Follow her on Linkedin to learn more. 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. 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. The property management company is in charge of more than 6000 apartments located in 134 residential buildings across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. In October 2000, partnerships comprising Lenfest and several other individuals involved in the Philadelphia real estate scene, along with a related entity This administration has made it clear that landlords who disregard their responsibilities and put tenants in danger will not fly under the radar. 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. If such properties are properly maintained, however, lead poisoning can be prevented. 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. Last week, 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. 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. The OAG also found that Kiggins and Endzone engaged in repeated illegal and fraudulent acts by either not providing federally required lead disclosures or providing materially false and deceptive lead disclosures to tenants and purchasers of Endzoneproperties. All rights reserved 2023 The Real Deal is a registered Trademark of Korangy Publishing Inc. The Office of Attorney General's website is provided in English. Inspect for and remediate any and all lead paint hazards when tenants vacate apartments. What Is A Loft Apartment and Why Do I Need One? The residents in Broadway-Fillmore, and throughout the entire city, have been held hostage for decades by slumlords who have left housing stock uninhabitable and detrimental to the health, safety, and sustainability of our neighborhoods. Lead poisoning in Onondaga County occurs predominantly within Syracuse, and disproportionately harms low-income communities and communities of color. Understanding Recent Changes to New Yorks Gun Laws, Endzone Properties Barred from Owning or Managing RentalProperties in New York, Must Pay $215,0000, Landlord Failed to Maintain Lead-Safe Conditions in Rental Properties,Resulting in At Least 18 Children Poisoned With Lead. Attorney General James thanks Erie County and the city of Buffalo for their partnership and for providing critical information for this complaint. Throughout Plaintiffs employment, Defendants willfully failed to pay Plaintiff the overtime wages lawfully due to him under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the New York Labor Law (NYLL). 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. Specifically, the agreement requires Chestnut Holdings to: Chestnut Holdings will also pay $300,000 to the OAG to fund projects that help protect children from lead poisoning. NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL. 15 Cheap and Underrated Ideas For Spring Break in NYC, Gears to Grind: The State of Biking in NYC, Fort Greene Neighborhood Guide: The Chill and Family Friendly Neighborhood. I thank Attorney General James for taking on one of the largest slumlords in Buffalo and holding them to account for their negligence., Recognizing that approximately 80 percent of Buffalos children with elevated blood lead levels live in rental singles and doubles, the Buffalo and Erie County Lead Safe Task Force has been linking arms with partners in the city, county and New York state to eradicate lead poisoning in many ways, said Cara Matteliano, senior director, Policy and Strategic Partnerships, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, convener of the Buffalo & Erie County Lead Safe Task Force. Loading Quotes Cant Get Into the Infamous Rolfs Christmas Bar? James says her office reached out multiple times to Chestnut Holdings, but did not get a response. 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. In addition, no apartments A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. We are grateful for Attorney General Letitia James commitment to furthering this collaborative mission by holding landlords accountable for their properties violations to ensure that every child has the opportunity to fulfill his or her potential.. Morrison said she was devastated and humiliated by the experience. Attorney General James Takes Action to Protect Children and Back in 2018, a woman sued Chestnut Holdings for failing to accept her Section 8 housing voucher. WebCompany profile page for Chestnut Holdings Inc including stock price, company news, press releases, executives, board members, and contact information Our children deserve to live in safe and healthy homes, not dangerous and poisonous ones. 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. Chestnut Holdings Children who have been exposed during critical stages of early development to even very low levels of lead are at risk for neurological and physical problems. 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. We never thought we would be in that position, but a lot of people are. 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. Understanding Recent Changes to New Yorks Gun Laws, Chestnut Holdings Will Pay $300,000 for OAG Programs to Protect Children From Lead Poisoning, Ensure All Apartments Are Fully Compliant With NYC Lead Laws, Second Major Action by AG James in a Week to Protect NYC Children From Lead Paint, Hold Bad Landlords Accountable. The event brought out close to100 volunteers who enjoyed a great day of helping to beautify and restore Claremont Park. hbbd``b`9$>`n> 1 u) q "D,i. 95 Students Unveil Artwork in Sheridan Avenue Apartment Lobby , Supporting Art for Children in the Bronx Culturally and Financially . WebNEW PALTZ, N.Y. Chestnut Petroleum Distributors Inc. (CPD) debuted a new logo and branding for its Chestnut Markets through a partnership with GSP. Chestnut But, far too many New York City landlords continue to ignore their obligations under the law and expose our children to wholly-preventable lead-based paint hazards. She writes SEO blogs for real estate, travel and hospitality companies. 