Jimmy McMillan's Rent Is Too Damn Low...So He's Facing Eviction

When Jimmy McMillan, the founding (and thus far only) member of the Rent Is Too Damn High Party, first Smurfed his way into our lives, there was only one thing to talk about, and it came in mantra-form: the rent is too damn high. And though that message has somewhat expanded since then, that has always been McMillan's central theme. But now, McMillan claims that his East Village landlords are trying to evict him: "The landlord is trying to get me out for more money. I'm a disabled vet, and he's messing with the wrong guy," McMillan told us this morning.

McMillan pays $872.96 for a rent-controlled ground-floor apartment on St. Marks Place. The building's owner Lisco Holdings claims that McMillan doesn't actually live there though—they say his primary residence is in Brooklyn. McMillan told us that he does have a space in Brooklyn, but it serves as his office and the headquarters of his political party. He also said he likes to keep information about his Manhattan apartment secretive because he has received death threats, and worries about his family's safety: "You can't tell me where and how to live my life. Just because you dont see me, that doesn't mean I don't live there. That's harassment. The law protects my family, and it protects my son," he told us, adding that his adult son has lived in the apartment with him.

Jimmy, who said his name has been on the lease since the late 70s, calls the claim baseless, and says he has started advising his lawyer on a strategy to deal with the case, which is now pending in Housing Court. And McMillan is serious about fighting eviction: "If my family is there, because of the danger of my work, I'm there...I'm gonna bust their ass," he said of the case. Perhaps he can use some of his patented "verbal judo":

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By Ben Yakas in News on August 5, 2011 11:52 AM

Comments [rss]

Inkognita

Let me get this straight: Jimmy McMillan has a rent-free apartment in Brooklyn in exchange for providing maintenance services for that building AND a rent-controlled, possibly subsidized apartment in a nice building in the East Village? In addition, he claims to be a disabled veteran, so he also probably collects Medicaid, SSI and anything else he can get from the government. Whatever the nature of McMillan's "disability," it certainly doesn't seem to have visibly affected his ability to perform the maintenance duties of his Brooklyn building or to conduct a vigorous campaign for public office.

However entertaining McMillan may have been in the past, it seems like his big mouth and supersized ego are finally catching up with him. (And perhaps he should be a bit ashamed of himself if he's collecting benefits intended for those genuinely disabled military veterans who really need and deserve them.)

Kimberley Truelove

I doubt this man will ever feel ashamed about anything.

cr17

I so want to be a fly on the wall of a bar where he's hitting on a woman.

edgie168

Especially with those nunchuks he keeps in his car.

ktinnyc

"Your clothes are too damn on!"

ktinnyc

Somewhere a carnival is missing their barker.

Guest

Jimmy is the man. I've known him for years. He'd get my vote in a heartbeat!!!!!

Kimberley Truelove

That's frightening.

Guest

You don't know Jimmy.

FU Boy

You gotta love politicians - even the hacks.

Scream about how expensive rent is while paying below-market-rates. Classic.

randomtransplant

My buddy rents a historic 2 bedroom 2 blocks from the state capital for about half of what MicMilan is paying. The same state worker's salary can buy you luxury and a non-commute in one city....or nothing here in NYC. Many of the same jobs, same pay, more than double the cost of living. We're talking people who provide essential services.

The market rates are too damn high.

pendejito

Ever think that maybe he screams about high rents on behalf of others who aren't in rent controlled housing? The same way a politican could scream about ending a war, without being a soldier on the front line?

FU Boy

"I think this is a travesty, but have a hookup that allows me to avoid it." Or "I claim to be a man of the people, but I've got better connections than you".

Politician's a politican, I'd have more respect for him if he was upfront about the fact, but he dodged direct questions on the topic during the election. Because he probably knew it would be used against him.