Landlord Locks Out Tenant Over Rent-Controlled Apartment

it is rather funny how much bad press Mr. Galafaro has gotten (deservedly so)! the story made its way to Chinese news agencies and even to one real estate investment news site in the UK!

http://www.fly-2let.co.uk/news96.htm

This really is dispicable and sadly, happens all the time. Good on Mr Eng for refusing to go quietly and taking the scumbag to court. Unfortunately, most elderly and poor tenants don't understand their rights afforded by the legal system to protect themselves.

I understand the landlord's desire to maximize on his investment, but this guy broke the law and did so in such an exceedingly bastard way that none of us should have any sympathy for him. If there is a hell, this guy surely is going there. The law shouldn't give him any leniency, as clearly this man demonstrated utter contempt for human dignity. He callously tossed everything the old man had in his life, and then forcibly removed him from the premises.

47 years of memories.. photos of his late wife, everything gone! I can't imagine the heartbreak I would feel. The scumbag landlord got away scott-free, in my opinion. 2 years probation and 200 hours of community service is all? He should've received a significant fine.

A lot of landlords looking to profit from their investment (which I completely agree that they have a right to do) pay their tenants to move out. Had this guy been smart, he would've offered Mr Eng, say $5000 to move to Queens or Brooklyn and would've still come out on top renting the place to yuppies at $1500/mo.

This is my take on the situation.

http://propertygrunt.blogspot.com/2005/08/landlord-bum-rush.html#comments

Not very cool. To say the least.

Btw, Eva, who makes about $90,000 in her city council gig, and her lawyer husband, (one could guess that the two make a combine 200K) pay only $1000 in a rent stabilized apt. I am all about killing her.

>This old man Eng was robbing the landlord $1350 per month for YEARS!

I don't follow, Landlord. The owner of the building bought the property five months ago. He didn't have to buy it, and if he didn't realize the consequences of buying a rent-controlled apartment, I don't see why it's someone else's responsibility to do his homework for him.

I'm calling for an all-out race war against landlords trying to keep the chinese people down!

Of course they kept the La-Z-Boy.

BTW, Eva can get people killed? Hmm... sounds like a good friend to have. Which reminds me, has anyone seen Roy Goodman lately?

If Eng dies, so should the landlord. Eva can make it happen.

Make a deal with the landlord, get a few hundred thousand dollars to move out, and buy a small home in the 'burbs.

This landlord has no excuse -- usually sale prices for buildings subject to rent control are MUCH cheaper than for buildings that are not. So mortgage should not be an issue.

The LL is scum, basically.

The landlord should be thrown in jail and Moskowitz should help the guy move back into his old apartment.

The impression I got from the articles was that the man lived there by himself. Because his son hasn't lived in that apartment for at least the last 2 years, he wouldn't be eligible for succession.

"the man was 87 years old! it's not like any of his children can inherit the place either so how much longer could it have gone on?!"

Actually his son could in theory "inherit" the place and pay $158. http://www.housingnyc.com/html/resources/faq/succession.html

I've never believed the saying that rent-control makes prices high everywhere. There aren't that many RC'ed apartments anymore. Plus, do you think that this douche-bag of a landlord is saying, "Now that this apartment is going market-rate, it'll make all of the other apartments cheaper"? It's not as if those $1500 apartments are now $1450 because Eng is gone.

Landlords all want to charge the maximum possible. Of course, this is totally within their rights because they had to pay for the building, maintain it (not in all cases of course), etc., so they deserve to earn money of of their risk-taking and investing. At the same time, the landlords have to abide by the law, and the law here said that Eng could stay until he dies.

Further, I think the law says that you have to occupy an apartment 181 days a year to keep it rent-controlled or rent-stabilized. If you go away for a month or more, though, have a friend drop by once a week to make sure everything's ok, pick up the mail and water the plants; this will keep evil landlords like this guy at bay. If there is a hell, though, I hope this guy just bought a one-way ticket.

"What I don't understand is why Eva Moskowitz should need to find this guy housing?"

um, she's a politician. it's a slam dunk pr joint with little overhead or risk (barring mr. eng flipping his wig and causing harm to someone)

what's the rule if someone goes missing or dies? can the landlord use this as an excuse?

must diagree with those who feel rent control is bad. unfortunately, not everyone can afford to blow $1000+/month (especially if you're, say, 90-years-old). give eng a break!! he's about to die soon anyway.

rent keeps rising as unemployment has risen in the last several years. if eng was a good tenant and paid his rent each month, the landlord should go to hell for having just thrown away all the old man has left in his life.

Lol!. I hope this Eng guy gets the apartment for free. It is rent controlled. So who is this guy to think he can change the law. Right or wrong. Engs belongings have a price tag of millions of memeories to him. Money can never replace those. Come on now. Who out here would leve their kids alone with this landloard for one day. I wouldn't for any price. He is an animal and we know it. Go get em Eng.

no offense "Landlord" but the man was 87 years old! it's not like any of his children can inherit the place either so how much longer could it have gone on?! the LL should have just abided the law and sat tight until the old man left. stupid LLs in this city are damn impatient. i hope that the city seizes his building as he clearly deserves it.

that's terribly sad. the man lost all his personal items - all photos, family mementos, etc. outrageous!

I completely agree that rent control leeches off of other tenants. But throwing the guy out in that fashion is just plain wrong. There's a difference.

Well, let's look at when rent control was phased out, and how much the mortage would be today. Pretty close to paid off I imagine. The owner, although clearly a meathead from his interview aired last night, presumably did some due diligence and knew what he was purchasing. What I don't understand is why Eva Moskowitz should need to find this guy housing? They should just give him his apartment as compensation, and throw the landlord in prison for a year. Sounds fair to me and would serve as a deterrent to future landlords...

Another good reason to booby trap your apt when you leave the city for a good amount of time. (that amt of time is up to you)

He's rent controlled, most of the recipients of this program are very elderly.

I'm guessing this is one of them new young LL's that plan on buying and flipping properties. This is what our city has become.

Good riddance. Talk about robbery! This old man Eng was robbing the landlord $1350 per month for YEARS! Look at it in that perspective, fools. Do you all know how much mortgage is? Rent Control is robbery and should be changed.

Sounds like some landlords think eminent domain ain't just for mayors or governors any more...

Is there any kind of punishment for a landlord who pulls something like this? Maybe the city seizing his building and converting it into low-income housing?

Of course finding housing for Mr. Eng is more important, but dude: 46 years' worth of belongings!??! All his mementos gone! That Galofaro guy's a real asshole.