Families With Children Suffer Deplorable, Dangerous Conditions at Fulton Park Plaza

December 3, 2015, BROOKLYN, NY—Low-income families with children are forced to live in deplorable, dangerous conditions because the landlord has refused to make the needed repairs, charged public officials, attorneys from The Legal Aid Society and Legal Services NYC, and Bridge Street Development Corp, who gathered with tenants at 94 Chauncey Street in Brooklyn this morning. (Photo: HRA commissioner Steven Banks meets with tenants)

Press coverage: Politico NY

Fulton Park Plaza is a 287-unit Mitchell-Lama development in Brooklyn in which 72 units are subsidized under a Rent Supplement contract and the balance are subject to a Section 236 decoupling that occurred in 2003 in which most tenants received enhanced vouchers. Although the owner of the facility received a lucrative FHA loan, he has not used the loan proceeds to pay for repairs. There are more than 400 violations which are now known. The Tenants’ Rights Campaign, a joint project of The Legal Aid Society and Legal Services NYC funded by New York City’s Human Resources Administration (HRA), has commenced litigation against the owner to force repairs and prevent displacement.

“The de Blasio Administration has increased its anti-eviction and anti-tenant harassment legal services programs to more than $60 million, ten times what it was, exactly to be able to help tenants facing these kinds of problems. There is no excuse for a landlord to refuse to maintain safe conditions, and tenants throughout the City should call 311 if their landlord is acting like this one,” said HRA Commissioner Steven Banks.

“It is disgraceful that low-income families are forced to live in dangerous and deplorable conditions caused by the refusal of this landlord to make essential repairs,” said Seymour W. James, Attorney-in-Chief of The Legal Aid Society. “That is why we are seeking relief from the Court. We applaud the City for making a strong effort to help families avoid homelessness by providing additional programs to keep them in their homes.”

“The conditions the tenants at Fulton Park Plaza are dealing with are unacceptable, “said Philippe Knab, Staff Attorney at The Legal Aid Society’s Brooklyn Neighborhood Office. “No New Yorker should have to deal with these type hazardous living conditions. We are asking the court to step-in and compel this landlord to make the legally required repairs to ensure the families of Fulton Park Plaza can live safely and comfortably in their homes.“

“Tenants at Fulton Park have waited far too long for their buildings to be brought up to basic standards of decency,” said Edward Josephson, Director of Litigation at Legal Services NYC. “The new owners need to step up and show their good faith by addressing the substandard conditions throughout the complex.”

“Housing is a critical determinant of health, poor housing equals poor health,” Tenant Association Board Member Janice Lloyd said. “The tenants at Fulton Park Plaza health has been affected by our landlord not making repairs and poor housing conditions.”

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Contact: Kate Whalen, 646-442-3654, kwhalen (at) legalservicesnyc.org