May 12, 2019 Your Neighborhood — Your News®
LOCAL
CL ASSIFIEDS
PA GE 19
Calls for stability at rent reform rally
Public advocate blasts Queens fi rm for manipulating regulations, pricing tenants out
FAREWELL TO DA BROWN
The hearse carrying the remains of Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, who died on May 3, passes
Queens County Criminal Court House in Kew Gardens on May 7 prior to Brown’s funeral in Forest Hills. See
the story on Page 4 for more details. Photo by Bruce Adler
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Continued on Page 16 Continued on Page 18
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UPDATED EVERY DAY AT TIMESLEDGER.COM
BY BILL PARRY
Public Advocate Jumaane
Williams was in Queens
on May 6 rallying with
community organizers and
speaking out against Zara Realty
Holding Group’s fraudulent use
on Major Capital Improvements
(MCIs) to evict tenants.
Attorney General Letitia
James, who Williams replaced,
and Governor Andrew Cuomo
announced a lawsuit had been
filed in March against Zara
Realty for repeatedly violating
rent stabilization laws and
harassing tenants at the Queens
apartment buildings in March.
“Zara Realty is just one of
the many bad actor landlords
who have abused MCIs to evict
tenants across the city, so it’s
time for Albany to act,” Williams
said. “This type of egregious
action is not only displacing
tenants, but it’s depleting our
city’s affordable housing stock
by allowing landlords to raise
rents and remove units from the
protections that come with rent
regulated units.”
Zara Realty has been accused
of violating New York’s rent
stabilization law multiple times
by slamming tenants with
illegal broker’s fees, excess
security deposits and illegal
late fees, according to the Public
Advocate. A lawsuit against the
Jamaica-based company accuses
the landlord of changing the
terms and conditions of existing
tenancies by compelling tenants
to sign new leases, in turn waiving
important rights, and failing to
provide tenants with required
lease riders that explain
their rights under rent
regulation law.
Williams called on Albany to
prioritize legislation sponsored
by state Senator Michael Gianaris
and Assemblyman Brian
Barnwell which would eliminate
the ability for landlords to pass
the cost of building repairs onto
renters with MCIs. Williams
BY JENNA BAGCAL
A 15-story assisted living
facility is reportedly coming to
Douglaston just months after
the $45 million Douglaston
Acres development site hit
the market.
In April, Community Board
11 addressed a letter to residents
informing them of a proposed
zoning height authorization
that would make it possible to
construct a 15-story building
at 242-22 61st Ave. According to
the letter, the facility would be
licensed by the New York State
Department of Health.
But some, like Councilman
Barry Grodenchik’s aide
Steve Behar, think that
the development, which is
currently in an R4 zone, would
be uncharacteristically tall for
the area.
“It’s not a shelter. It’s
a proposal to build a 15-
story assisted living facility
between the Douglaston
Shopping Center and the golf
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
Police are looking for a crook who broke into a
Glendale garage and ran off with stolen tools.
It was reported to police that at 3 a.m. on
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
Two men who robbed
and raped a 34-year-old
woman and terrorized
her family during a home
invasion in Little Neck
over the weekend were still
at large as of press time,
according to police.
Cops are looking for
the duo, as well as a third
individual who assisted
them, in the violent
encounter that took place
at about 9:31 p.m. on May
4 in the vicinity of 251st
Street and 57th Avenue.
According to law
enforcement sources, the
34-year-old woman was
leaving the residence when
the two men — one of whom
brandished a firearm
approached and forced her
Photos and video courtesy of NYPD
Robbers terrorize Little Neck family
High-rise
for seniors in
Douglaston?
Burglar steals $800 in
tools from Glendale home
/TIMESLEDGER.COM
