Developer files $30M lawsuit over construction of W/Element )D Chestnut Holdings manages more than 6,000 apartments in approximately 134 buildings, most of which are located in the Bronx. The Environmental Protection Bureau is led by Lemuel M. Srolovic. 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. Chestnut Holdings is getting slapped 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. Our management team has over 150 years of collective experience and a deep understanding of the real estate market. Every New Yorker especially children living in our most disadvantaged communities has a right to live a healthy life without the threat of lead paint poisoning, said Attorney General James. 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. 0
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. 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. As we have seen with the tragedy in Flint, Michigan, lead can pose a serious safety issue with devastating effects on our most vulnerable populations. 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. 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. 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. and one of the advocates who helped write the current New York City lead law. WebChestnut Holdings offers convenient online payment options and the ability to see your current account balance and activity online through ClickPay. Each plaque displays an artists hand drawing of the tree along with a brief written description that includes related botanical, practical and historical content. 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. Attorney General James Takes Action to Protect Children The following day, a tester from the NYC Human Rights Commission inquired about the same apartment that the plaintiff has. 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.. Children under 6 years of age 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, window sills, and hands; and can be found in soil, toys, and other consumer products. Back in I'd like to thank Attorney General Letitia James for her commitment to the health and safety of families across our state, and for ensuring that all landlords provide safe, healthy, lead-free housing that is in full compliance with our laws. This is the second time the property management company is being sued for housing discrimination. We are fortunate to have Letitia James in our corner as Attorney General. In fact, no safe lead level in children has been identified. 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 Google Translate cannot translate all types of documents, and it may not give you an exact translation all the time. 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 matter is being handled by Assistant Attorneys General Abigail Katowitz and Patrick Omilian, Environmental Scientist Jennifer Nalbone, Investigator Joseph Kelly, and Project Assistant Isabel Murphy, all under the supervision of Environmental Protection Bureau Chief Lemuel M. Srolovic. 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. 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 October 2000, partnerships comprising Lenfest and several other individuals involved in the Philadelphia real estate scene, along with a related entity CHESTNUT HOLDINGS However, the "Google Translate" option may assist you in reading it in other languages. Lead poisoning in New York City is highest among children of color and children living in high-poverty neighborhoods. In addition, no apartments Lead poisoning persists as one of themost prevalent and preventable environmental diseases in New York, with thousands of children having blood leadlevels above the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions reference value. All rights reserved. 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. 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 In September 2020, she 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. 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. Citing Exposure of Children to Lead Poisoning, Attorney 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. Chestnuts strong safety record speaks to its commitment to all of its tenants, its communities, and its neighbors, but most especially children.. Since 2012, 87 percent of all lead poisoned children in Onondaga County were from Syracuse. 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. 216(b). endstream
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Attorney General James thanks Onondaga County and the City of Syracuse for their partnership in this matter. Attorney Announces Lawsuit Against Chestnut Petroleum 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.. No New Yorker should be exposed to the dangers of lead poisoning due to the negligence of their landlord. The New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act requires owners of apartments and houses built before 1960 to take critical safety measures to prevent lead poisoning in children tenants. Our intention is to deepen our understanding and connection to nature and weave it into the daily life of our communitys residents. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. Lead is a highly toxic metal that can cause serious and irreversible adverse health effects. Anyone relying on information obtained from Google Translate does so at his or her own risk. Bill Pay Lead paint in residential housing has been a pervasive problem for decades, particularly in New York. Hopefully, legal actions like this one will send a message to others who might choose to ignore lead poisoning prevention laws that such behavior will not be tolerated. From 2018-present, the eight plaintiffs in the case experienced a range of discrimination from brokers and agents employed by Chestnut Holdings. Last month, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law four bills targeting landlords to strengthen enforcement of lead-paint rules. 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. 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. In fact, lead paint has been found in approximately 43 percent of all of New Yorks dwellings. However, the "Google Translate" option may assist you in reading it in other languages. Chestnut workers (from left) Francisca Orduna, Luis Dominguez, Maria Orduna, Teodoro Santos are suing over their April 5 ordeal. There is no looking the other way. According to the lawsuit, as many as 600 children who receive SNAP benefits were affected, Letitia James (Credit: Getty Images, iStock). Anyone relying on information obtained from Google Translate does so at his or her own risk. 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. 