Tenants took over a block of E. Fifth St. on Wednesday morning, calling out landlords at two tenements for perpetrating what they called “construction as harassment” against them.
And while New York University’s growing presence Downtown has long been accused of driving gentrification, in a new twist, one of the landlords is actually a student there.
The tenants unveiled large banners and demanded justice, charging they have lived for months under “intense, mismanaged construction.”
The protesters first rallied outside 236 E. Fifth St., between Second Ave. and Cooper Square, where Sabet Group began doing gut renovations last year.
They then marched down the block to 216 E. Fifth St., which was bought last year by N.Y.U. student Caspar Moll-von der Wettern. Since the purchase, members of the tenants association said, they been subjected to clouds of dust and debris circulating throughout the building, neglected repairs, unlawful buyout offers and unresponsive management.
The tenants were joined by the Cooper Square Committee and Lead Dust Free NYC Coalition, as well as state Senator Brad Hoylman and Assemblymember Deborah Glick and representatives from the offices of Councilmember Carlina Rivera and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.
Residents of both pre-1960 buildings have reported work done that does not conform to Local Law 1 of 2004, which requires landlords to remediate apartments of any lead hazards to young children.
Tenant complaints include work performed by contractors without proper E.P.A. certification, without air scrubbers running, zip covers installed on doors or other measures taken to control the spread of construction dust from units where demolition occurred.
Marie-Claire Picher, a member of the 236 E. Fifth St. Tenants Association, said the building has been shown to have unsafe levels of lead.
“Within the last year, Sabet Group has been engaged in ongoing demolition and renovation of over 15 units, without complying with the lead dust regulations of the Tenant Protection Plan (TPP), signed by Leor Sabet on October 6, 2020, thereby exposing tenants to dangerous levels of lead,” she said. “This has been confirmed by a recent E.P.A.-certified analysis of construction dust in the building, that shows unsafe levels of lead. We also have serious concerns about the structural integrity of our building.”
Christine Rucci, a tenant at 216 E. Fifth St., said after the building was sold last March, the new owner has continued the same sort of hazardous construction practices that were done by the previous owner.
“We feel what we are facing constitutes construction as harassment,” she said. “I am already noticing symptoms including rashes, eye irritation, anxiety and other symptoms which coincide with this new construction. I am still waiting on repairs to three walls in my apartment, ordered by [the Department of Housing Preservation and Development], while our new landlord seems to be making excuses to avoid actually curing the situation. Why do I need to take him to court and
wait months for court orders? And with COVID-19, I’m concerned the courts will be backed up and it could take
a long time for my case to be resolved; all while each day I continue to live here, I may be exposed to more and more toxins.”
Yonatan Tadele, a housing organizer at the Cooper Square Committee, said the issue resonates far beyond this one block.
“These two buildings on E. Fifth St., just a stone’s throw from one another, tell a story which will resonate for many tenants around this city: a continuous battle for their safety and security in the face of hazardous building renovations,” he said. “Casper Moll-von der Wettern and Leor Sabet are just two of a number of bad-acting landlords engaging in the practice of ‘construction as harassment’ — often resulting in tenants’ exposure to noise, debris and, as we’re seeing here, lead-laden dust.
“To add insult to injury,” Tadele said, “Mr. Sabet, whose company owns over 35 properties in Manhattan, has been accused of engaging in such practices in at least three other buildings dating back to 2015. Enough is enough! We demand real accountability for landlords who continuously put their tenants’ safety at risk, and also that city agencies truly enforce Local Law 1 of 2004 and all relevant construction safety regulations.”
The politicians all issued statements of support for the tenants and stressed that Local Law 1 of 2004 must be enforced.
Morri Markowitz, director of the Lead Poisoning Prevention and Treatment Program at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, said lead dust is no small matter and can cause lead poisoning, especially in kids.
“Young children frequently put their fingers and objects in their mouths,” he said. “Whatever dust is on them is licked off and ingested. When the dust, derived from deteriorated lead paint, is in a child’s environment it becomes a main source of lead poisoning. Preventing lead dust dissemination during construction work is crucial to protecting children from this cause of lead poisoning.”
