Charlie Kushner and Harbor Point Estate in Maryland (Credit: Sasha Maslov; Harbor Point Estates)
Kushner Companies is continuing to file eviction and debt collection lawsuits during the coronavirus crisis.
At least 15 New Jersey and Maryland tenants have received lawsuits from properties owned by Kushner Cos. since both states declared states of emergency, according to The Intercept. Courts have closed in both states, and both governors have called for a moratorium on evictions. However, these moratoriums do not prevent debt collectors from filing new lawsuits.
Kushner Cos.’ Westminster Management filed a lawsuit on March 25 requesting the sheriff to enforce an eviction against a resident of Harbor Point Estate in Maryland, and the firm filed a collection lawsuit on March 30 against another tenant in the complex.
On March 19, Oxford Arms, an apartment complex Kushner Cos. owns in New Jersey, filed six lawsuits against tenants.
“All eviction filings throughout our portfolio, including those listed in the Intercept article, have been put on hold during this crisis as we work tirelessly with residents to keep them in their homes,” Kushner COO Peter Fobo said in a statement. “The cases in [the Intercept] article were filed in the early onset of the pandemic during the ordinary course of business when no one really understood the significant impact it would have on us as nation and have been paused.”
Kushner Cos. has been expanding its multifamily holdings. Earlier this year, it picked up a 1,058-unit apartment portfolio in New Jersey and New York for $266.5 million. In Mary 2019, the company paid $1.1 billion for 6,000 apartments in Virginia and Maryland.
Founded and run by Charlie Kushner, the family real estate company has come under scrutiny because of accusations of tenant harassment and potential conflict-of-interest concerns due to Jared Kushner’s advisory role in the White House.
Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, is playing a major role in the Covid-19 response and has faced criticism over many of his actions, including tapping his brother to build a federal response website that ended up being scrapped. [The Intercept] — Eddie Small