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. Children under six 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, window sills, and hands; and can be found in soil, toys, and other consumer products. Exposure to lead paint in our aging housing stock puts children in grave jeopardy and our future at risk. All too often, unprincipled landlords like Endzone disregard their duty to ensure their properties are free of lead hazards and its harms. They have damaged the lives of countless children in our community. Endangering a child in the place they are supposed to feel most secure is the worst form of exploitation., We have been working hard to protect families from lead paint poisoning in Erie County and I thank the Attorney General for bringing this lawsuit against scofflaw landlords who refuse to do their part in the fight, said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz. Plaintiff Huggins regularly worked as many as seven days and well over 40 hours each week, including the requirement that he be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to deal with any issues in the residential multifamily properties that the Defendants owned. 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. 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, After revealing they had a CityFHEPS voucher, the plaintiff was told they would get a call back from the broker, but never did. A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. Exposure to lead paint in our aging housing stock puts children in grave jeopardy and our future at risk, James said in a statement. 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. 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. 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. Source The Wall Street Journal. Chestnut is considering its options including a possible lawsuit for harassment and defamation. Visite 516abogado.com, Huggins v. Chestnut Holdings of New York, Inc.; 1425 U LLC; and Jonathan WienerCivil Action No. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. 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. Addressing the issue of lead in our community is one that my administration has made a top priority. Lead poisoning is a serious and immediate problem, particularly in New York. 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. WebNew York, commenced this action on February 27, 2020 against defendant Chestnut Holdings of New York, Inc. (Chestnut) pursuant to New York Executive Law 63(12) The event brought out close to 100 volunteers who enjoyed a great The Office of Attorney General does not make any promises, assurances, or guarantees as to the accuracy of the translations provided. 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 separate federal investigation of lead levels in private apartments that receive Section 8 benefits is ongoing. 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. The violations by the group, which has owned and managed more than 150 single- and two-family homes in predominantly low-income communities of color, has led to dozens of reported instances of childhood lead poisoning. 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.. 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.. AG James Takes Action To Protect Tenants From Lead Chestnut is a hands-on owner-manager that acquires, manages and improves multifamily properties throughout New York City. I applaud Attorney General James ongoing efforts to enforce the citys lead law and hold landlords that violate this law accountable.. This seems to be the case with Chestnut Holdings. Se habla espaol 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. 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. NYC workers forced to strip as boss hunted for stolen cash, lawsuit says. Her and her husband were being evicted from their apartment after he fell off a scaffold and was no longer able to work his construction job. 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. 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 She believes she was discriminated against by a broker at Chestnut Holdings. As a landlord to thousands of children and families, Chestnut failed to safeguard its tenants, but, today, we are ensuring their health will be protected moving forward. Property Manager Sued Over Lead-Paint Compliance by New York 3145 0 obj
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WebChestnut and Bronx is Blooming . A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. 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. Our children deserve to live in safe and healthy homes, not dangerous and poisonous ones. 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.. This is the second major action that Attorney General James has taken in the past week to hold landlords accountable for failing to comply with New York Citys lead paint laws. The refusal to accept the voucher came at a troubling time for Morrison, who had recently been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. We must prevent exposure to lead by taking bold and consistent steps to protect families., We thank New York Attorney General Letitia James for bringing this significant lawsuit," said Sonal Jessel, policy and advocacy coordinator, WE ACT for Environmental Justice. 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. Back in 2018, a woman sued Chestnut Holdings for failing to accept her Section 8 housing voucher. Lead paint has been found in approximately 43 percent of all of New York dwellings. See some of the wonderful letters we have received from our tenants over the years expressing appreciation for various matters. NYC Realty Company Discriminates Against Moms With Vouchers: %%EOF
Im thankful to the Office of the Attorney General for using its power to protect some of the most vulnerable children in our community, and I look forward to continuing to work with all of our partners to address this important issue., We thank Attorney General Letitia James for pursuing this important case, said Paul Ciavarri, community organizer, Legal Services of Central New York. Understanding Recent Changes to New Yorks Gun Laws, Repeated and Persistent Violations Result in Continuing Health Risks, Dozens of Reported Childhood Lead Poisonings. 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 Office of Attorney General's website is provided in English. A 2017 Reuters investigation revealed that several zip codes in the city of Buffalo were some of the most saturated lead-burdened communities in the country, which is why I cosponsor Dakota's Law in the State Senate. 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, reached a pre-suit agreement with A&E Holdings to ensure that children living in its New York City apartments are protected from dangerous lead-based paint, Attorney General James 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 accumulate in their rental properties.