin' (to use one of her favorite expressions).

Anonymous said...

Facebook is for my kids. The TA is not serious with the content and the online places of their communications.

Anonymous said...

People having problems with the their mail delivery might want to try filing a complaint at the below address:

Office of Consumer and Industry Contact
Kiewah Mui, Manager
212-330-3070
Pete Fontana, Customer Relations 212-330-3809
380 W. 33rd
St.
New York, NY 10199-9601
Phone: 212-330-3667, 212-330-2573, or
212-330-4426
Fax: 212-330-3665 or 212-330-2127



Additionally, the
Consumer Advocate of the Postal Service coordinates policy for the District
Consumer and Industry Affairs Offices and provides a final avenue within the
Postal Service for resolving customer complaints. You may contact the Office of
Consumer Advocate by phone at 202-268-2000, by email at
XSDHM0@usps.gov or by US mail at Consumer Advocate; US
Postal Service; 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW Room 4131; Washington DC
20260-5601.

Anonymous said...

There's a notice up in my lobby (not a Management notice) stating that Management is going to move all the porters around to different buildings and give them more buildings to clean. If that's true, then Management has struck another blow to the QOL. I love the porters in my building; they work really hard and clean up all the time after the filthy slobs who dump their shit everywhere. They are also pleasant and friendly, which is surprising considering what they have to put up with. This place is going to become even more of a shit hole now. Greed and intelligence rarely go together.

Anonymous said...

What used to be the "senior" center (a long time ago) in my building is now a staging area for the painters, complete with wives and children
. You can't make this stuff up.

Anonymous said...

Porters can quit. There are certainly other jobs in the city since all reports are that our unemployment is low. And fwiw, our porter is nasty here.

Anonymous said...

Our porter is a shill for management.

Anonymous said...

6:13 AM and 7:56 AM: you are missing the point entirely, or deliberately being obtuse. Many porters are extremely hardworking, pleasant people and are NOT shills for management. So they can get work elsewhere? Good for them, but that doesn't help us if the good ones leave. Let's hope the bad ones leave, but I doubt that will be the case.

Anonymous said...

UGH! We're having a 7 hour concert here today and it's 10AM and there's a country western guy out there sound checking. When will management get it into their head... NO ONE WANTS TO LIVE AT THE CARNIVAL!!!! OR the street fair!!! OR the band shell!!! We want to live in nice quiet neighborhoods and are willing to GO OUT to any of the dozen and dozens of free events around the city for entertainment. Why must they impose this crap on everyone who lives around the Oval? I will be chased out of my home all day because of this noise. And that's what it is.. noise. Please let the Oval be the oasis it should be. That you can sell. But thinking a 7 hour concert on the front lawn is attracting tenants is utter stupidity.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

And it's a beautiful day to enjoy the Oval--in relative quiet, of course.