chestnut holdings lawsuit chestnut holdings lawsuit

On 08/24/2021 Chestnut Holdings, Inc filed a Contract - Other Contract lawsuit against TH Exploration, LLC.This case was filed in U.S. District Courts, West Virginia Northern District Court. Children who have been exposed to even very low levels of lead are at risk for neurological and physical problems during critical stages of early development. The refusal to accept the voucher came at a troubling time for Morrison, who had recently been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Select a Language Below/Seleccione el Idioma Abajo. Se habla espaol Chestnut Holdings has recently come under fire for allegedly turning away tenants with housing vouchers. The vast majority of older, painted buildings contain some paint with lead levels higher than these bans allow. Im thankful to the Office of the Attorney General for using its power to protect some of the most vulnerable children in our community, and I look forward to continuing to work with all of our partners to address this important issue., We thank Attorney General Letitia James for pursuing this important case, said Paul Ciavarri, community organizer, Legal Services of Central New York. 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. Select a Language Below/Seleccione el Idioma Abajo. HONORABLE PAUL A. CROTTY United States District Judge. Select a Language Below/Seleccione el Idioma Abajo. We see it in landlords big and small., Mallery Morrison, 39, is one of the plaintiffs in the case. However, the "Google Translate" option may assist you in reading it in other languages. The State of New York, its officers, employees, and/or agents shall not be liable for damages or losses of any kind arising out of, or in connection with, the use or performance of such information, including but not limited to, damages or losses caused by reliance upon the accuracy of any such information, or damages incurred from the viewing, distributing, or copying of such materials. The OAG will continue to work with them and other dedicated local partners to continue to make progress in combatting childhood lead poisoning in the region. 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. All violations found in OAGs investigation, as well as all those flagged by the county and city, have been resolved in properties that are currently occupied. This highly toxic metal causes serious and irreversible harms, and I am committed to ensuring that landlords follow the laws to protect young children from lead poisoning.. hb```b``g`2@(@x*G78hvqiC]Vr M?3X0O;t; w8#?N9f-jY#cl ?'or: A+D5?-cuzF>g$]asy`MsrT `^a' 5~_A6OX9M9 E I_[EQ TyV)mt)H}Ri}+gE6I~_9*Ae`h`Mh DG8 ;:B fh``6X- u The suit alleges that Chestnut Holdings has put the health of its tenants at risk by repeatedly violating the New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, 3136 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<31CF17F26827B64D9D1C3BD947307B0A><1127F07792CB7B4EA4E7A2D6EC3485F1>]/Index[3118 28]/Info 3117 0 R/Length 89/Prev 699633/Root 3119 0 R/Size 3146/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream Additionally, children from households living at or below the federal poverty line are at a greater risk of exposure to lead than children from households above the federal poverty line. More than 90 percent of Syracuses housing stock was constructed prior to 1978. The New York Public Library also joined to encourage attendees to sign up and visit their local branches. WebChestnut Holdings of New York is a family-owned real estate investment and property management firm with a long track record of successful, responsible and reliable The State of New York, its officers, employees, and/or agents shall not be liable for damages or losses of any kind arising out of, or in connection with, the use or performance of such information, including but not limited to, damages or losses caused by reliance upon the accuracy of any such information, or damages incurred from the viewing, distributing, or copying of such materials. In the state of New York, its illegal for landlords to deny housing to voucher recipients. The OAG has been active in holding landlords and property managers accountable for violating childhood lead poisoning prevention laws in New York. We believe there is a policy and practice of this management company to not rent to people who have housing vouchers, said Jean Fischman, who is representing the eight New Yorkers involved in the second case against Chestnut Holdings. 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. I want to thank Attorney General Letitia James for holding landlords accountable and ensuring all New Yorkers have access to safe, lead-free homes., Chestnut Holdings, which owns dozens of buildings in the Bronx, including at least seven in my own district, failed to uphold their obligations to provide safe and decent housing for their tenants, said State Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz. When the tester revealed they would be paying rent with employment-based income, the broker promptly forwarded the necessary documents to get the rental process started. Sticker shock: Ranking South Floridas priciest residential rentals, Here are Chicago's top 10 construction permits issued in May. What we do have is the fact that the landlord, unfortunately, has not complied with the law and as a result of that, he again, it poses a threat to all of the children who are currently residents in this building, she says. The State of New York, its officers, employees, and/or agents shall not be liable for damages or losses of any kind arising out of, or in connection with, the use or performance of such information, including but not limited to, damages or losses caused by reliance upon the accuracy of any such information, or damages incurred from the viewing, distributing, or copying of such materials. endstream endobj 3119 0 obj <>/AcroForm 3137 0 R/Lang( E N - U S)/MarkInfo<>/Metadata 219 0 R/OCProperties<>/Outlines 289 0 R/OutputIntents 3115 0 R/PageLayout/OneColumn/Pages 3099 0 R/StructTreeRoot 326 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 3120 0 obj <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 3121 0 obj <>stream The Environmental Protection Bureau is a part of the Division for Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux and is under the oversight of First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy. The following day, a tester from the NYC Human Rights Commission inquired about the same apartment that the plaintiff has. AG Letitia James Sues Chestnut Holdings for Lead Poisoning - The Real Deal Attorney general sues Chestnut Holdings for lead paint According to the lawsuit, In addition, no apartments Lead is a highly toxic metal that can cause serious and irreversible adverse health effects. alleged that Kiggins and Endzone endangered the health of its tenants, primarily children, by repeatedly violating lead paint laws and failing to properly address related hazards. 