Crown Heights Landlord Using Loophole To Oust Tenants: Activists

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — A landlord flagged as one of the worst in the neighborhood by local organizers is trying for a second time to get rid of rent-stabilized tenants in one of its buildings on Union Street, according to activists and court documents.

A rally held Thursday at 1646 Union St. called on state officials to deny a request from landlords, Renaissance Realty Group, to deregulate the building, which activists say would force out tenants — many who have lived in their apartments for decades.

The request, which faced a hearing this week, is the second time Renaissance has tried to deregulate the low-income apartments since buying the property in 2014, according to activists.

“This is just another chapter in Renaissance’s long and illicit campaign to evict low-income tenants from these buildings,” said Johnny Thach, staff attorney at Brooklyn Legal Services’ Tenant Rights Coalition. “Families, their young children, and long-time residents of the community will lose their homes and be displaced if the landlord succeeds."

The latest request from Renaissance, first filed in February 2020, contends that an upgrade to the building in the 1980s should mean it falls under a section of newly-passed laws that exempt buildings that have undergone extensive renovations from stabilization. The Department of Homes and Community Renewal said this week they need more time to review the request.

Activists argue it should be denied given that it takes advantage of a loophole in the law.

"The purpose of this exemption is to incentivize owners to rehabilitate blighted properties, not to provide windfalls to new owners decades later," activists said in a press release.

Plus, the legal teams say, Renaissance's latest argument goes against what they have claimed in previous court cases, where they acknowledged the building was rent-stabilized in an attempt to reset rent prices. In those cases, courts confirmed the building's status as rent-stabilized, activists say.

They also point out that Renaissance has not provided the required paperwork about the 1980s renovation and that both Renaissance and previous owners did not properly notify rent-stabilized tenants that their status might change, according to their letter to state officials.

Attempts by Patch to reach Renaissance for comment were unsuccessful. An email to their attorneys went unanswered Friday.

On top of the legal case, tenants say Renaissance seems to be pushing them out by keeping the building in disrepair.

“They want us to leave to make room for the new people who will pay more money," said Charmaine Antoine, who has lived in the building for more than 20 years. "We don’t get heat or hot water. I have mold in my bathroom. The buzzer to the building doesn’t work. But new people moving get new cabinets, new light fixtures in the bedroom, and renovated spaces. We are tired and fed up but we will not stop fighting.”

As of Friday, 1646 Union St. had nearly 150 open violations with the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development, records show.

Tenants said this week that should Renaissance's request to deregulate the building be granted, they will likely have nowhere to go.

"It worries me if the apartment will be deregulated because things are tough right now. I worry that I won’t find another apartment to move into,” said tenant Juan Polanco, who has lived in the building for 10 years. “The landlord doesn’t want to do anything. They don’t do repairs. They just want us out.”