One of New York City’s Worst Landlords Ignored Rent Reduction Orders; Evicted Tenants for Failure to Pay Illegal Rent April 7, 2016, BROOKLYN, NY—Legal Services NYC’s Brooklyn program has filed a lawsuit against infamous slumlord Moshe Piller on behalf of 12 low-income, longtime tenants at 2010 Newkirk Avenue in Brooklyn who have been victims of a years-long campaign of harassment designed to force them from their rent-regulated apartments. The tenants are supported by the Flatbush Tenant Coalition (FTC).
Piller, recently named New York’s Fourth Worst Landlord by the Office of the Public Advocate, has been issued dozens of rent reduction orders by New York State’s Division of Homes and Community Renewal dating back to 1993. The orders have been issued for a variety of reasons, from decreased services to conditions including clogged and backed up pipes, buckling and collapsed ceilings, unsealed windows, leaks, roach infestations and sinking floors. Though demonstrably aware of the reduction orders, Piller has continued to charge his tenants thousands upon thousands of dollars in illegal rent, and tried to evict them when they failed to pay. His actions constitute both deceptive business practices and harassment, as they were intended to cause the tenants to surrender or waive rights in relation to their homes.
“We are filing this case to let our landlord, and all other landlords, know they cannot do this to people and get away with it,” said Jean Alleyne, a 73-year old tenant and FTC leader who is a plaintiff in the case. “We will teach Moshe Piller and other landlords who are doing this a lesson. We live in a building with bathroom leaks, cracking floors, mice, rats, no working stoves for weeks. And he steals our money and takes us to court saying we owe him more. These landlords are robbing people and they know they are doing it. They don’t do it with a gun, but it’s robbery, plain and simple. Worst of all they are robbing poor people—people who don’t have a lot of money and have families to feed. Moshe Piller should go to jail for stealing from our families and for stealing from New York.”
“Moshe Piller has overcharged these 12 low-income tenants, many of whom are elderly and limited English-proficient, nearly $90,000 in illegal rent since 2010,” said Rachel Bash, Staff Attorney at Legal Services NYC’s Brooklyn program. “We’re seeking compensation for our clients, but also to show Piller that he cannot continue to defraud his tenants and then illegally harass them by continually dragging them into court for rent they never owed to begin with. They are not going to be forced out of their homes because of their landlord’s greed—these tenants are fighting back.”
“The Flatbush Tenant Coalition stands with our brothers and sisters at 2010 Newkirk Ave,” said FTC leader and Steering Committee member Loraine Delamore. “The fact that this landlord could get away with these overcharges for so long means the system is not paying attention to what happens to us. Landlords are illegally lining their pockets. It’s time for our elected officials to take a stand and change the system. New York State and NYC Housing agencies must proactively oversee landlords and punish their violations and crimes. We need Albany & NYC to finally stand up for the people. This case is crucial for all tenants—so many tenants have experienced overcharges while they are struggling to pay their rent. The Flatbush Tenant Coalition stands with our member tenant association to give all tenants the courage to stand up and fight.”
Legal Services NYC’s Brooklyn program filed a separate complaint in Housing Court in February in an effort to force Piller to repair conditions in the building. That action came at the heels of another lawsuit against Piller, filed in December by Legal Services NYC’s Bronx program (as part of the Tenant Rights Coalition) on behalf of Morris Heights tenants who were forced to live with without cooking gas for seven months and have been exposed to both rat and roach infestations, inadequate access to heat and hot water, and an elevator that is routinely out of service and unsafe. A separate case was filed asking the court to order Piller to compensate those tenants for the reduced value of their apartments during the period when they had to live in substandard housing and without essential services.