In order to be truly successful, however, we need partners and Attorney General James has been a reliable partner in our fight against lead poisoning and holding landlords accountable. An attorney representing Chestnut Holdings responded to this lawsuit saying the company has fully and completely cooperated with the Attorney General's Office in its lead paint investigation. 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. 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 a result, at least 18 children residing in 17 different properties owned or managed by Endzone experienced lead poisoning. Bronx Borough President Lauds Chestnut Holdings at State of the Borough Address-, Chestnut Holdings and Dream Yard Project team up for, Chestnut employee featured in international magazine bringing acclaim to company, Historic Sholem Aleichem Complex in the press-, Volunteers and community cleanup Claremont Park , College of New Rochelle Unloads South Bronx Building , Students proudly discuss their art and experience during the six-month project between Chestnut Holdings and DreamYard , Bronx Students Display Art for Local Apartment Building , P.S. The OAG also found that Kiggins and Endzone engaged in repeated illegal and fraudulent acts by either not providing federally required lead disclosures or providing materially false and deceptive lead disclosures to tenants and purchasers of Endzoneproperties. 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. According to a 2018 study, the city of Buffalo suffers from some of the highest rates of childhood lead exposure in the nation from poor housing conditions in old homes with lead paint. 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, and 415 children tested with blood lead levels of 10 g/dL or higher. In February 2020, Attorney General James 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. Select a Language Below/Seleccione el Idioma Abajo. WebChestnut and Bronx is Blooming . The event brought out close to 100 volunteers who enjoyed a great NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL. Contact Chestnut Holdings - Chestnut Holdings On February 6, 2018, Plaintiff Huggins filed a civil lawsuit in the United States District Court Southern District of New York against CHESTNUT HOLDINGS OF NEW YORK INC.; 1425 U LLC; and JONATHAN WIENER, individually, (collectively, where appropriate, as Defendants), alleging upon knowledge as to himself and his own actions and upon information and belief as to all other matters, as follows: Plaintiff Huggins worked for the Defendants, a family-owned real estate investment and property management firm, as a superintendent from 2009 until Defendants terminated his employment on May 11, 2018 in retaliation for filing this lawsuit in February 2018. 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. 15 Cheap and Underrated Ideas For Spring Break in NYC, Gears to Grind: The State of Biking in NYC, Fort Greene Neighborhood Guide: The Chill and Family Friendly Neighborhood. We are grateful for Attorney General Letitia James commitment to furthering this collaborative mission by holding landlords accountable for their properties violations to ensure that every child has the opportunity to fulfill his or her potential.. 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.. This case will help our call for stronger enforcement of the key provisions of the law that were designed to remove lead from the environment before people are exposed to this neurotoxin. Anyone relying on information obtained from Google Translate does so at his or her own risk. WebCompany profile page for Chestnut Holdings Inc including stock price, company news, press releases, executives, board members, and contact information The Office of Attorney General's website is provided in English. Follow her on Linkedin to learn more. One broker allegedly told a plaintiff, You wasted my time.I have been working with [Chestnut Holdings] for 30 years and they dont take voucher holders., Another broker told a plaintiff CityFHEPS applications never get throughtoo many people without programs apply and [Chestnut Holdings] always chooses them.. WebOn 06/13/2020 KOU, SHIN MING filed a Small Claim - Other Small Claim lawsuit against CHESTNUT HOLDINGS OF NEW YORK INC.This case was filed in Queens County Courts, Queens County Civil Court located in Washington, New York. In the lawsuit, the Attorney General seeks injunctive relief requiring Chestnut Holdings to comply with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, including bringing all apartments into compliance with the Acts requirements, penalties for its repeated violations of the Act, and disgorgement of money it would have expended to comply with the Act. Additionally, in September 2020, Attorney General James 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 accumulate in their rental properties. Back in 2018, a woman sued Chestnut Holdings for failing to accept her Section 8 housing voucher. NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL. 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. Please click on the link below to access our payment processing portal- provided through ClickPay http://login.clickpay.com/chestnutholdings If such properties are properly maintained, however, lead poisoning can be prevented. The health code thus requires lead paint to be enclosed with a rigid surface, such as drywall. The vast majority of these dwellings were constructed before New York banned lead paint in 1970. Chestnut Holdings will pay $300,000 to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) for initiatives to protect children from lead poisoning and ensure that all of its more than 6,000 apartments throughout New York City are in full compliance with the law. Additionally, Chestnut Holdings repeatedly certified, in new leases, that it had complied with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Acts turnover requirements, even though it had not done so. 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 building in front of which the attorney general selected to announce the lead lawsuit, 1515 Macombs Road, has exactly zero lead violations. 2 3-4, 6 were here. The health impacts of lead paint in rental housing are particularly acute in the Buffalo region, where children who live in communities of color are 12 timesas likely than children who live in predominately white neighborhoods to be diagnosed with an elevated blood lead level. This seems to be the case with Chestnut Holdings. 