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. If such properties are properly maintained, however, lead poisoning can be prevented. These include annual inspections and ensuring that an apartment is code compliant when a tenant moves into their new home. The lawsuit, filed in October 2021, alleged that Kiggins and Endzone endangered the health of its tenants, primarily children, by repeatedly violating lead paint Plaintiff Huggins brings this action on himself and all similarly situated current and former employees pursuant to the FLSA and NYLL. 2 3-4, Chestnut Holdings manages more than 6,000 apartments in approximately 134 buildings, most of which are located in the Bronx. Lead paint exposure is a dangerous scourge on New Yorks communities that disproportionately impacts our Black and brown children, said Attorney General James. The OAG began its investigation into Dalfin and the other individuals and entities in 2017, when upon a painstaking review of county and city violation histories, tax records, deed transfers, and corporate filings, the office identified the interrelated group of landlords and property managers with a record of repeated and persistent lead paint violations and childhood lead poisonings. Earlier in September 2021, she reached a pre-suit agreement with A&E Holdings to ensure that children living in its New York City apartments are protected from dangerous lead-based paint. That same year, Erie County was the only county in New York in which children who tested with blood lead levels exceeding 45 g/dL were reported. Lead is a highly toxic metal that can cause serious and irreversible adverse health effects. This is incredibly pervasive in New York City. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. Tens of thousands of rental properties in Buffalo that were constructed before 1978 contain lead paint which, if not properly maintained and managed, can cause lead poisoning. During this same period, at least 32 Endzone properties were flagged by the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County for chipping, peeling, deteriorating paint, and other conditions conducive to lead poisoning, which are prohibited by county and city laws. Every New Yorker especially children living in our most disadvantaged communities has a right to live a healthy life without the threat of lead paint poisoning, said Attorney General James. The Bronx rental management company firmly denies the accusations, claiming they have hundreds of tenants currently paying for rent in vouchers. The futures of our children are at stake., As a pediatrician, when I see kids with lead poisoning its usually too late to prevent the worst effects on their developing brains, which is why people in public health have worked so hard to prevent lead exposure over the years,said Dr. Travis Hobart, MD, MPH, FAAP, medical director, Central/Eastern New York Lead Poisoning Resource Center. Audrey Strauss, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Peter D. Lopez, Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced today that the United States has entered into a Consent Decree settling a civil lawsuit against Chestnut Petroleum Distributors, Inc., and its affiliates Children who have been exposed to even very low levels of lead are at risk for neurological and physical problems during critical stages of early development. Since 2012, 87 percent of all lead poisoned children in Onondaga County were from Syracuse. They neglect their properties with no regard for the families who live there, subjecting them to substandard housing and a substandard quality of life. 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). All rights reserved. New York Attorney General Letitia James is going after one of the largest multifamily landlords in the city for alleged lead-paint violations. WebCompany profile page for Chestnut Holdings Inc including stock price, company news, press releases, executives, board members, and contact information Understanding Recent Changes to New Yorks Gun Laws, Repeated and Persistent Violations Result in Continuing Health Risks, Dozens of Reported Childhood Lead Poisonings. Lead poisoning in Onondaga County occurs predominantly within Syracuse, and disproportionately harms low-income communities and communities of color. I look forward to continuing to work with the attorney general and our colleagues at all levels of government, to prevent these types of abuses going forward., Access to safe housing is a human right. Last month, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law four bills targeting landlords to strengthen enforcement of lead-paint rules. This seems to be the case with Chestnut Holdings. A group of eight New Yorkers is suing a Bronx real estate company for allegedly refusing to accept housing vouchers as rent payment. The penalty amount is based on the extent of violations determined through the OAGs investigation. This matter is being handled by Attorney General James Environmental Protection Bureau by Assistant Attorney General Abigail Rosner, Special Counsel Sara Haviva Mark, Assistant Attorney General Samantha Liskow, Deputy Bureau Chief Monica Wagner, Chief Scientist Jodi Feld, Environmental Scientist Jennifer Nalbone, Environmental Science Intern Jeffrey Fralick, and Amanda Moody, Legal Assistant II, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Lemuel M. Srolovic. Bronx-based Chestnut, which has more than 6,000 units across 134 buildings, mostly in the Bronx, repeatedly failed to conduct annual inspections or remediate apartments where young children lived, even when it was asked to do so, according to court papers. Data also shows that Black children are twice as likely as white children to have elevated blood lead levels almost 23 percent of Black children in Onondaga County tested for lead had dangerous levels of lead in their blood, while less than 11 percent of white children tested had dangerous blood lead levels. WebChestnut Holdings is a family-owned real estate investment and management firm with a strong track record as an owner-manager of properties throughout 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. Buffalos residents deserve to live in homes that are safe, secure and stable, especially when so many of us have been forced to spend a greater period of time in our homes as a result of the COVID-19 global health pandemic. It is as immoral as it is illegal that a landlord would knowingly expose families to lead poisoning, which disproportionately threatens the health and development of Black and brown children, said Attorney General James. She's passionate about the future of work and helping Latin American freelancers achieve time, location, and financial freedom. This administration has made it clear that landlords who disregard their responsibilities and put tenants in danger will not fly under the radar. 