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. Chestnut Holdings 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 event brought out close to 100 volunteers who enjoyed a great Bronx landlord sued for failure to protect tenants from lead 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. This is incredibly pervasive in New York City. The building in front of which the attorney general selected to announce the lead lawsuit, 1515 Macombs Road, has exactly zero lead violations. Vivian Tejada is a freelance real estate writer from Providence, RI. 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. The Office of Attorney General does not make any promises, assurances, or guarantees as to the accuracy of the translations provided. This agreement with Endzone Properties is proof of that collaboration, and I thank the attorney general and her team for their partnership in this effort., The message is clear: Landlords who repeatedly put children and families at risk of lead poisoning are not welcome in the City of Syracuse. He eventually received help from Breaking Ground, a permanent supportive housing provider. Lead is a highly toxic metal that can cause serious and irreversible adverse health effects. 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. Attorney General James Shuts Down Syracuse Landlord Property Manager Sued Over Lead-Paint Compliance by New York Select a Language Below/Seleccione el Idioma Abajo. She is a courageous advocate for the children and families of Western New York., What these landlords did was monstrous, said Erie County Legislator Howard Johnson. 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. Op. Chestnut Holdings The OAG has been active in holding landlords and property managers accountable for violating childhood lead poisoning prevention laws in New York. The lawsuit against 3145 0 obj <>stream WebChestnut and Bronx is Blooming . A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. According to a complaint her office filed today, Chestnut Holdings repeatedly exposed children to lead paint and fraudulently certified that it had complied with the law passed to prevent that. Todays complaint alleges that Chestnut Holdings engaged in repeated illegal acts under Executive Law 63(12) violating several provisions of the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, including failing to inspect apartments to determine if a child under six 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. 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. Whether it be our local executive order that withholds rent payments to landlords knowingly exposing their tenants to lead or investing millions of dollars in lead remediation just in 2022, Onondaga County is fully committed truly solving the lead issue plaguing our community, said Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon. 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. CHESTNUT HOLDINGS INC. Email | Print | Comments (0) No. 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. Sticker shock: Ranking South Floridas priciest residential rentals, Here are Chicago's top 10 construction permits issued in May. The Environmental Protection Bureau is a part of the Division of Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux, and all under the oversight of First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy. This is the second time the property management company is being sued for housing discrimination. 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. 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. 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. Welcome to Chestnut Holdings - Chestnut Holdings She's passionate about the future of work and helping Latin American freelancers achieve time, location, and financial freedom. Chestnut exceeds any reasonable standards in inspecting its units and trying to address all safety concerns, especially the presence of lead, a spokesperson for the landlord said. 9 mins read Chestnut Holdings Will Pay $300,000 for OAG Programs to Protect Children From Lead Poisoning, Ensure All Apartments Are Fully Compliant With This matter was supervised by Environmental Protection Bureau Chief Lemuel M. Srolovic. We must continue to ensure that landlords are in compliance with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act and continue to promote this important law. 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. 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. Se habla espaol CHESTNUT HOLDINGS Contact Chestnut Holdings - Chestnut Holdings NYC workers strip searched in hunt for 'stolen' money - New York Select a Language Below/Seleccione el Idioma Abajo. 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. 0 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. 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. CHESTNUT HOLDINGS INC.; 1425 U LLC; and JONATHAN WIENER, Defendants. It is wrong and unacceptable. AG James Takes Action To Protect Tenants From Lead 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. This action is brought to recover unpaid minimum and overtime wages owed to Plaintiff and other similarly situated employees of the Defendants, in addition to damages for Defendants failure to provide required wage notices and statements. 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. Too many suffer from a lifetime of avoidable debilities here in New York City. ` *d * $4%Y1\ - Z:q;.&&c60e`tIrS*hd Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that in 2017, 715 children in Erie County under six years of age tested with blood lead levels between 5 and 9 g/dL, filed 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. The Office of Attorney General's website is provided in English. The vast majority of older, painted buildings contain some paint with lead levels higher than these bans allow. The New York Public Library also joined to encourage attendees to sign up and visit their local branches. The agreement announced today requires Chestnut Holdings to comply with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, including bringing all apartments into compliance with the laws provisions that it was found to have violated during the OAGs investigation. Commitment to the Community 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.