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. In 1960, New York City prohibited the sale of paint with high levels of lead for residential use, New York state imposed a state-wide ban in 1970, and the federal government banned lead in paint in 1978. All rights reserved. The Office of Attorney General does not make any promises, assurances, or guarantees as to the accuracy of the translations provided. Recently, a lawsuit on behalf of eight housing voucher recipients was filed against Chestnut Holdings in the Manhattan Supreme Court. Since 2017, OAG hasfound that the group violated the law in other ways, such as: The poisoning of children from lead paint in aging rental housing is an ongoing national public health crisis, but is of particular concern within New York, and especially the Buffalo region. )D It produced thousands of pages of documents and information, and continued to offer more evidence of compliance. Chestnut Holdings is a family-owned real estate investment and management firm of properties throughout New York City. NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL. Opp'n Ex. 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. Veritas $450M loan default: A sign of things to come? A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. 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. This particular plaintiff was forced to remain in a homeless shelter for seven more months after the incident with Chestnut. 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. 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 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. WebNEW PALTZ, N.Y. Chestnut Petroleum Distributors Inc. (CPD) debuted a new logo and branding for its Chestnut Markets through a partnership with GSP. New York State has the highest percentage of buildings built before 1950 in the nation. Attorney General James thanks the City of New York and the New York State Homes and Community Renewal for their assistance with data collection during the investigation. Lindo claims he attempted to rent a Chestnut apartment in 2019, but never heard back from his broker after revealing he would be paying his entire rent with a housing voucher. AG Letitia James Sues Chestnut Holdings for Lead Poisoning - The Real Deal Attorney general sues Chestnut Holdings for lead paint According to the lawsuit, Chestnut Holdings 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. She believes she was discriminated against by a broker at Chestnut Holdings. 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. We must prevent exposure to lead by taking bold and consistent steps to protect families., We thank New York Attorney General Letitia James for bringing this significant lawsuit," said Sonal Jessel, policy and advocacy coordinator, WE ACT for Environmental Justice. A spokesperson for Chestnut challenged the quality of the investigation, and said the firm complies with all lead laws to the letter and addresses lead issues immediately. This action is brought to recover unpaid minimum and overtime wages owed to Plaintiff and other similarly situated employees of the Defendants, in addition to damages for Defendants failure to provide required wage notices and statements. 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. Chestnut 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 management. Some of the worst landlords in our city put the health and safety of New Yorkers at risk to protect their own profits, and Chestnut Holdings is near the top of my office's list, said New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. He eventually received help from Breaking Ground, a permanent supportive housing provider. The Office of Attorney General's website is provided in English. I thank Attorney General James for taking on one of the largest slumlords in Buffalo and holding them to account for their negligence., Recognizing that approximately 80 percent of Buffalos children with elevated blood lead levels live in rental singles and doubles, the Buffalo and Erie County Lead Safe Task Force has been linking arms with partners in the city, county and New York state to eradicate lead poisoning in many ways, said Cara Matteliano, senior director, Policy and Strategic Partnerships, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, convener of the Buffalo & Erie County Lead Safe Task Force. Our Church has had a great relationship with our landlord, Chestnut Holdings, for over fifteen years. 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. Chestnut Holdings is dedicated to visually and culturally enriching our Bronx neighborhood. Inspect for and remediate any and all lead paint hazards when tenants vacate apartments. Children who have been exposed during critical stages of early development to even very low levels of lead are at risk for neurological and physical problems. The rate of lead poisoning in New York City is highest in children of color and those who live in low-income areas. 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. This group of landlords and property managers put low-income Buffalo communities at extreme risk, and today we are holding them accountable. The OAGs investigation into Chestnut began in 2018 and determined that the company engaged in repeated violations of the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, including failing to inspect apartments to determine if a child under 6 years of age lives there, failing to conduct complete annual investigations of apartments for hazards that are conducive to lead poisoning, and failing to take the necessary measures when an apartment turns over. A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. Se habla espaol We need the ongoing assistance of every level of government to protect tenants from property owners who arent addressing lead hazards. Lead paint in residential housing has been a pervasive problem for decades, particularly in New York. Back in I commend Attorney General Letitia James for filing suit against landlords who have so flagrantly ignored the laws we have put in place to protect our children. This is the second time the property management company is being sued for housing discrimination. This seems to be the case with Chestnut Holdings. Attorney General James thanks Onondaga County and the City of Syracuse for their partnership in this matter. This is the second time the property management company is being sued for housing discrimination. All too often, unprincipled landlords like Endzone disregard their duty to ensure their properties are free of lead hazards and its harms. The Judge overseeing this case is John Preston Bailey. Chestnut Holdings Inc - Company Profile and From 2018-present, the eight plaintiffs in the case experienced a range of discrimination from brokers and agents employed by Chestnut Holdings. 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. A separate federal investigation of lead levels in private apartments that receive Section 8 benefits is ongoing. The residents in Broadway-Fillmore, and throughout the entire city, have been held hostage for decades by slumlords who have left housing stock uninhabitable and detrimental to the health, safety, and sustainability of our neighborhoods. 