Hotel ChelseaThe Chetrit Group has filed motions to evict 10 longtime tenants from the Hotel Chelsea, DNAinfo reported, confirming fears that the owners’ statements upon purchasing the hotel, which indicated tenants would be allowed to stay, would prove false. The motions appeared in court records.

The landlords believe the tenants are eligible for eviction because they do not live in rent-stabilized apartments, according to Samuel Himmelstein, the lawyer representing tenants of the building, even though he has evidence that many have lived in the same unit since the 1970s. [more]

From left: Wednesday’s Occupy Wall Street protest, Michael McKee, treasurer of Tenants
Political Action Committee, and pro-tenant attorney Samuel Himmelstein

As thousands of demonstrators rallied at the Occupy Wall Street protests yesterday, they were joined by hundreds of affordable housing advocates, tenants organizations and even tenants’ lawyers, who hold the big commercial banks and wealthy investors directly responsible for an ongoing housing crisis.

“I have been very excited about the Occupy Wall Street movement and the fact that its growing and the fact that these kids have been able to spark something that we’ve been waiting for years,” said Michael McKee, treasurer of Tenants Political Action Committee, a statewide organization that works to elect pro-tenant politicians to higher office. [more]

From left: Samuel Himmelstein by day, and Samuel Himmelstein by night; the Love Handles rock out (see Himmselstein in tie dye, at far left)

Fifty-eight-year-old real estate attorney Samuel Himmelstein is getting ready to rock next Friday at Lafayette Grill & Bar at 54 Franklin Street, as his band, the Love Handles, heads back to the stage after a six-month hiatus. Himmelstein, a partner at real estate litigation firm Himmelstein McConnell Gribben Donoghue & Joseph, is part of a six-person band including his old college buddy, tenant advocate attorney Marty Silberman of Silberman Law Firm, 58, who plays the drums. Himmelstein, who plays keyboard, sings lead on a few songs as well as harmony and back-up vocals, and Silberman had talked about forming a band for years before finally doing so in 2001. The band plays music from the 1960s through early 1980s, including hits from Elvis Costello and the Grateful Dead. The group has played at the Cutting Room and the Good Coffeehouse Music Parlor, in Park Slope and for the last three years has been the post-race entertainment at the Komen Race for the Cure in Central Park (see video below). TRD
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From left: David Arena, Elizabeth Stribling, David Schlamm and Barak Dunayer

In the wake of the financial crisis that ripped through the country, real estate pros did their best to keep their heads above water in 2009. As 2010 commences, The Real Deal asked a number of New Yorkers hailing from different parts of the real estate industry why they are glad 2009 is over. Click here to see what they said is their top reason. TRD

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