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. WebCompany profile page for Chestnut Holdings Inc including stock price, company news, press releases, executives, board members, and contact information 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. 1037 (PAC). However, it is 2020 and we still have thousands of cases of New York City children that tested positive for lead poisoning, and it is children from low-income communities and communities of color, like those we represent in Northern Manhattan, that suffer the most. Understanding Recent Changes to New Yorks Gun Laws, Repeated and Persistent Violations Result in Continuing Health Risks, Dozens of Reported Childhood Lead Poisonings. Chestnut Holdings, Regulation. The New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act requires owners of apartments and houses built before 1960 to take critical safety measures such as identifying apartments where children under six live, conducting annual investigations of those apartments for hazards that are conducive to lead poisoning, and remediating those conditions where they occur. Lead paint has been found in approximately 43 percent of all of New York dwellings. %%EOF
Children under the age of 6 are more likely to be exposed to lead than any other age group, as their normal behaviors could result in them chewing lead paint chips; breathing in or swallowing dust from old lead paint that gets on floors, windowsills, and hands; and lead can be found in soil, toys, and other consumer products. HONORABLE PAUL A. CROTTY United States District Judge. NEW YORK New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a lawsuit against Chestnut Holdings of New York, Inc., a property management However, the "Google Translate" option may assist you in reading it in other languages. A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. This is the second time the property management company is being sued for housing discrimination. Since 2012, 87 percent of all lead poisoned children in Onondaga County were from Syracuse. Inspect for and remediate any and all lead paint hazards when tenants vacate apartments. 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. Chestnuts strong safety record speaks to its commitment to all of its tenants, its communities, and its neighbors, but most especially children.. They neglect their properties with no regard for the families who live there, subjecting them to substandard housing and a substandard quality of life. Unfortunately, tenants are often denied a fair chance at renting an apartment due to source-of-income discrimination, where housing vouchers are seen as less desirable forms of payment. 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. The futures of our children are at stake., As a pediatrician, when I see kids with lead poisoning its usually too late to prevent the worst effects on their developing brains, which is why people in public health have worked so hard to prevent lead exposure over the years,said Dr. Travis Hobart, MD, MPH, FAAP, medical director, Central/Eastern New York Lead Poisoning Resource Center. The CDC recommends that children with blood lead levels higher than 5 g/dL undergo case management to prevent further exposure and to avoid reaching a level that requires medical intervention. 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. After revealing they had a CityFHEPS voucher, the plaintiff was told they would get a call back from the broker, but never did. The event brought out close to100 volunteers who enjoyed a great day of helping to beautify and restore Claremont Park. All rights reserved. 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. Lead paint has been found in approximately 43 percent of all of New York dwellings. When shes not writing you can find her at the gym, a family cookout, or at brunch with her girls. 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. In fact, no safe lead level in children has been identified. 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 refusal to accept the voucher came at a troubling time for Morrison, who had recently been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. 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. 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. We will continue to pursue enforcement through our own litigation and with partners like the attorney general, who utilize the work of our inspectors and lead-based paint enforcement teams to identify and audit buildings where lead-based paint regulations are not followed. 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.. Property owners and managers that knowingly rent substandard units to low-income residents ought to be punished to the full extent of the law. Attorney General James thanks HPD for its assistance in this and other related ongoing investigations. The vast majority of older, painted buildings contain some paint with lead levels higher than these bans allow. 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. This gallery provides a glimpse of the beautifully renovated complex in recent months during both the Fall and Winter seasons. 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. 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 following day, a tester from the NYC Human Rights Commission inquired about the same apartment that the plaintiff has. Any future violation of the law by Chestnut Holdings will violate the agreement and subject the company to possible legal action by the OAG. 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. If such properties are properly maintained, however, lead poisoning can be prevented. 