chestnut holdings lawsuit

Back in 2018, a woman sued Chestnut Holdings for failing to accept her Section 8 housing voucher. Legal Services NYC, a non-profit offering free civil legal services to low-income individuals, claims that Chestnut Holdings brokers denied housing to eight New Yorkers after these tenants revealed they would be paying their rent with vouchers. Attorney General James thanks the City of New York and the New York State Homes and Community Renewal for their assistance with data collection during the investigation. Exposure to lead paint in our aging housing stock puts children in grave jeopardy and our future at risk. 216(b). NYC workers forced to strip as boss hunted for stolen cash, lawsuit says. We see it in landlords big and small., Mallery Morrison, 39, is one of the plaintiffs in the case. It's the first-ever lawsuit filed by the Office of the Attorney General for failing to comply with the lead poisoning prevention law. The OAGs investigation into Chestnut began in 2018 and determined that the company engaged in repeated violations of the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, including failing to inspect apartments to determine if a child under 6 years of age lives there, failing to conduct complete annual investigations of apartments for hazards that are conducive to lead poisoning, and failing to take the necessary measures when an apartment turns over. In fact, no safe lead level in children has been identified. In October 2000, partnerships comprising Lenfest and several other individuals involved in the Philadelphia real estate scene, along with a related entity Understanding Recent Changes to New Yorks Gun Laws, AG James Takes Action to Protect Tenants from Lead Poisoning, Files Lawsuit Against Bronx-based Property Management Corp for Violations of NYC Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. If such properties are properly maintained, however, lead poisoning can be prevented. The Environmental Protection Bureau is led by Lemuel M. Srolovic. I thank Attorney General James and our partners at Onondaga County for helping us put a stop to the bad practices of John Kiggins and Endzone Properties once and for all, said Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh. The lawsuit, filed in February 2020, alleged that Chestnut Holdings put the health of its tenants, primarily children, at risk by repeatedly violating New York Citys lead poisoning prevention laws, which require landlords to take critical measures to prevent children under 6 years old from being exposed to paint with dangerously high levels of lead. 2 3-4, Elevated blood lead levels are also more prevalent in Buffalos low-income neighborhoods than high-income neighborhoods. Understanding Recent Changes to New Yorks Gun Laws, Repeated and Persistent Violations Result in Continuing Health Risks, Dozens of Reported Childhood Lead Poisonings. Additionally, Chestnut Holdings has repeatedly certified in new leases that it has complied with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Acts turnover requirements, even though it had not done so. Last month, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law four bills targeting landlords to strengthen enforcement of lead-paint rules. This seems to be the case with Chestnut Holdings. Children who have been exposed to even very low levels of lead are at risk for neurological and physical problems during critical stages of early development. Plaintiff Huggins brings this action on himself and all similarly situated current and former employees pursuant to the FLSA and NYLL. In addition, since 2013, at least 63 of these houses have been cited by county and city inspectors for housing code violations, either for conditions conducive to lead poisoning, which are prohibited by the Erie County Sanitary Code, or for chipping, peeling, or deteriorating paint, which is prohibited by both the county and city. What Is A Loft Apartment and Why Do I Need One? Bronze in the Bronx- Visually and culturally enhancing the neighborhood with plaques, Chestnut Holdings and Dream Yard Project team up for Bronx Arts Festival, Chestnut employee featured in international magazine bringing acclaim to company Belong Magazine, Historic Sholem Aleichem Complex in the press- New York Times, South Bronx- A MAGICAL PLACE says Anthony Bourdain of CNN- New York Post, Volunteers and community cleanup Claremont Park Bronx Times. The Environmental Protection Bureau is part of the Division of Social Justice, led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux, all under the oversight of First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy. Chestnut Holdings is a family-owned real estate investment and management firm of properties throughout New York City. This action is brought to recover unpaid minimum and overtime wages owed to Plaintiff and other similarly situated employees of the Defendants, in addition to damages for Defendants failure to provide required wage notices and statements. And we greatly appreciate the attorney generals willingness to pay attention to the call for action from local stakeholders, including Families for Lead Freedom Now, and to pursue a bright line against childhood lead poisoning in Syracuse.. Lead paint in residential housing has been a pervasive problem for decades, particularly in New York. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that in 2017, 715 children in Erie County under six years of age tested with blood lead levels between 5 and 9 g/dL, filed a lawsuit against Chestnut Holdings of New York, Inc., a property management corporation, for failing to comply with provisions of New York Citys lead poisoning prevention law. Attorney General James is continuing to pursue legal actions across New York to end the scourge of childhood lead poisoning by holding accountable landlords that allow lead paint-related hazards to proliferate in low-income rental properties. Children who have been exposed to even very low levels of lead are at risk for neurological and physical problems during critical stages of early development. