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The Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council

Local elected officials, housing advocates protest tenant harassment
Posted: December 13, 2014 - 5:05pm

On December 11, local elected officials and affordable housing advocates demonstrated in front of the cooperative apartment building at 230 Park Place in Prospect Heights. Assembly Member Walter Mosley, City Council Member Laurie Cumbo, and members of the Fifth Avenue Committee and the Pratt Area Community Council protested the harassment of tenant Carmen Pineiro by the co-op's board. 

Ms. Pineiro has lived in her apartment for 54 years. Organizers claimed the co-op board asked Ms. Pineiro In June to relocate to a hotel in order for damage to her aparrtment from a minor water leak to be repaired. A few days later, the building's super suggested to Ms. Pineiro that she move into a different apartment on Nostrand Avenue. When she became suspicious and returned to her building, Ms. Pineiro found her bathroom and kitchen had been demolished. She has been waiting since June for repairs to be completed, and claims the board offered her a one-way plane ticket to return to Puerto Rico. Ms. Pineiro's situation was recently profiled on BRIC's BKLive program.

Organizers demanded that repairs to Ms. Pineiro's apartment be completed before Christmas, that she receive compensation from the co-op for damage to her personal property, and that the Brooklyn District Attorney investigate the actions of the co-op board.