By: HC

HC — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:39:54 +0000

Obviously you do not live in a pinnacle building. I can’t speak for others, I can only speak for myself. I live in a rent stabilized apartment. I took it over when I was 16 after my mother passed away. I have no problems with rents going up due to market value, gentrification, etc. I was in that neighborhood when there were crack heads. The people in my area (Riverside Drive) have always been working middle class. And we’ve always seen the beauty of our community. I live right across the street from Riverside Park and in the winter time have a clear view of the GWB (because the leaves from trees are gone). I am all for improvements. But please consider that it wasn’t until after 9/11 when people started taking an interest in our community (Harlem). 10 years ago Brownstones were 20-50K, and now they are upwards of 500K-5 Million. Back to my original point, I don’t have a problem with my rent going up, I have a serious problem with Pinnacle not making repairs. All of the buildings on Riverside were built btwn 1900 and 1910. Most of these buildings have the same electrical and water pipes. There are constant leaks, ceilings fall in yearly. At one point it was raining in my bathroom. Leaks still persist, and because of that there is mold, and corroding The superintendent has been to my apartment 7 times to “fix” the leakage issue. And all he does is plaster and paint. He’s “fixed” other things in my apartment for them to break 2months later. It would be easier for me to find Bin laden than get the super up to my apartment to fix something. I cannot turn on the lights in one room because the electrical is so bad. Everyone in the building has both electrical and plumbing issues. We’ve complained to the landlord about the super not doing enough to fix the problems and our complaints are ignored. The building has a repair hotline and from that the super is supposed to take his orders and go down a list and fix them. He never does and the Pinnacle never enforces. On average it will take 2 months for the super to come to your apartment to fix the issue, and that is only after daily harassment and calls to the landlord. Joel Weiner now wants to convert most of these buildings into Condos. It is a non-eviction plan. Those who want to buy, he has the super fixing their apartments. Those who cannot buy, he leaves out in the cold when it comes to repairs. And yet he still wants his rent. My neighbor does not have a kitchen window, she’s been trying to get pinnacle in her apartment to replace it for 9 months now. Like I said, I don’t mind my rent raising…I am not on a fixed income, I make a little over 50K. That’s not much but I can afford if my rent should go up. I don’t want to pay increases if my apartment is falling down around me. Because of the above mentioned issues, Joel Weiner is a Slumlord….He is a corporate slumlord/New Millennium Slumlord. He fixes only those Units who are interested in buying and leaves the others as is. Anyone who buys the refurbished apartment below me will think they are getting a great deal, new hardwood floors, dishwasher, cabinets, sink, tiling, tub. But what they fail to realize is if I am having a leak and plumbing issue…it will eventually affect them. And they will have to pay extra $$$ to have their situation fixed because they own their apartment. I on the other hand don’t have to pay $$$$ to get it fixed. The occupants below me can not sue me for the money either because I do not own my unit….they will have to sue pinnacle. All I am saying is repair everything in the building. All pipes and electrical issues.

Comments on: The evolved rent-control landlord: Part 2, the problem

By: HC