| New York City, May 7, 2012--Abart Holding LLC, the landlord of 50-54-58 East 3rd Street in the East Village has issued notices to 17 market rate tenants stating their leases will not be renewed, claiming that they want to sell the buildings. These are unregulated tenants, but the rest of the 72 tenants in the three buildings, who are rent stabilized or rent controlled, fear that the new owner will force them to vacate by claiming personal use for the buildings, as was the case at 47 East 3rd across the street three years ago. That building appears to be still empty, although minor signs of activity have recently been observed. Video: Council member Rosie Mendez, Peter Gee of Asian Americans for Equality, Cooper Square Committee director Stephen Herrick and others speak out in support of the tenants at a protest rally in front of the buildings, pointing out other egregious aspects of this case. According to Herrick, on March 9 2011 Beech Street Capital LLC, based in Bethesda, Maryland, consolidated the 14 mortgages on these properties totalling nearly $5.1 million and immediately sold them off on the secondary market to Fannie Mae, also based in Bethesda, Md. Fannie Mae now holds a mortgage totalling $9.866 million. Check this: Fannie Mae received a $100 billion bailout from US taxpayers. Filmed by Liza Béar. For more info call GOLES 212-533-2541 or Cooper Square Committee 212-228-8210 | Views: 15 0 ratings |
