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Equity Residential to pay $250K to tenants it overcharged
Sixty apartments of the Brooklyner were supposed to be rent-regulated
Equity Residential agreed to pay $250,000 in rent credits to overcharged tenants of a Downtown Brooklyn apartment building, according to the state.
The real estate investment trust, which manages the building, settled claims with the state’s Tenant Protection Unit that it overcharged 60 tenants at its Brooklyner Apartments, the New York Daily News reported. The 491-unit building at 111 Lawrence Street received 421a tax breaks, which requires that those specific apartments be rent regulated.
“This administration has zero tolerance for those who prey on renters, and we created the Tenant Protection Unit to root out these bad actors, tackle tenant harassment and ensure their rights under the law are not violated,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
The Brooklyner drew ire from tenants in 2010 when the developers, the Clarett Group [TRDataCustom], hosted a launch party on the building’s roof deck but neglected to invite tenants. At the time, studios in the building had a starting rent of $1,765 per month. When the 51-story building was constructed in 2009, it was Brooklyn’s tallest. It has since lost that title, which is expected to eventually go to JDS Development Group’s planned 1,066-foot tower at 9 Dekalb Avenue. [NYDN] —