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A Gramercy Park co-op board is suing the residents of one of the building's units for dressing up their interior door with holiday decorations. Richard Belza and his roommate Andrew Meehan have been decorating their apartment door for holidays like the 4th of July, Halloween, Christmas Valentine's Day, and Easter. Belza is a floral designer and has a knack for decorating, so he doesn't understand why he is being sued. He told the New York Post, that he's been dressing up his door for years and no one's ever complained. "I just put up my Easter decorations."
Belza and Meehan have taken down their decorations every time they received a letter from the co-op board, but apparently Valentine's day was the decorative flourish that pushed the board's complaints into the legal realm. The suit could put an end to the scourge of joy that has plagued the building's hallway, as well as cost Belza and Meehan thousands of dollars in legal bills.
A lawyer for the co-op board called Belza's decorations "tacky." "Rules are rules, that's part and parcel of living in a co-op. If you want to put up holiday decorations, go live in a house somewhere."
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Eh, it's easy. Send around a petition to recall the board, and then run yourself. If the residents of your building actually agree with you, you will win. This is the natural immune system against wacko boards.
I'd be kinda ticked if I lived in this place and I had neighbors who thought they were special and could ignore the rules by putting up some tacky decorations for every freakin' holiday. One holiday it is the tasteful work of a floral designer, the next holiday it is the Vegas-style confection of a Dyker Heights transplant. These guys deserve to get sued and should learn to pick their battles and respect the rules they signed on to.
People like that community board need a nice serving of tinsel up the ass. What's wrong with a little holiday cheer? It's like those creepy suburbs where all the mailboxes have to be exactly same. This is one of the most ridiculous stories I've heard in a long time.