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. The New York Public Library also joined to encourage attendees to sign up and visit their local branches. The health impacts of lead paint in rental housing are particularly acute in the Buffalo region, where children who live in communities of color are 12 timesas likely than children who live in predominately white neighborhoods to be diagnosed with an elevated blood lead level. One project we have been working on cultivates environmental awareness by designating a specific tree or plant name and installing a custom made hand crafted bronze plaque on the property faade. Data analysis was handled by Senior Data Analyst Akram Hasanov, under the supervision of Research and Analytics Department Directior Jonathan Werberg and Deputy Director Megan Thorsfeldt. The Bronx real estate company is allegedly refusing to consider tenants with housing vouchers. Chestnut Holdings is dedicated to visually and culturally enriching our Bronx neighborhood. Here are Your Next Best Options. Cant Get Into the Infamous Rolfs Christmas Bar? Attorney General James also thanks the City of New York and New York state's Homes and Community Renewal for their assistance with data collection during this investigation. The agreement also requires Kiggins and Endzone to pay $215,000 that will be used to prevent the exposure of children to lead paint within the City of Syracuse or Onondaga County, and/or to provide assistance to the families affected by lead poisoning. Lindo claims he attempted to rent a Chestnut apartment in 2019, but never heard back from his broker after revealing he would be paying his entire rent with a housing voucher. All violations found in OAGs investigation, as well as all those flagged by the county and city, have been resolved in properties that are currently occupied. This matter is being handled by Attorney General James Environmental Protection Bureau by Assistant Attorney General Abigail Katowitz, Special Counsel of the Health Care Bureau Sara Haviva Mark, and Chief Scientist Jodi Feld, under the supervision of Deputy Bureau Chief Monica Wagner. The refusal to accept the voucher came at a troubling time for Morrison, who had recently been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. The suit alleges that Chestnut Holdings has put the health of its tenants at risk by repeatedly violating the New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, which requires property owners to take several critical measures to prevent children under six from being exposed to paint with dangerously high levels of lead. HONORABLE PAUL A. CROTTY United States District Judge. There is no looking the other way. alleged that Kiggins and Endzone endangered the health of its tenants, primarily children, by repeatedly violating lead paint laws and failing to properly address related hazards. The suit alleges that Chestnut Holdings has put the health of its tenants at risk by repeatedly violating the New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, Attorney General James is pursuing legal actions across New York to end the scourge of childhood lead poisoning by holding accountable landlords that allow lead paint-related hazards to proliferate in low-income rental properties. She writes SEO blogs for real estate, travel and hospitality companies. Attorney General James thanks Erie County and the city of Buffalo for their partnership and for providing critical information for this complaint. The landlords frequently allowed paint on their properties to deteriorate to the point of being a lead hazard instead of preventing deterioration of paint, as required by local and state building codes, and only addressed the lead hazard after a lead-poisoned child was discovered. Chestnut Holdings is getting slapped The suit alleges that Chestnut Holdings has put the health of its tenants at risk by repeatedly violating the New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, which requires property owners to take several critical measures to prevent children under six from being exposed to paint with dangerously high levels of lead. View Case; Cited Cases; ALEJANDRO HUGGINS, on behalf of himself and others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, v. forms until after the February 18 deadline had passed, and (2) did not receive any text message notice about this lawsuit, Decl. The landlord also falsely certified in new leases that it had complied with the New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, the complaint alleged. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. NEW YORK New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced an agreement in her lawsuit against Chestnut Holdings of New York, Inc. (Chestnut Holdings), a property management corporation, over its failures to protect children from lead paint hazards in New York City. We never thought we would be in that position, but a lot of people are. Chestnut fully complies with all lead laws and addresses any lead issues immediately. Residents of the Bronx took part inClaremont Park Dayas Chestnut Holdings partnered with The Bronx is Blooming and The NYC Department of Parks and Recreation to engage the community through environmental stewardship and educational activities. It produced thousands of pages of documents and information, and continued to offer more evidence of compliance. Our Church has had a great relationship with our landlord, Chestnut Holdings, for over fifteen years. The vast majority