Maimonides evicts current and former hospital workers from buildings converted into NYC affordable housing
Owen Denoon left his job at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan to become a nurse at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn’s Borough Park in 1989. He said he was still finding his footing in the city after moving from Trinidad and Tobago, and the employee housing Maimonides offered was one of the perks that incentivized him to make the switch.
Maimonides offered current hospital workers employee housing in other buildings. The hospital did not provide a similar alternative for retirees or other former workers. But they’re not going quietly. At least 20 of the tenants have been granted permission to combine their cases in court and make a joint argument against the hospital, according to Legal Aid Society attorneys representing some of this group.of its Borough Park properties to the developer Iris Holdings Group for $68 million in November 2018.
Victor Quiñones, 66, holds up the notice he received in November 2022 giving him 90 days to vacate his apartment. He is one of approximately three dozen current and former Maimonides employees who are being evicted from their apartments by the hospital.
One current Maimonides employee affected by the deal shared a notice the hospital sent to tenants at the time alerting them of the sale and letting them know that they could stay in their apartments — albeit with a schedule of regular rent increases. The notice didn’t include a deadline for them to move out. Other tenants said they received similar notices.
Maimonides “has endeavored to be responsive to repair requests,” Tammaro said. But she added that there’s a difference between repairs and “improvements,” which she said some tenants made to their apartments without permission. In 2022, Maimonides Medical Center brought in nearly $1.7 billion in revenue and had about $138 million in net assets at the end of the year, according to the latest annual financial statements from the hospital. But the hospital still lost nearly $130 million on operations, only a slight improvement over the previous year’s nearly $145 million operating deficit.
Meanwhile, Denoon said he is daunted by the prospect of having to look for a new apartment in the current market if he doesn’t win his eviction case. Because Maimonides is a nonprofit hospital, it is permitted under state law to provide employee housing that is exempt from certain rent regulations, the same way a university would have greater discretion over student or faculty housing.
Although your right to occupy your apartment ended when your employment at the medical center terminated, the medical center has permitted your continued occupancy at its discretion. “The majority of these tenants have not worked at the hospital in a very long time,” Walsh said. “There has to be a line at some point. When does this premises become your home and something you have rights to?”
Iris Holdings Group agreed in its contract with HPD to reserve a certain number of units in the buildings for people making less than the median household income in the area, which isIris is also required under the agreement to offer a lease to any tenant already living in the buildings, regardless of income – except for those paying rent to Maimonides.
Walsh acknowledged that the Maimonides tenants were able to pay below-market rent for a long time and therefore benefited from their arrangement with the hospital. Jorge Santos with wife Shanti and son Krishna. Jorge worked for Maimonides for 13 years before losing his eyesight. Maimonides is evicting the family from their home of 22 years.“He understands the building in and out, so it's pretty much easy for him to live in this environment,” Shanti said, adding that they also want to stay close to Jorge’s 90-year-old sister, who lives nearby.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Chaos breaks out at NYC after-hours strip club as shooting leaves one deadWitness recounts man killed inside an illegal NYC after-hour strip club on October 15th
Read more »
Americans stand with Israel over Palestinians, support wiping out Hamas: pollPro-Palestine and Pro-Israel protests take place in NYC
Read more »
Despite renewed threats, Jewish New Yorkers display their faith proudlyPro-Palestine and Pro-Israel protests take place in NYC
Read more »
What NYC voters need to know about November's electionWhat NYC voters need to know about November's election (Yes, there is one)
Read more »
NYC recreation center named after first Black congresswoman gets groundbreaking in East FlatbushNYC recreation center named after first Black congresswoman gets groundbreaking in East Flatbush
Read more »
1 in 3 NYC tenants spend half their income on rent as affordability crisis deepens1 in 3 NYC tenants spend half their income on rent as affordability crisis deepens
Read more »