Brooklyn slumlord faces tenants’ suit

David Bistricer, a Brooklyn landlord highly ranked on Public Advocate Bill de Blasio’s slumlord watchlist, has been slapped with a lawsuit by the Flatbush Gardens Tenant Association, according to Crain’s. The suit alleges that Bistricer failed to live up to his part of an agreement with the association that the tenant organization would provide a letter of support for him in his attempt to buy Brooklyn’s huge affordable housing complex Starrett City in 2007 in return for his efforts to improve conditions at 1402-04 Brooklyn Avenue, a Flatbush Gardens building. The letter of support was delivered, the improvements were not, the tenants say.

“Flatbush Gardens’ owners continue to break their promises to our community,” said Marietta Small, president of the tenants’ association. “They came here vowing to improve conditions… but we have basements full of sewage, rodents, workers who are locked out, poor security and broken elevators.”

The suit calls for Bistricer to pay to restore a community room and to pay $125,000 to cover all related court cost. Bistricer’s lawyer, Robert Wolf of Gersten Savage, declined to comment. [Crain’s]