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. See some of the wonderful letters we have received from our tenants over the years expressing appreciation for various matters. Upon revealing that she would be paying her rent with the voucher, the broker shut down the conversation and said, Oh, were not taking those.. Initiating evictions of tenants in lead-poisoned houses in violation of New York law. Anyone relying on information obtained from Google Translate does so at his or her own risk. The lawsuit, filed in October 2021, 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. 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. 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.. 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. Lead poisoning is devastating for a childs future health, and I applaud Attorney General James for taking swift measures to ensure this never happens again., These settlement agreements are showing landlords who have generally acted autonomously for decades that they can no longer ignore their duty and continue to put the health and safety of our communities at risk, said New York CityCouncil Member Oswald Feliz. Buffalos residents deserve to live in homes that are safe, secure and stable, especially when so many of us have been forced to spend a greater period of time in our homes as a result of the COVID-19 global health pandemic. 95 Students Unveil Artwork in Sheridan Avenue Apartment Lobby , Supporting Art for Children in the Bronx Culturally and Financially . The OAG will continue to work with them and other dedicated local partners to continue to make progress in combatting childhood lead poisoning in the region. Se habla espaol 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, 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 New York attorney general is filing a lawsuit against a Bronx-based property management company for violations of the city's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. Vivian Tejada is a freelance real estate writer from Providence, RI. I applaud Attorney General James ongoing efforts to enforce the citys lead law and hold landlords that violate this law accountable.. Data also shows that Black children are twice as likely as white children to have elevated blood lead levels almost 23 percent of Black children in Onondaga County tested for lead had dangerous levels of lead in their blood, while less than 11 percent of white children tested had dangerous blood lead levels. She believes she was discriminated against by a broker at Chestnut Holdings. 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. In fact, no safe lead level in children has been identified. Last Updated on 12 months by Vivian Tejada, The best of the city, straight to your inbox, 8 New Yorkers Sue Chestnut Holdings for Housing Discrimination. 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. A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. 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. This is the second time the property management company is being sued for housing discrimination. It is wrong and unacceptable. Recently, a lawsuit on behalf of eight housing voucher recipients was filed against Chestnut Holdings in the Manhattan Supreme Court. 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. Young children are more likely to be exposed to lead than any other age group. 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. On February 6, 2018, Plaintiff Huggins filed a civil lawsuit in the United States District Court Southern District of New York against CHESTNUT HOLDINGS OF NEW YORK INC.; 1425 U LLC; and JONATHAN WIENER, individually, (collectively, where appropriate, as Defendants), alleging upon knowledge as to himself and his own actions and upon information and belief as to all other matters, as follows: Plaintiff Huggins worked for the Defendants, a family-owned real estate investment and property management firm, as a superintendent from 2009 until Defendants terminated his employment on May 11, 2018 in retaliation for filing this lawsuit in February 2018. This is the second time the property management company is being sued for housing discrimination. Google Translate cannot translate all types of documents, and it may not give you an exact translation all the time. 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.. Source The Wall Street Journal. Chestnut Holdings is a family-owned real estate investment and management firm of properties throughout New York City. OPINION & ORDER. Endzone has sold all the properties it owned and all of the properties it once managed are now under new management. 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 New York Public Library also joined to encourage attendees to sign up and visit their local branches. endstream
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Determine in which of its apartments children under 6 live; Conduct an annual investigation for lead paint hazards in all of its apartments where children under 6 live; Resolve any and all lead paint hazards identified in these inspections within 90 days of the annual investigation; and. 2 3-4, 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. NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL. 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. NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL. The Office of Attorney General's website is provided in English. Exposure to lead paint in our aging housing stock puts children in grave jeopardy and our future at risk. We never thought we would be in that position, but a lot of people are. Vouchers such as FHEPS, CityFEHPS, and HRA subsidies are provided to New Yorkers with the intention of keeping them out of homeless shelters. Todays agreement, negotiated in partnership with Onondaga County and the City of Syracuse, permanently bans Kiggins and Endzone from managing or owning residential rental properties in the state of New York. Wb\M1uELF QPT20}7CL3p9e iS&JV?` 0 q