We live in a Sabet building in the west village they are a total nightmare .they bought the building in 2017 started renovation fall 2017 the 3 apts around us were under construction for 10 months .The plaster & concrete dust were unbelievable. I suffer throat and lung issues now because of it .My apartment was destroyed. We had ceiling coming down during demo upstairs. It was very dangerous in our apt. I got hit in the head with a small section of ceiling, left me with a red swollen sore spot on the back of my head .That’s only a small sample of what we went thru .Since then it’s impossible to get many of the repairs we need. We have had HPD in our apt many times, some isdues they can write him up for. We have gone to our local politicians for help, even got the cops involved, still can get some needed repairs done . Tried Legal Aid but they are overwhelmed and can’t take on cases in Manhattan for now .Private housing lawyers are very expensive, $5,000 just to retain them .
The same thing is being done on 312 West 21 Street,NY 10011.
Leor Sabet is a LIAR, phoney, and the Front Man for the Sabet Co. My building was purchased by Sabet from Solan Holding Corporation on 2020. Solan was court ordered to make repairs. They did not. Mr. Leor Sabet made promises to do the repairs and hasn’t. That is before stating, “Why do I want to live here?, I’m talking with the office to see if they will give you 100K to move out, Your apartment will be for the Super”. Just to list a few things of what Leor states. Btw, I am still waiting on a renewal lease that expired on 10/31/2021. Leor stated he would make sure the office sends one and he himself will slip one under my door. Those promises started July 2020. I repeatedly requested the renewal and yet to receive one.
A Stop order is placed on the entrance, because like I am reading they were doing work that was not allowed. I had a neighbor do a (I call dust test) by a company. Sure it was called dangerous and hazadous. He provided a copy to me. Inspectors were in my apartment on 3/23/2022 and stated how can anyone stay in this building? They could’t breathe.
Now, I understand that Mr. Leor Sabet and the company are working to get me out. This was stated by one of my neighbors. They are (retaliating, in my opinion) doing this because Sabet feels I called in The Building Department. The day D.O.B. arrived and shut down the work order, all Leor Sabet was concerned about is “Who made the call?” Who called you people? D.O.B. made it clear that they were assigned to check out this building, no phone call. Now I have to prepare (retain legal representation) for Sabet’s next move.
Btw, I am up to date in rent. Drew up my own lease and added the set (?) increase for 2 yrs.
They are my landlord also they refuse to do repairs now .Have had HPD in my apartment 4 times about repairs, they get out of the fines some how . Had to my city council person was able to get one repair done thanks to them .Same with another neighbor but the council person’s staff doesn’t have the time to do this all the time .
We live in a Sabet building in the West Village and Leor Sabet did the same thing to our place. Tons of dust and noise, illegal electrical and construction work, use of flammable polyurethane with no ventilation, etc. Empty apartments were renovated so that they could squeeze 4 roommates in, usually fresh out of college and willing to pay $8,000 a month. I wish we had organized and protested the way the people in this article did. Bravo!
Same in our building .West Village also .I was left with permanent throat issues from breathing all of the crap in the air .
In case people were not there (it was the peak of the heat wave), here’s a four minute video of the action… https://youtu.be/-XfSAVJZ3CU
What a disgrace! I was in the 99-cent store at 73 First Ave. today. Their shop has been destroyed by the people’s building next door to them. Their air conditioners have fallen and are hanging in their doorway, their electricity was cut, and the workmen from the neighboring building came and drilled a hole in their floor that has caused a lot of damage. I hope the Cooper Square Committee is aware of this and is able to help this shop, which will lose its business.
We will let our tenant organizing staff know. Thanks for the info about 73 1st Avenue.
I wish the residents luck and perseverance in this disgraceful situation. I see Cooper Sq Committee is helping them. Yay, Cooper Sq! A great tenants’ association and boon to our neighborhood!