UPDATED, Sep. 2, 2:33 p.m.: Controversial landlord Haysha Deitsch finally paid out a $3.35 million settlement payment to five elderly residents of a Park Slope assisted-living home. The resident’s lawyers had previously threatened to go after Deitsch’s other assets after he missed a payment deadline in July.
The dispute goes back to 2014, when Deitsch told the residents of the facility at 1 Prospect Park West that they had 90 days to move out. He agreed to sell the property to Sugar Hill Capital Partners for $76.5 million.
Most demurred, but a group of residents sued. Today five women remain at the facility, who will now move out in return for the payment.
“The courageous seniors of the Prospect Park Residence stood up for two-and-a-half years in the face of Haysha Deitsch’s appalling avarice and cowardice,” Councilman Brad Lander told DNAinfo. “After months of Deitsch’s typical greedy efforts to make even more money without regard for the cost to our seniors, we are relieved that he has finally complied.”
The residents’ lawyers said they will continue their lawsuit against the department of health, which approved the home’s closure. The elderly residents said Deitsch served them rotten food and cut the air conditioning to persuade them to leave.
Deitsch had sued the children of the five remaining residents for $50 million, but was unsuccessful.
In February, it was reported that Deitsch was moving forward with plans to build an 11-story luxury condo at 243-245 Fourth Avenue in Park Slope.
“We are pleased that we were able to facilitate the settlement between the residents and the owner,” a spokesperson for Sugar Hill Capital Partners told TRD. [DNAinfo] — Konrad Putzier