Brooklyn, NY - Yeshiva Seeks Route Around Rent Stabilization

Brooklyn, NY - A yeshiva in Borough Park section of Brooklyn, is using a legal loophole to attempt to empty a rent stabilized building.

Yeshiva Nesivos Chaim, which bought the building at 221 Avenue F in 2004 for $2.1 million, is banking on a provision allowing charitable non-profits to evict tenants as long as the apartments will be used for nonresidential, charitable purposes.
Tenants say the Yeshiva has forced them to endure hazardous conditions. Indeed, the building has been cited for 332 housing code violations since the Yeshiva purchased it, and contractors hired by the city have made $11,475 in emergency repairs.

The Yeshiva currently conducts classes in a first floor apartment and has more classrooms and a synagogue in the basement. Tenants and several Yeshiva students said that as apartments become vacant they are not being re-rented but are instead used as student housing.

Rabbi Moshe Goldstein, leader of the Brooklyn Yeshiva, did not respond to many phone messages, but a group of fifteen tenants visited Goldstein's house, carrying placards and pushing their children in strollers. Goldstein did not appear to be home but the Yeshiva agreed to meet with the tenants this week.