Compiled by Linda Collins
Brooklyn Daily Eagle

LOWER MANHATTAN — Calling the Dermot Company “a predatory equity company,� residents of company buildings in Brooklyn rallied in Lower Manhattan last week to protest poor conditions, harassment and the loss of affordable housing.

Organized by the Pratt Area Community Council (PACC) and Council Member Letitia James, the event took place following a candidates forum on affordable housing. James and PACC representatives joined the tenants outside Trinity Church Parish Hall Thursday to call attention to the rapid loss of affordable housing.

“Since Dermot has taken over management of apartment buildings in my district, my office has learned about a series of transgressions on their part,� said James. “Tenants have expressed that they feel Dermot plans to rid their buildings of rent stabilized apartments. Dermot has failed to communicate their intent to ensure that their tenants remain in place. I am also holding Dermot responsible and accountable for completing all repairs in their buildings, and for providing quality housing, period.�

Added Jon Furlong, a community organizer at the PACC, “A number of the tenants concerns could be resolved if the management would agree to meet with the tenants. But Dermot even refused City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s request for a meeting. They view people’s homes as a money making investment and have no regard for tenants’ rights.�

Tenants also weighed in.

“Where are we supposed to go? Where is the housing for us? All I see in our neighborhood is new high-rise luxury condos being built. My building has lost nearly one-third of the rent-stabilized apartments and more are being pressured to leave,� said Linda Foster, a resident of 43 years at 266 Washington Ave. in Fort Greene.

Commented Kim Longsworth, a 36 year resident of 266 Washington, “This is a human rights issue. It’s not just about tenants in our building, it’s about people losing their homes, where they’ve lived all their lives. It’s not just an apartment to us, it’s our home, it’s our community. Why are they taking away our home for their own greed? We need a mayor who will take the needs of all New Yorkers into account.�

Michael Melville a 17-year resident of 260 St. James Pl., said, “The apartments where older tenants live are not being maintained well. The repairs are unprofessional and messy.�

According to James, Dermot purchased a number of rent-stabilized buildings in Central Brooklyn over the past three years at prices way above the previous sale price.

“They have explicitly told tenants they want to make a profit on their buildings,� said James, adding that Dermot is only one of a number of predatory equity landlords that have purchased rent-regulated buildings at high purchase prices and then tried to aggressively raise rents by pushing out tenants out of their homes.

An attempt by the Eagle to reach someone at the Dermot Company for a comment was unsuccessful.

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