Since 2017, OAG hasfound that the group violated the law in other ways, such as: The poisoning of children from lead paint in aging rental housing is an ongoing national public health crisis, but is of particular concern within New York, and especially the Buffalo region. A property manager overseeing more than 6,000 apartment units in 134 buildings in New York City has been noncompliant with lead-paint regulations, state Beginning in the 20th century, paint with dangerously high levels of lead was used on both exterior and interior surfaces of housing in the United States. The Office of Attorney General does not make any promises, assurances, or guarantees as to the accuracy of the translations provided. The Office of Attorney General's website is provided in English. Chestnut Holdings is getting slapped Unfortunately, some landlords have ignored that responsibility with impunity., New York Lawyers for the Public Interest supports Attorney General Letitia James' offices action today to protect families from toxic lead exposure through enforcement of New York Citys Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, Local Law 1 of 2004, said Christine Appah, senior staff attorney, Environmental Justice Program, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest. 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. Our Church has had a great relationship with our landlord, Chestnut Holdings, for over fifteen years. 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 New York State has the highest percentage of buildings built before 1950 in the nation. 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. 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. In 2013 Chestnut acquired the Shalom Aleichem Houses, three distressed properties made up of 15 buildings, in Van Cortland Village in the Bronx. Todays announcement is welcome news and communicates a strong message of just how intolerable it is to promise the safety of a place to live only to deliver danger. 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. NEW YORK New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced 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. Lindos case is similar to another one of the plaintiffs, who was living in a shelter at the time of their apartment search. Back in 2018, a woman sued Chestnut Holdings for failing to accept her Section 8 housing voucher. Chestnut Holdings has recently come under fire for allegedly turning away tenants with housing vouchers. 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.. Senior Data Analyst Akram Hasanov, Intern Atharv Khatu, and Director of Research and Analytics Jonathan Werberg also assisted with this matter. On 08/24/2021 Chestnut Holdings, Inc filed a Contract - Other Contract lawsuit against TH Exploration, LLC.This case was filed in U.S. District Courts, West Virginia Northern District Court. The investigation was initiated in 2017, according to a source familiar with the matter. Chestnut Holdings manages more than 6,000 apartments in approximately 134 buildings, most of which are located in the Bronx. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. From 2018-present, the eight plaintiffs in the case experienced a range of discrimination from brokers and agents employed by Chestnut Holdings. 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. 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. According to the lawsuit, as many as 600 children who receive SNAP benefits were affected, Letitia James (Credit: Getty Images, iStock). 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. One broker allegedly told a plaintiff, You wasted my time.I have been working with [Chestnut Holdings] for 30 years and they dont take voucher holders., Another broker told a plaintiff CityFHEPS applications never get throughtoo many people without programs apply and [Chestnut Holdings] always chooses them.. All New Yorkers in every city, village, and town across this state have a right to live in homes that dont make them sick, said Attorney General James. 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. A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. Select a Language Below/Seleccione el Idioma Abajo. 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. Visite 516abogado.com, Huggins v. Chestnut Holdings of New York, Inc.; 1425 U LLC; and Jonathan WienerCivil Action No. She's passionate about the future of work and helping Latin American freelancers achieve time, location, and financial freedom. The Defendants have also denied Plaintiff Huggins minimum wage and/or overtime pay as required by state and federal laws; failed to provide a wage notice at the time Plaintiff was hired and annually, as required by law; and failed to provide a proper wage statement for each pay period, as required by law. On February 6, 2018, Plaintiff Huggins filed a civil lawsuit in the United States District Court Southern District of New York against CHESTNUT HOLDINGS OF NEW Thats what vouchers are there for.. 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 rental housing operations addressed in the suit are controlled by Angel Elliot Dalfin. Childrens lives and futures are a stake in this ongoing effort, and the actions we take today will help to safeguard our youth and punish those who would harm them., Families living in Buffalos older, distressed properties are disproportionately vulnerable to the serious health consequences of lead poisoning, said U.S. Representative Brian Higgins. 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. WebChestnut and Bronx is Blooming . Loading Quotes 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.. Topics you care about, straight to your inbox. 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. 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.