Additionally, Chestnut Holdings repeatedly certified, in new leases, that it had complied with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Acts turnover requirements, even though it had not done so. Students from P.S. Bronx Borough President Lauds Chestnut Holdings at State of the Borough Address-, Chestnut Holdings and Dream Yard Project team up for, Chestnut employee featured in international magazine bringing acclaim to company, Historic Sholem Aleichem Complex in the press-, Volunteers and community cleanup Claremont Park , College of New Rochelle Unloads South Bronx Building , Students proudly discuss their art and experience during the six-month project between Chestnut Holdings and DreamYard , Bronx Students Display Art for Local Apartment Building , P.S. On 04/29/2020 Avery, Mary filed a Property - Other Property lawsuit against 1560 GC LLC Chestnut Holdings of New York, Inc Wiener, Jonathan Rieder, Ben Department of Buildings Department of Housing Preservation and Development.This case was filed in Bronx County Courts, Bronx County Civil Court located in Washington, New ". Anyone relying on information obtained from Google Translate does so at his or her own risk. Aaron Carr, whose tenant watchdog group Housing Rights Initiative is also suing Chestnut for deregulating apartments in buildings receiving tax benefits, said that James is proving to be the most proactive attorney general combatting unlawful real estate practices.. I applaud Attorney General James for taking swift action to hold landlords and management companies accountable that put their tenants at risk. as soon as possible through one of our websites, www.employmentlawyernewyork.com or www.516abogado.com, or any of our phone numbers: (516) 2485550, (516) ABOGADO, or (212) 6795000. The lawsuit filed in New York Supreme Civil Court accuses Chestnut Holdings of violating city and state Human Rights laws that make it illegal to refuse The New York Public Library also joined to encourage attendees to sign up and visit their local branches. ` *d * $4%Y1\ - Z:q;.&&c60e`tIrS*hd All rights reserved. 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. The Bronx real estate company is allegedly refusing to consider tenants with housing vouchers. 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. These include annual inspections and ensuring that an apartment is code compliant when a tenant moves into their new home. Chestnut also works to make a positive impact on surrounding neighborhoods by providing cleaner, safer housing options and reliable service to tenants at reasonable rental rates. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. Children who have been exposed during critical stages of early development to even very low levels of lead are at risk for neurological and physical problems. She's passionate about the future of work and helping Latin American freelancers achieve time, location, and financial freedom. Chestnuts strong safety record speaks to its commitment to all of its tenants, its communities, and its neighbors, but most especially children.. The agreement was jointly filed by Attorney General James and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) in the Supreme Court of New York, Bronx County for final approval. 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. %%EOF sued a group of Buffalo individuals and companies for repeated violations of city, county, state, and federal laws by illegally allowing lead paint-related hazards to proliferate in their rental properties. Google Translate cannot translate all types of documents, and it may not give you an exact translation all the time. We are fortunate to have Letitia James in our corner as Attorney General. 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. Lead paint has been found in approximately 43 percent of all of New York dwellings. Lead poisoning is completely preventable, and the city has plenty of laws on the books but they are rarely enforced. Chestnut Holdings manages more than 6,000 apartments in approximately 134 buildings, most of which are located predominantly in low-income communities of color in the Bronx. All rights reserved 2023 The Real Deal is a registered Trademark of Korangy Publishing Inc. She is a courageous advocate for the children and families of Western New York., What these landlords did was monstrous, said Erie County Legislator Howard Johnson. Vivian Tejada is a freelance real estate writer from Providence, RI. 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. There is no excuse for landlords failing to abide by the law and protect the health of their tenants.. From 2018-present, the eight plaintiffs in the case experienced a range of discrimination from brokers and agents employed by Chestnut Holdings. We must continue to ensure that landlords are in compliance with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act and continue to promote this important law. Chestnut Holdings will pay $300,000 to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) for initiatives to protect children from lead poisoning and ensure that all of its more than 6,000 apartments throughout New York City are in full compliance with the law. All rights reserved. 