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. This agreement with Endzone Properties is proof of that collaboration, and I thank the attorney general and her team for their partnership in this effort., The message is clear: Landlords who repeatedly put children and families at risk of lead poisoning are not welcome in the City of Syracuse. 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. 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.. This gallery provides a glimpse of the beautifully renovated complex in recent months during both the Fall and Winter seasons. This administration has made it clear that landlords who disregard their responsibilities and put tenants in danger will not fly under the radar. Chestnut Holdings The violations by the group, which has owned and managed more than 150 single- and two-family homes in predominantly low-income communities of color, has led to dozens of reported instances of childhood lead poisoning. Attorney General James is continuing to pursue legal actions across New York to end the scourge of childhood lead poisoning by holding accountable landlords that allow lead paint-related hazards to proliferate in low-income rental properties. Her and her husband were being evicted from their apartment after he fell off a scaffold and was no longer able to work his construction job. Beginning in the 20th century, paint with dangerously high levels of lead was used on both exterior and interior surfaces of housing in the United States. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. The New York Public Library also joined to encourage attendees to sign up and visit their local branches. New York has some of the strongest lead poisoning prevention measures in the country, but without enforcement, families will continue to suffer. Developer files $30M lawsuit over construction of W/Element endstream endobj startxref According to the complaint, 600 children in Chestnut Holdings buildings are under the age of six and receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, colloquially known as food stamps. 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. A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. 3118 0 obj <> endobj In addition, since 2013, at least 63 of these houses have been cited by county and city inspectors for housing code violations, either for conditions conducive to lead poisoning, which are prohibited by the Erie County Sanitary Code, or for chipping, peeling, or deteriorating paint, which is prohibited by both the county and city. The agreement also requires Kiggins and Endzone to pay $215,000 that will be used to prevent the exposure of children to lead paint within the City of Syracuse or Onondaga County, and/or to provide assistance to the families affected by lead poisoning. This matter was supervised by Environmental Protection Bureau Chief Lemuel M. Srolovic. The rental housing operations addressed in the suit are controlled by Angel Elliot Dalfin. Citing Exposure of Children to Lead Poisoning, Attorney We are fortunate to have Letitia James in our corner as Attorney General. Additionally, Chestnut Holdings has repeatedly certified in new leases that it has complied with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Acts turnover requirements, even though it had not done so. Last month, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law four bills targeting landlords to strengthen enforcement of lead-paint rules. Wb\M1uELF QPT20}7CL3p9e iS&JV?` 0 q Loading Quotes Any future violation of the law by Chestnut Holdings will violate the agreement and subject the company to possible legal action by the OAG. quoteRotator.delay=5;quoteRotator.fadeDuration=1;quoteRotator.fadeoutDuration=2;quoteRotator.quotesInit(); At Chestnut Holdings, we value our relationships with our tenants and are dedicated to building and preserving our tenant communities. The Office of Attorney General does not make any promises, assurances, or guarantees as to the accuracy of the translations provided. OPINION & ORDER. Attorney General James Takes Action to Protect Children Anyone relying on information obtained from Google Translate does so at his or her own risk. Chestnut The Act also requires owners and agents to take measures to prevent lead poisoning when an apartment turns over. Understanding Recent Changes to New Yorks Gun Laws, Repeated and Persistent Violations Result in Continuing Health Risks, Dozens of Reported Childhood Lead Poisonings. Russell Shank, a lawyer for Chestnut Holdings, says they didnt receive applications from seven of the eight people in the lawsuit. The Environmental Protection Bureau is a part of the Division of Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux, and all under the oversight of First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy. The property management company is in charge of more than 6000 apartments located in 134 residential buildings across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. In September 2021, Attorney General James announced an agreement in her lawsuit against Chestnut Holdings, a property management corporation, over its failures to protect children from lead paint hazards in New York City. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. CHESTNUT HOLDINGS INC. Email | Print | Comments (0) No. 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. They have damaged the lives of countless children in our community. I'd like to thank Attorney General Letitia James for her commitment to the health and safety of families across our state, and for ensuring that all landlords provide safe, healthy, lead-free housing that is in full compliance with our laws. I will continue to do everything within my power to uphold our lead laws and hold landlords accountable for exposing our communities to serious and irreversible harms., As a part of LeadFreeNYC, HPD is committed to keeping children safe from lead through enhanced enforcement, education, and resources for property owners to make good on their obligations, said New York City Department of Housing Preservation and DevelopmentCommissioner Louise Carroll. The Office of Attorney General's website is provided in English. AkH5tKl#'FM|X0'UH^F+y{OBhiOio+O| l5r(>Vb[NX+Y,. They failed to ensure that my constituents and New Yorkers across the city were living in homes that were free of lead paint and, in doing so, put hundreds, if not thousands, of families at risk of lead poisoning. 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. All New Yorkers deserve to live in a safe and healthy home, and this is a great step in ensuring that our tenants are protected from lead exposure., Lead is a serious public health issue that, if not properly addressed, can lead to life altering medical complications for young children and families living in New York City, said New York CityCouncil Member Vanessa Gibson.