New York, NY – May 25, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Flatbush Gardens Tenants Association filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court today against David Bistricer, a principal of Renaissance Equity Holdings LLC, which owns and operates Flatbush Gardens, the sprawling 59-building housing complex in Brooklyn. Renaissance and an affiliated LLC are also named as defendants.
“Flatbush Gardens’ owners continue to break their promises to our community,” said Marietta Small, President of the Flatbush Gardens Tenants Association. “They came here vowing to improve conditions and strengthen community ties, but we have basements full of sewage, rodents, workers who are locked out, poor security and broken elevators.”
The lawsuit charges Bistricer and his companies with breaching their contract with the Tenants Association which required him to provide and renovate a community room in the basement of one of the complex’s buildings for use by the Tenants Association. The Association was joined in front of the court house by union supporters and community leaders to announce the filing.
The lawsuit asks the Court to order Bistricer to restore the community room space to its condition in 2007, and to pay upwards of $125,000 to renovate the space as well as all related court costs and fees.
According to the lawsuit, the contract between the Tenants Association and Bistricer and his companies required them to provide and renovate the community room and for the Association to provide, in exchange, a Letter of Support in connection with the purchase of Starret City, another sprawling housing complex in Brooklyn by one of Bistricer’s companies. The Association provided the Letter of Support, but never got the community room.
“The 10,000 residents who call Flatbush Gardens their home deserve better than this,” said Small.
Adding to the tenants’ problems, since November 2010, management has locked out the more than 70 maintenance workers at the complex after they refused to accept drastic reductions to their wages and health benefits.
“This lawsuit should send a message to the owners that they need to respect the tenants at Flatbush Gardens,” said Kyle Bragg, Vice President of Local 32BJ, which represents the maintenance and cleaning workers at the complex. “It’s time for Bistricer to treat this community the same as he treats the tenants in his luxury buildings on the Upper Westside of Manhattan and in downtown Brooklyn.”
With more than 120,000 members, including 70,000 in New York, 32BJ is the largest property service workers union in the country.
Contact:
Kwame Patterson: 212-388-3696; 312-371-2485
Maia Davis: 212-388-3696
