NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Tenants of 90-36 149th St. say landlord Zara Realty illegally charged them lump-sum rents for repairs
Rent-stabilized Jamaica tenants sue landlord; they say he boosted rents to force them out
Sarah Brooks and Nelson Lopez are among the tenants suing the landlord of their Jamaica building, charging unfair rent hikes.
More than 40 longtime Jamaica tenants are suing their landlord for charging them large lump sums for building improvements they claim were never adequately made, in an effort to force them out of their homes.
Residents of 90-36 149th St., which is owned by Zara Realty Holding Corp., said their rent shot up thousands of dollars this year after the state approved a hike for rent-stabilized tenants.
It was granted because Zara claimed to have installed a new roof and repaired the building’s brick exterior. But landlords are only allowed to raise rents 6% annually for rent-stabilized tenants, according to the tenants’ lawyers — not ask for one bulk payment.
Repeated attempts to confirm the law with the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal were rebuffed.
“The landlord is asking for things he’s not entitled to ask for,” said Maureen Hussain, a law school graduate working on the case with the Catholic Migration Office. “It makes it hard for people to live in their own homes.”
Her office, which provides free legal advice to immigrants, and Queens Legal Services sued Zara on Dec. 16 for charging tenants more than what the landlord was entitled to collect upfront and for billing residents for repairs. They have also appealed the rent increase decision.
Tenants said Zara unfairly charged them $145 to replace windows that were broken during work on the building’s exterior. “It’s just ridiculous,” said outraged resident Robert Chase, 49, who refused to pay the fee.
George Subraj, one of Zara’s owners, said tenants are responsible for broken inner windows as opposed to exterior panes.
But if they were damaged during repairs, he said residents shouldn’t have to pay damages. “We shall have to investigate,” Subraj said. He also said Zara was entitled to the entire rent increase up-front and even offered tenants a 25% discount if they paid in full. Then he backtracked and said the full amounts were put in tenants’ bills so Zara could keep track of what each resident owes. Subraj changed his tune again and said Zara is now reviewing residents’ bills. “We can bill them if they’re accountable,” he said. But tenant Sarah Brooks, 65, who has lived in the building for more than 30 years, said these big bills are a way for Zara to get rid of rent-stabilized tenants who can’t afford the payments. “He’s trying to force everybody out so he can get higher rents for apartments,” Brooks said.
ctrapasso@nydailynews.com Twitter.com/claretra
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new...997370#ixzz1i88JUaWn
Tenants of 90-36 149th St. say landlord Zara Realty illegally charged them lump-sum rents for repairs
Rent-stabilized Jamaica tenants sue landlord; they say he boosted rents to force them out
Sarah Brooks and Nelson Lopez are among the tenants suing the landlord of their Jamaica building, charging unfair rent hikes.
More than 40 longtime Jamaica tenants are suing their landlord for charging them large lump sums for building improvements they claim were never adequately made, in an effort to force them out of their homes.
Residents of 90-36 149th St., which is owned by Zara Realty Holding Corp., said their rent shot up thousands of dollars this year after the state approved a hike for rent-stabilized tenants.
It was granted because Zara claimed to have installed a new roof and repaired the building’s brick exterior. But landlords are only allowed to raise rents 6% annually for rent-stabilized tenants, according to the tenants’ lawyers — not ask for one bulk payment.
Repeated attempts to confirm the law with the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal were rebuffed.
“The landlord is asking for things he’s not entitled to ask for,” said Maureen Hussain, a law school graduate working on the case with the Catholic Migration Office. “It makes it hard for people to live in their own homes.”
Her office, which provides free legal advice to immigrants, and Queens Legal Services sued Zara on Dec. 16 for charging tenants more than what the landlord was entitled to collect upfront and for billing residents for repairs. They have also appealed the rent increase decision.
Tenants said Zara unfairly charged them $145 to replace windows that were broken during work on the building’s exterior. “It’s just ridiculous,” said outraged resident Robert Chase, 49, who refused to pay the fee.
George Subraj, one of Zara’s owners, said tenants are responsible for broken inner windows as opposed to exterior panes.
But if they were damaged during repairs, he said residents shouldn’t have to pay damages. “We shall have to investigate,” Subraj said. He also said Zara was entitled to the entire rent increase up-front and even offered tenants a 25% discount if they paid in full. Then he backtracked and said the full amounts were put in tenants’ bills so Zara could keep track of what each resident owes. Subraj changed his tune again and said Zara is now reviewing residents’ bills. “We can bill them if they’re accountable,” he said. But tenant Sarah Brooks, 65, who has lived in the building for more than 30 years, said these big bills are a way for Zara to get rid of rent-stabilized tenants who can’t afford the payments. “He’s trying to force everybody out so he can get higher rents for apartments,” Brooks said.
ctrapasso@nydailynews.com Twitter.com/claretra
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new...997370#ixzz1i88JUaWn
