The borough’s first multi-family building is in danger of becoming another victim to Fort Greene gentrification and local Assemblyman Walter Mosley III says current tenants have a legal right to purchase the 24 units as affordable coops or condos.
The “Vendome” building, 363 Grand Avenue, was erected in 1887 as a luxury multi-family building complete with a private billiard room pool parlor and has since been landmarked as part of the Clinton Hill Historic District. In 1980,a fire gutted the insides of the then abandoned building, and a state and city grant was given to local residents to rebuild it.
Tenants claim that in 1989, the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) put in a plan to maintain the Vendome’s status as an affordable rental building for 15 years, after which the tenants would have the option of purchasing their units as affordable coops or condos.
“Housing Preservation and Development is refusing to enforce a land use agreement on this historical landmarked site,” said Mosley, who grew up in the neighborhood and is raising his family there. “Years ago, this city agency along with state government were involved in preserving the building and promised it would be maintained as affordable housing for members of the community and we must keep that promise especially in the face of an affordable housing crisis here in the city.”
According to Brooklyn Legal Services, problems began when the former owner put the building into foreclosure and it has since piled up 177 HPD housing code violations for leaks, collapsing ceilings, mold, broken and faulty windows, holes in the walls and electrical issues.
In 2011, real estate developer Azad Ali purchased the building and has allowed it to linger in foreclosure, according to Brooklyn Legal Services, with the hopes of being able to clear the building of tenants and sell it for a large profit..
“The City cannot possibly achieve its goal of preserving affordable housing when even buildings supposedly protected by regulatory agreements continue to be lost due to lax enforcement,” said Maura McHugh Mills, an attorney at Legal Services NYC’s Brooklyn Program.
Meanwhile tenants like Nina Garland, 66, said HPD has to own up to its agreement and they have no intention of moving.
“This building was saved by our community in 1989, and was meant to provide affordable housing for members of our community, not line the pockets of a real estate speculator,” said Garland. “This is my home, I’ve lived here since it re-opened in 1992, my neighbors and I deserve a decent, affordable place to live, and we’re asking HPD to enforce the agreements and give us the building we were promised.”
Garland told a KCP reporter that five dollars of each tenant’s monthly rent had been strategically set aside to help them purchase their own unit in the building one day. The tenants were guaranteed that they would have to power to decide if they wanted to turn it into a condominium or co-op.
Additionally, tenants said their security money from 1992-2007 is now gone and they plan to fight for it as well as their home.