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. 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. The New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act requires owners of apartments and houses built before 1960 to take critical safety measures to prevent lead poisoning in children tenants. 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. New York City has a major child lead poisoning problem, with a rate of 11.2 per 1,000 children living in private housing having elevated blood lead levels., New York Citys landmark Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention law is key to ending the enduring devastation of lead in our communities, saidMatthew Chachre, attorney, Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation. The rate of lead poisoning in New York City is highest in children of color and those who live in low-income areas. In September 2020, she 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. 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. Anyone relying on information obtained from Google Translate does so at his or her own risk. The Office of Attorney General does not make any promises, assurances, or guarantees as to the accuracy of the translations provided. Select a Language Below/Seleccione el Idioma Abajo. The Bronx real estate company is allegedly refusing to consider tenants with housing vouchers. If any individual is or has previously been an employee of the Defendants named in the lawsuit and/or has information that may be relevant to this case, please contact Borrelli & Associates, P.L.L.C. All New Yorkers in every city, village, and town across this state have a right to live in homes that dont make them sick, said Attorney General James. Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), and Peter D. Lopez, Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced today that the United States has filed a civil lawsuit against Chestnut Petroleum Distributor, Inc., and its affiliates CPD Energy Corp., CPD 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. Vouchers such as FHEPS, CityFEHPS, and HRA subsidies are provided to New Yorkers with the intention of keeping them out of homeless shelters. 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. Attorney General James also thanks the City of New York and New York state's Homes and Community Renewal for their assistance with data collection during this investigation. As Buffalo continues to have some of the highest rates of childhood lead poisoning in the country, my office will continue to hold bad actors responsible. In the state of New York, its illegal for landlords to deny housing to voucher recipients. I am holding Endzone fully accountable for their deplorable and illegal actions, and I will continue to use the full force of my office to uphold the laws that protect our children from lead poisoning.. and one of the advocates who helped write the current New York City lead law. CHESTNUT HOLDINGS INC.; 1425 U LLC; and JONATHAN WIENER, Defendants. This matter is being handled by Attorney General James Environmental Protection Bureau by Assistant Attorney General Abigail Katowitz, Special Counsel of the Health Care Bureau Sara Haviva Mark, and Chief Scientist Jodi Feld, under the supervision of Deputy Bureau Chief Monica Wagner. 3145 0 obj <>stream Lead poisoning is a serious and immediate problem, particularly in New York. 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. A property manager overseeing more than 6,000 apartment units in 134 buildings in New York City has been noncompliant with lead-paint regulations, state The event brought out close to100 volunteers who enjoyed a great day of helping to beautify and restore Claremont Park. 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. Cant Get Into the Infamous Rolfs Christmas Bar? This should serve as a warning to other landlords that they will be held accountable for neglecting health hazards in homes of children and families in New York City and across the state., I applaud Attorney General James and her office for their vigilance in pursuing landlords who fail to comply with the Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. Nathaniel Ari Weisbrot, Esq. Aaron Carr, whose tenant watchdog group Housing Rights Initiative is also suing Chestnut for deregulating apartments in buildings receiving tax benefits, said that James is proving to be the most proactive attorney general combatting unlawful real estate practices.. 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. The vast majority of these dwellings were constructed before New York banned lead paint in 1970. NEW YORK New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced 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. He eventually received help from Breaking Ground, a permanent supportive housing provider. 3118 0 obj <> endobj This is unacceptable, and I am very proud of Attorney General Letitia James for her work to hold Chestnut Holdings accountable., Many of my Bronx constituents have been exposed to dangerously high levels of lead paint in their homes, putting young children at risk, said State Assemblymember Kenny Burgos. Opp'n Ex. Attorney General James thanks Onondaga County and the City of Syracuse for their partnership in this matter. ". Todays announcement is welcome news and communicates a strong message of just how intolerable it is to promise the safety of a place to live only to deliver danger. WebNew York, commenced this action on February 27, 2020 against defendant Chestnut Holdings of New York, Inc. (Chestnut) pursuant to New York Executive Law 63(12) : 18-cv-1037. Endzone has sold all the properties it owned and all of the properties it once managed are now under new management. This is the second time the property management company is being sued for housing discrimination. The lawsuit filed in New York Supreme Civil Court accuses Chestnut Holdings of violating city and state Human Rights laws that make it illegal to refuse I want to thank Attorney General Letitia James and her staff for taking swift action to hold our landlords accountable, and for ensuring they are in compliance with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act.