Tenants Claim Negligence at Flatbush Gardens
Tenants at the 59-building, rent-stabalized, East Flatbush housing complex called Flatbush Gardens (previously Vanderveer Estates) claim that the owner, Clipper Equity, is neglecting repairs in order to drive out tenants and drive up rents. “You call, but they never come to fix anything,” one tenant of 25 years told the Daily News. Needed repairs include…
Tenants at the 59-building, rent-stabalized, East Flatbush housing complex called Flatbush Gardens (previously Vanderveer Estates) claim that the owner, Clipper Equity, is neglecting repairs in order to drive out tenants and drive up rents. “You call, but they never come to fix anything,” one tenant of 25 years told the Daily News. Needed repairs include flooring in disrepair and exposed or non-functioning outlets. Tenants also claim that Clipper began charging $30 air-conditioner fees as part of its intimidation tactics, and raised rents in stabalized apartments beyond what is legally permissible. The owners will renovate an apartment as soon as tenants vacate, tenants say, but ignore maintenance requests for occupied units. Finally, the tenants point to television and subway ads for the complex as more evidence that the owners are trying to attract new money. A Clipper spokesperson said that the owner works through all maintenance requests, and highlights $10 million in upgrades such as new elevators, intercom systems, and playgrounds. Tenants say these are simply cosmetic upgrades, and a lawyer representing them told the News, “It’s clear the landlord wants to bring in new business.” GMAP P*Shark
Landlords Letting Flatbush Gardens Rot to Flush Us Out [Daily News]
Rent Wars: Flatbush Gardens Achieves Stuy Town Dream [Curbed]
Image by Nicholas Strini/PropertyShark
This sounds like greed at its slimiest. There is nothing wrong with making a profit as a landlord, there is something very wrong with what they are doing. I hope they are stopped.
If we never had rent stabilization laws, we could assume the following about Vandaveer Gardens:
1) Market rents would be lower because tens of thousands of rental building would not have been converted to coops, tens of thousands of rental buildings would not have been torched or abandoned, and tens of thousands of additional rental units that would have been built were not built. Higher supply = lower market rents.
2) The buildings would never have deteriorated because with a higher supply and higher turnover, the owners would have had to keep the building in good shape to attract tenants. Since rent stabilized tenants never leave, why bother?
3) Chances are the buildings would be owned by a responsible owner, rather than the current scumbags who either break the law or come within inches of breaking the law to clear out and harass below-market rent tenants.
Agree with ACHL. Sounds like a scumbag.
No wonder they have to spend $5k on upgrades for any new tenant (according to their many, many ads, hope they are getting a bulk rate from time warner cable)
I read the article this morning and I can’t say I surprised. I hope this article sparks an investigation into the owners practices. They simply should not be allowed to treat people this way.
Rob, you can get a studio in my hood for 900/month. It’s most likely safer and way more convinient to get to the city and park slope.
I see their TV ad every morning on NY1. This is a small scale Stuy Town saga…
ah… the infamous Vandeveer Gardens housing complex. they have ads everywhere.. trying to lure people there. it’s basically a low rent version of stuy town. studios are 900 tho. pretty good! and it’s renovated. watch out, ive read numerous stories about people moving in and getting the CRAP beaten out of them literally in the hallways. not a nice place. i actually looked into it but they dont allow pets. wtf?
*rob*
negligent spelling also