910 Franklin Avenue Suite 200 Garden City, NY 11530 Tel: 516-248-5550 Fax: 516-248-6027, 655 Third AvenueSuite 1821 New York, NY 10017 Tel: 212-679-5000 Fax: 212-679-5005, Copyright 2023 EmploymentLawyerNewYork.com |, Separation Agreements and Severance Packages, Marital Status Discrimination and Harassment, Sexual Discrimination and Harassment In The Workplace, Sexual Identity Discrimination and Harassment, Sexual Orientation Discrimination and Harassment, Civil Rights and Constitutional Law Claims, National Origin Discrimination and Harassment, Whistle Blower Protection and Retaliation, Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, Borrelli & Associates, PLLC Reviews on ProvenCredible. Thats what vouchers are there for.. 15 Cheap and Underrated Ideas For Spring Break in NYC, Gears to Grind: The State of Biking in NYC, Fort Greene Neighborhood Guide: The Chill and Family Friendly Neighborhood. Loading Quotes Chestnut workers (from left) Francisca Orduna, Luis Dominguez, Maria Orduna, Teodoro Santos are suing over their April 5 ordeal. The OAG also found that Kiggins and Endzone engaged in repeated illegal and fraudulent acts by either not providing federally required lead disclosures or providing materially false and deceptive lead disclosures to tenants and purchasers of Endzoneproperties. 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. 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. I am proud to have the city be a partner in this suit with Attorney General James and our partners in the county, said Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown. 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. A group of eight New Yorkers is suing a Bronx real estate company for allegedly refusing to accept housing vouchers as rent payment. Source The Wall Street Journal. 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. 95 Students Unveil Artwork in Sheridan Avenue Apartment Lobby , Supporting Art for Children in the Bronx Culturally and Financially . Anyone relying on information obtained from Google Translate does so at his or her own risk. New York Attorney General Letitia James is going after one of the largest multifamily landlords in the city for alleged lead-paint violations. All New Yorkers deserve to live in a safe and healthy home, and this is a great step in ensuring that our tenants are protected from lead exposure., Lead is a serious public health issue that, if not properly addressed, can lead to life altering medical complications for young children and families living in New York City, said New York CityCouncil Member Vanessa Gibson. A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. The lawsuit, filed in October 2021, alleged that Kiggins and Endzone endangered the health of its tenants, primarily children, by repeatedly violating lead paint Her commitment to investigating and identifying these individuals demonstrates her dedication and commitment to defending the most vulnerable members of our society., The fact that the city of Buffalo will be joining in this lawsuit as a co-plaintiff in this case is major, said Buffalo Councilmember Mitch Nowakowski. Chestnut Holdings has recently come under fire for allegedly turning away tenants with housing vouchers. Our Church has had a great relationship with our landlord, Chestnut Holdings, for over fifteen years. 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. This group of landlords and property managers put low-income Buffalo communities at extreme risk, and today we are holding them accountable. In 1960, New York City prohibited the sale of paint with high levels of lead for residential use, New York state imposed a state-wide ban in 1970, and the federal government banned lead in paint in 1978. They have damaged the lives of countless children in our community. Our management team has over 150 years of collective experience and a deep understanding of the real estate market. However, the "Google Translate" option may assist you in reading it in other languages. 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. Lead is a highly toxic metal that can cause serious and irreversible adverse health effects. This matter is being handled by the Environmental Protection Bureau of the New York Attorney Generals Office and is led by Assistant Attorneys General Matthew Eisenson and Patrick Omilian, Special Assistant Attorney General Marissa Lieberman-Klein, Environmental Scientist Jennifer Nalbone, Science Interns Meredith Seibold and Serena Labrecque, and GIS Intern Gregory Welter. This seems to be the case with Chestnut Holdings. The Office of Attorney General's website is provided in English. In 2020, an investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) found that over a period of more than six years, at least 18 children were poisoned by lead paint while residing in 17 of Endzones estimated 89 properties. The passage of the New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act in 2004 made it possible to systematically and equitably erase lead hazards in housing across the city and promised to end childhood lead poisoning by 2010. Any landlord or group that fails to address properties that contain these dangerous levels of lead need to be held accountable, and I commend the Attorney General for taking action., I have seen the impact of lead poisoning on members of my own family, and one of my proudest moments as a legislator was the creation of a pilot program to expand educational intervention services for children who suffer from lead poisoning, said Erie County Legislature Chair April N. M. Baskin. This kind of enforcement is an important aspect of our states larger efforts to ensure that all New Yorkers have access to high-quality, safe, and affordable housing, said State Senator Brian Kavanagh. 