of older, painted buildings contain some paint with lead levels higher than these bans allow. Last week, she reached a pre-suit agreement with A&E Holdings to ensure that children living in its NYC apartments are protected from dangerous lead-based paint. The case status is Pending - 6 were here. The company was later dropped from the suit. Russell Shank, a lawyer for Chestnut Holdings, says they didnt receive applications from seven of the eight people in the lawsuit. Each plaque displays an artists hand drawing of the tree along with a brief written description that includes related botanical, practical and historical content. The Office of Attorney General does not make any promises, assurances, or guarantees as to the accuracy of the translations provided. Some of the worst landlords in our city put the health and safety of New Yorkers at risk to protect their own profits, and Chestnut Holdings is near the top of my office's list, said New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. I want to thank Attorney General Letitia James and her staff for taking swift action to hold our landlords accountable, and for ensuring they are in compliance with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. The State of New York, its officers, employees, and/or agents shall not be liable for damages or losses of any kind arising out of, or in connection with, the use or performance of such information, including but not limited to, damages or losses caused by reliance upon the accuracy of any such information, or damages incurred from the viewing, distributing, or copying of such materials. Additionally, children from households living at or below the federal poverty line are at a greater risk of exposure to lead than children from households above the federal poverty line. In 2013 Chestnut acquired the Shalom Aleichem Houses, three distressed properties made up of 15 buildings, in Van Cortland Village in the Bronx. We held a ceremony for the culmination of the six-month project and discussed with the students how the art reflected people and images in the Bronx community that were memorable to them. Chestnut Holdings continues to amass properties in the Bronx, paying $46.6 million for a 10-building portfolio in the borough. Senior Data Analyst Akram Hasanov, Intern Atharv Khatu, and Director of Research and Analytics Jonathan Werberg also assisted with this matter. Protecting the health and safety of our tenants should always be our number one priority., Attorney General Letitia James deserves high praise for this important victory protecting New Yorkers against lead poisoning, said New York CityCouncil Member Robert Cornegy. See some of the wonderful letters we have received from our tenants over the years expressing appreciation for various matters. The event brought out close to100 volunteers who enjoyed a great day of helping to beautify and restore Claremont Park. Select a Language Below/Seleccione el Idioma Abajo. 95 worked with DreamYards art instructors to create an art display that was unveiled in the lobby of Chestnuts building at 1504 Sheridan Avenue. A firm managing more than 6,000 apartment units in New York City disputes allegations that it hasnt been complying with lead-paint regulations. Chestnut Holdings manages more than 6,000 apartments in approximately 134 buildings, most of which are located in the Bronx. Chestnut Holdings has recently come under fire for allegedly turning away tenants with housing vouchers. Chestnut Holdings of New York is a family-owned real estate investment and property management firm with a long track record of successful, responsible and reliable management. What we do have is the fact that the landlord, unfortunately, has not complied with the law and as a result of that, he again, it poses a threat to all of the children who are currently residents in this building, she says. According to the lawsuit, as many as 600 children who receive SNAP benefits were affected, Letitia James (Credit: Getty Images, iStock). Inspect for and remediate any and all lead paint hazards when tenants vacate apartments. Exposure to lead poisoning can have long-lasting health consequences, especially on our children, said State Senator Alessandra Biaggi. NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL. Anyone relying on information obtained from Google Translate does so at his or her own risk. The lawsuit, filed in Erie County Supreme Court, alleges that since 2013, the Erie County Department of Health has identified dozens of children with elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs) in 22 of the Dalfin properties. WebOn 06/13/2020 KOU, SHIN MING filed a Small Claim - Other Small Claim lawsuit against CHESTNUT HOLDINGS OF NEW YORK INC.This case was filed in Queens County Courts, Queens County Civil Court located in Washington, New York. I commend Attorney General Letitia James for filing suit against landlords who have so flagrantly ignored the laws we have put in place to protect our children. 3118 0 obj <> endobj This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. They neglect their properties with no regard for the families who live there, subjecting them to substandard housing and a substandard quality of life. When shes not writing you can find her at the gym, a family cookout, or at brunch with her girls. Revelations in 2018 that the New York City Housing Authority covered up exposure to lead which can damage childrens brains shocked the public and led to the appointment of a federal monitor. hb```b``g`2@(@x*G78hvqiC]Vr M?3X0O;t; w8#?N9f-jY#cl ?'or: A+D5?