Lander, James Stand Up For 90-Year-Olds Facing Eviction

image4[1] — City Councilman Brad Lander, left, and Public Advocate Letitia James denounce the Cuomo Administration for not protecting seniors facing eviction from the Prospect Park Residence on Grand Army Plaza. Photo By Lenore Fedow

New York City Council Member Brad Lander, Public Advocate Letitia James, community members and families of senior residents at Prospect Park Residence, this morning, denounced the State Department of Health (DOH) and Governor Cuomo for failing to protect the remaining residents of the building located on the Park Slope side of Grand Army Plaza.

In March 2014, the building’s landlord, Haysha Deitsch, announced plans to sell the assisted living facility to Sugar Hill Capital, a Manhattan investment firm, for $76.5 million. At that time over 130 senior residents were given a 90-day eviction notice. The families of the residents hired lawyers and the sale never came to be. In the meantime, 122 residents vacated the building as living conditions deteriorated, allegedly in an effort to force out the remaining residents.

Judge Wayne Saitta ordered Deitsch, at the request of the DOH, to establish a temporary receiver to care for the seniors while the legal matters were being handled. However, Deitsch has allegedly refused to pay for the court-ordered receiver.

The elected officials at the protest noted in previous similar cases, the DOH paid for the receiver in advance and was repaid when the building is sold. In this case, the DOH has not advanced the funding, and Deitsch does not provide the funding, the department proposes the closure of the residence and the relocation of the remaining residents.

“It’s like if the Housing Department said a landlord is harassing the tenants, we haven’t been able to protect them, so the answer is evict all the tenants. It’s really entirely preposterous,” said Lander.

Lander added he considered the DOH argument “morally offensive” and accused them of, “siding with the cruel and greedy building owner”.

James spoke about the city-wide problem of seniors being forced out of their homes for the sake of development. “We don’t need any more luxury housing. What we need is to protect seniors, and the elderly, and the frail residents of the city of New York,” she said.

Protester Andrea Auerbach stood on the side of the seniors, saying, “I think it’s about as despicable and about as low and immoral as you can possibly get. Greed is a disgusting thing when it comes to people’s lives. I’m appalled and ashamed that this society doesn’t protect people.”

James, along with the residents’ families and protestors, hold the building’s owner responsible, calling Deitsch’s actions “unconscionable”. They also called on Cuomo to show leadership in directing the DOH to monitor the Prospect Park Residence and ensure the elderly residents are protected, kept safe, and are given the services they need and deserve.