Abandoned Building with Squatters/Drug Dealers


What can I do about a vacant problem house in my neighborhood? (354 Stuyvesant Avenue – http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/12/29/2007-12-29_brooklyn_fire_echoes_past_tragedy.html)

I’ve seen people going in and out and the building is obviously not fit for occupancy. They have loud parties and I’m pretty sure there is drug dealing (and consumption) going on there.

I’ve called the police to report the illegal occupancy and breaking and entering but they don’t ever seem to do anything about it. Last time, they said that because nobody was available to verify ownership of the house, they weren’t able to do anything about it (doncha just love the 81st Precinct?).

I’ve called the DoB at 311 to report the vacant house, but is there anything else I can do? I’m pretty sure it’s a foreclosed property – can I contact the bank (apparently PNC Bank) since they are the current owners, and are responsible for the property?

What can I do?

Categories: Legal
By stuyvesantheights | 07/09/2010 6:39 PM | Comment

Poll: Rents in Bed Stuy


I’m taking a poll:

What are rents like in the southern end of Bed Stuy (ie: Stuyvesant Heights area)?

I’m getting ready to rent a garden floor apartment, approximately 800sf with garden access so I’m curious what average rents are like in the neighborhood.

Categories: Renters
By stuyvesantheights | 01/25/2010 9:57 AM | Comment

Tiger Foam


Has anyone used Tiger Foam?
(www.tigerfoam.com)

Is it easy to apply inside closed cavities (old walls)?

Categories: Insulation
By stuyvesantheights | 01/13/2010 4:33 PM | Comment

More Insurance Fun…


This is a continuation of my post from yesterday.

http://www.brownstoner.com/forum/archives/2010/01/insurance_co_hi.php

I’d like any other input from people at the above link…

NewSouthSloper is exactly correct. It’s the same coverage and same company. I called my insurance agent and they told me FF is using the same valuation WITHOUT adjusting for inflation, so a 50% hike is definitely excessive. This has nothing to do with market values, and if anything, replacement cost would likely be lower since the construction market has cooled off as well.

I’ve gotten a quote from a competing agency (Brownstone Agency) for less than half the premium of FF.

Does anyone know anything about Brownstone Agency/Everest Capital (the company who underwrites their policies)? Do they balk at payment or are they quick to pay? Has anyone with Everest coverage had good or bad experiences with them? I mean specifically people who have had to file a claim, since that’s when customer service really matters…

Categories: Insurance
By stuyvesantheights | 01/13/2010 2:51 PM | Comment

Insurance Co. Hiking Rates?


Has anyone else noticed Fireman’s Fund (or any other insurance companies) hiking rates an exhorbitant amount? We just got our policy renewal documents and they’re hiking the rates by approximately 50% (ie: 150% of my current rate). We have had no claims since taking out the policy 3 years ago. Has anyone had similar experiences with FF or any other insurance companies?

Categories: Insurance
By stuyvesantheights | 01/13/2010 9:44 AM | Comment

Repairs after the “Repair”?


National Grid needs to replace my gas service (the gas line is corroded). To do this, they will need to dig under a slate patio in front of my house. The serviceman who checked the line said it’s not an immediate danger (since the copper sleeve inside is fully intact) but it’s a repair that should be done sooner rather than later.

They have said *verbally* that they will have a restoration contractor do the repair and they will place the stones back in place as before. I have requested this in writing, but they keep balking.

The employees keep saying “I don’t have the authority to put it in writing” and I have repeatedly said that, yes, I do want the repair to the gas line, but I just want something in writing stating they will restore the stone as-is. They also said they’re not sure the supervisor “has a pen and paper on him”.

Their latest response was that they will turn off my gas service to due to “a dangerous leak situation”.

To restate things: Currently there is no leak. Their serviceman has stated it is not an immediate danger.

Not only that, I *want* the repair to happen. I just want something in writing to ensure that my property will not be devalued in the process.

What is my recourse?
Any suggestions?

I suppose I could record the conversation with an iphone video…

Categories: Utilities
By stuyvesantheights | 01/07/2010 11:48 AM | Comment

Walls Are Cold – Insulation?


The front wall of my house is really, really cold. When you sit near it, you can feel a cold draft coming in around electrical outlets. The wood shutter enclosures are cold. The closet in the garden floor is cold. There is cold air moving inside the walls.

Here’s the thing:
There are NO gaps, cracks, openings, etc. on the front wall of the house. I checked it myself. I also caulked the windows myself.

Here’s the other thing:
I had blown in fiberglas insulation put in my cockloft last year – I was told by the energy audit I had performed beforehand that this would cut down on cold air in the walls (since the walls are all lead up to the cockloft).

Here’s my theory:
I think the cold *interior surface* of the *exterior wall* (the surface inside the little airspace inside the wall) is radiating cold, which is creating convection currents, which explains the constant draft.

Here’s my question:
What are my options for insulating the space inside my walls?

I already got a quote for air-krete, but it’s really expensive. Does anyone have other suggestions of materials which can be injected into the space inside the wall? What are the pros? What are the cons?

Categories: Insulation
By stuyvesantheights | 12/22/2009 10:54 AM | Comment

Crawl Space Safe?


Am I insane to want to get into my brownstone’s crawl space? I want to see if the insulation company I hired did the correct job of installing blown-in insulation and also want to inspect the wood in there for water damage and/or rot problems.

Does anyone have any suggestions for SAFE ways for me to get in there?

Or maybe I should send in a trained monkey with a camera strapped to its head?

By stuyvesantheights | 12/14/2009 11:15 AM | Comment

Window Identification


Does anyone know how to identify the brand of windows I have?

I can’t find any identifying marks anywhere on them and need to get replacement/repair parts for the spring balances. The caps at the top of the balances have cracked and broken off in several windows.

I’m attaching a picture of some of the details of the popped sashes, in case anyone has the same windows.

Categories: Windows
By stuyvesantheights | 10/10/2009 3:15 PM | Comment

Average sales price drop?


I’m trying to refinance my home and, according to the appraiser, our home has lost almost 33% of its’ value in the past year (!?!?!).

The numbers on Zillow do not support this (last I checked, it was showing about a 6% drop in Bed Stuy), although admittedly Zillow is not the best gauge. I’m aware that the market is soft, but what are prices really doing?

Does anyone know a more accurate source of information on REAL average sales prices for an area?

Categories: Appraisals
By stuyvesantheights | 05/22/2009 4:57 PM | Comment