-cuzF>g$]asy`MsrT `^a' 5~_A6OX9M9 E I_[EQ TyV)mt)H}Ri}+gE6I~_9*Ae`h`Mh DG8 ;:B fh``6X- u All rights reserved. This highly toxic metal causes serious and irreversible harms, and I am committed to ensuring that landlords follow the laws to protect young children from lead poisoning.. Too many suffer from a lifetime of avoidable debilities here in New York City. NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL. On May 29, 2020, the Court conditionally certified this collective action pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act ("FLSA"), 29 U.S.C. CHESTNUT HOLDINGS INC. Email | Print | Comments (0) No. I want to thank Attorney General Letitia James and her team for their ongoing commitment, consistency, swift action, and thorough investigation into this important issue., A key premise of the lead law in 2004 was to make it clear that landlords had the prime responsibility to make sure the apartments they rent do not have lead-based paint hazards, said Matthew Chachre, attorney, Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation. These include annual inspections and ensuring that an apartment is code compliant when a tenant moves into their new home. New York State has the highest percentage of buildings built before 1950 in the nation. Nathaniel Ari Weisbrot, Esq. Lead poisoning in Onondaga County occurs predominantly within Syracuse, and disproportionately harms low-income communities and communities of color. This is the second time the property management company is being sued for housing discrimination. The health code thus requires lead paint to be enclosed with a rigid surface, such as drywall. New York City has a major child lead poisoning problem, with a rate of 11.2 per 1,000 children living in private housing having elevated blood lead levels., New York Citys landmark Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention law is key to ending the enduring devastation of lead in our communities, saidMatthew Chachre, attorney, Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation. In fact, lead paint has been found in approximately 43 percent of all of New Yorks dwellings. Residents of the Bronx took part in Claremont Park Day as Chestnut Holdings partnered with The Bronx is Blooming and The NYC Department of Parks and Recreation to engage the community through environmental stewardship and educational activities. In the state of New York, its illegal for landlords to deny housing to voucher recipients. Google Translate cannot translate all types of documents, and it may not give you an exact translation all the time. I applaud Attorney General James ongoing efforts to enforce the citys lead law and hold landlords that violate this law accountable.. Anyone relying on information obtained from Google Translate does so at his or her own risk. WebChestnut Holdings is a family-owned real estate investment and management firm with a strong track record as an owner-manager of properties throughout New York City. Lead poisoning is completely preventable, and the city has plenty of laws on the books but they are rarely enforced. The art will continue to hang in the building lobby for all residents to enjoy. This highly toxic metal causes serious and irreversible harms, and I am committed to ensuring that landlords follow the laws to protect young children from lead poisoning.. We must continue to ensure that landlords are in compliance with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act and continue to promote this important law. I hope this settlement serves to let all property owners know how seriously HPD and the attorney general take lead-based paint compliance and encourages them to find out more about how to properly comply.. hbbd``b`9$>`n> 1 u) q "D,i. We acknowledge the hard work of the attorney generals legal team to bring this case to a swift and successful conclusion. aZQYN{2}hh@HK!6hvy%o);QnTy8+O'hNiMV\oyr%*;eZ=qW*^t:%PnOLi).d: 4{9UYQdOEix.4a:lEL&J?|HWR(zNLy94oMeu5KiEpyGVO4,W %7,K (5ioR#X ~Pl ql+zO] 9 00X=f[Pz@?}}^V Fqr'T6$;ry,I|q4\ ]U**ccpX4U]UE~"i$>(0-&YD-i9j_2")O-m rAyR{ The Dark History of the Empire State Building, How to Become a Digital Real Estate Investor in the Metaverse. The group also consistently violated federal lead disclosure requirements by providing either no lead disclosure statement to tenants or false disclosures, which stated that the landowner had no reports of lead paint or lead paint hazards, when in fact there were multiple reports of lead paint and lead paint hazards regarding the residences. In September 2021, Attorney General James announced an agreement in her lawsuit against Chestnut Holdings, a property management corporation, over its failures to protect children from lead paint hazards in New York City. This is incredibly pervasive in New York City. As a result, at least 18 children residing in 17 different properties owned or managed by Endzone experienced lead poisoning. An attorney representing Chestnut Holdings responded to this lawsuit saying the company has fully and completely cooperated with the Attorney General's Office in its lead paint investigation. As Buffalo continues to have some of the highest rates of childhood lead poisoning in the country, my office will continue to hold bad actors responsible. I commend the New York State Attorney General for taking this action, and thank my team at HPD, along with our colleagues throughout the city and state who work day in, day out to protect the people we serve., All New Yorkers deserve safe homes, free of the dangers of lead poisoning, said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. I am proud to stand with Attorney General Letitia James to fight for Bronx residents and to stand with all New Yorkers to demand that landlords and management companies treat their tenants with the respect and dignity they deserve., "Exposure to lead has devastating consequences for all those exposed, but it is particularly dangerous for young developing children, said New York State Senator Jos M. Serrano.