16 AUGUST 6, 2020 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Rego Park woman continues ongoing battle
to stay in her apartment of over 40 years
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
EDAVENPORT@QNS.COM
@QNS
In 2019, Queens native Arlene
Moskowitz was embroiled in an
ongoing dispute with her landlord.
In 2020, not much has changed.
Moskowitz has lived in her rentcontrolled
apartment in Rego Park
since the early 1980s. The co-op unit
is owned by Mew Hills LLC, a corporation
operated by David and Amy
Weber, which acquired the unit in
2002.
Moskowitz’s son, Howie Moskowitz,
claims that the landlord is trying
to push his mother out so they can
raise the rent.
“If she were to move tomorrow, the
landlord could double or triple the
rent,” Howie said.
Howie said that in 2011, Arlene’s
apartment took some damage due to
a leak from an air conditioner in the
bedroom. Though the Moskowitzes
alerted the landlord about the leak,
they say it took them months to go
out there and check it out. Since then,
there have been a number of issues
with the apartment that the landlords
have not fixed, or took weeks
and months to address, including
significant leaks, warped floors, and
a faulty stove and refrigerator.
“A couple of years ago, we could
smell gas in the apartment. We
opened the window and got my mom
out and called the fire department,”
said Howie. “Thank god for them.
They turned off the gas and deemed
the stove defective. They found the
leak below the apartment in the oilgas
conversion device. When the
landlord sent someone to look at the
stove, they wanted us to turn on the
gas, which is illegal. We had to wait
six weeks without a stove.”
Since November 2017, Moskowitz’s
apartment has racked up 32 open
violations, according to the Housing
and Preservation Department
website.
“It eventually led to court litigation,”
said Howie. “The landlord
doesn’t want the repairs done; he
just wants to harass her and get her
out. But that’s not going to happen.”
In June 2019, a new set of laws
were passed in New York City that
was meant to give more protections
for renters, including a protection
that made it so rent-stabilized apartments
will remain rent-stabilized
regardless of their rent level and
the tenants’ income. Despite these
protections for renters, Moskowitz
said that the landlord is actively
listing the apartment in newspapers
and showing the apartment like it is
available when it is not.
Photos by Dean Moses
“In August 2017, the landlord put
the apartment up for sale and people
were trying to get in while repairs
were being made,” said Howie. “In
November 2019, people were coming
back to try and see the apartment.”
Howie said that they have sent
multiple cease and desist letters to
the landlord and have tried to get
an order of protection but have had
no success. They have reached out
to multiple city and state agencies
for help.
Howie stated that he and his
mother have had little help from
the Queens district attorney’s
office in regard to these incidents.
The Moskowitz family was meant
to have a hearing in May, which has
since been delayed.
“My mom’s lease is set to expire
in October 2020, and the landlord
is supposed to offer her a lease
renewal,” said Howie. “They won’t
do the repairs unless ordered by a
court. We’re in no man’s land right
now.”
Attempts to reach Mew Hills LLC
have been unsuccessful.
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