Rent-regulated tenants at one of Newcastle Realty Service’s Harlem buildings are accusing the company of pressuring them to move, the latest in a series of such claims against the property manager.
Residents of 75 Saint Nicholas Place who have received buy-out offers from Newcastle say the company has left problems in their units to fester for years.
They suspect the property manager is trying to force them out in favor of tenants paying nearly triple their rent for newly-renovated units.
Tenants say they’ve been waiting for major repairs for years and have received offers of $5,000 from Newcastle, which was investigated by the Attorney General’s office for attempting to force out rent-regulated tenants at Its 101 West 78th Street condo conversion last year. Those accusations were eventually settled.
Newcastle, led by Margaret Streicker Porres, issued the following statement in response to the allegations: “We welcome all our residents, and we are confident they will enjoy the spectacularly upgraded property. We look forward to a long and respectful landlord-tenant relationship with all residents, whatever their regulatory status,” DNAinfo reported.
One rent-stabilized tenant, Russell Taylor, expressed resignation, “It’s a harsh reality, but like I say, you don’t really have too much of a say when you don’t own where you live,” she said. “You’re at the mercy of the owner. If the owner wants you out they’ll find a way.”
Newcastle recently bought an 88-unit Washington Heights multifamily building for $23 million. [DNAinfo] – Ariel Stulberg