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. Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), and Peter D. Lopez, Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced today that the United States has filed a civil lawsuit against Chestnut Petroleum Distributor, Inc., and its affiliates CPD Energy Corp., CPD The Act also requires owners and agents to take measures to prevent lead poisoning when an apartment turns over. NEW YORK New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced an agreement resolving her lawsuit against landlord John Kiggins and his company, Endzone Properties, Inc., for failing to protect children from lead paint hazards in Syracuse. NYC workers forced to strip as boss hunted for stolen cash, lawsuit says. 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. Since 2012, 87 percent of all lead poisoned children in Onondaga County were from Syracuse. This matter is being handled by Attorney General James Environmental Protection Bureau by Assistant Attorney General Abigail Rosner, Special Counsel Sara Haviva Mark, Assistant Attorney General Samantha Liskow, Deputy Bureau Chief Monica Wagner, Chief Scientist Jodi Feld, Environmental Scientist Jennifer Nalbone, Environmental Science Intern Jeffrey Fralick, and Amanda Moody, Legal Assistant II, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Lemuel M. Srolovic. It produced thousands of pages of documents and information, and continued to offer more evidence of compliance. 0 The Office of Attorney General does not make any promises, assurances, or guarantees as to the accuracy of the translations provided. Our intention is to deepen our understanding and connection to nature and weave it into the daily life of our communitys residents. Too many suffer from a lifetime of avoidable debilities here in New York City. 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. Using shell companies to avoid complying with city rental registration requirements; Failing to comply with city and state property management and real estate broker licensing requirements; Conducting business in New York without authority to do so from the Department of State; and. 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. Exposure to lead paint in our aging housing stock puts children in grave jeopardy and our future at risk, James said in a statement. 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. Lindos case is similar to another one of the plaintiffs, who was living in a shelter at the time of their apartment search. I thank the attorney general for pursuing justice and reaching this settlement on behalf of tenants who have faced dangerous conditions as a result of Chestnut Holdings' negligence, and am glad to see that, as a result, more children and families can be protected against hazards in their homes., I applaud Attorney General Letitia James for having taken infamous Bronx-based landlord Chestnut Holding to task and reached a settlement agreement that will make them fully comply with our city's existing childhood lead poisoning prevention laws, said State Senator Gustavo Rivera. %PDF-1.7 % Follow her on Linkedin to learn more. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. Plaintiff Huggins brings this action on himself and all similarly situated current and former employees pursuant to the FLSA and NYLL. 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. If any individual is or has previously been an employee of the Defendants named in the lawsuit and/or has information that may be relevant to this case, please contact Borrelli & Associates, P.L.L.C. Lead poisoning in New York City is highest among children of color and children living in high-poverty neighborhoods; low-income children represent 66 percent, and Asian, Black, and Latino children represent 84 percent, of children under 6 in the city with elevated lead levels. The refusal to accept the voucher came at a troubling time for Morrison, who had recently been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. This is extremely troubling for Black/African American communities because we know from national studiesthat Black children living below the poverty line are twice as likely to suffer from lead poisoning as poor white children. In the lawsuit, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) identifies six specific Dalfin properties that serve as examples of the egregious and illegal lead hazard management practices used by the landlords and the poisoning of children in those properties. All too often, unprincipled landlords like Endzone disregard their duty to ensure their properties are free of lead hazards and its harms. We must build on the attorney generals work to make sure everyone is safe from this avoidable neurotoxin., It is great justice that Chestnut Holdings is being held accountable for their actions, that primarily affected families in the Bronx, said New York CityCouncil Member Eric Dinowitz. In the lawsuit, the Attorney General seeks injunctive relief requiring Chestnut Holdings to comply with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, including bringing all apartments into compliance with the Acts requirements, penalties for its repeated violations of the Act, and disgorgement of money it would have expended to comply with the Act. The Office of Attorney General does not make any promises, assurances, or guarantees as to the accuracy of the translations provided.