By Jeremy Walsh
The contentious relationship between a corporate landlord and hundreds of rent−stabilized tenants in Queens boiled over last week in Manhattan for the second time this year.
More than 100 people gathered in front of the Columbus Circle offices of Apollo Real Estate Advisors, an investment firm with a stake in Vantage Properties, to demand leaders meet with designated representatives of the tenant organizations.
How much the protest gained for the newly mobilized tenants remains to be seen. Teresa Perez, president of the Queens Vantage Tenants Council, said she and the rest of the tenants representatives met with Apollo representatives after the demonstration, speaking at length about tenant demands and asking for an in−depth meeting along with Vantage CEO Neil Rubler Oct. 29 or Oct.. 30.
She had not heard back from Apollo by Monday night, she said.
“[The protest] moved us forward in that we never would have been able to see [Apollo],” she said Monday evening. “But as of this moment, I’m experiencing more of the same.”
The tenants are from 80 buildings Vantage owns in Astoria, Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Flushing, Hollis, Jackson Heights, Rego Park, Sunnyside and Woodside. They complained that they had elected an executive board for their organization, the Queens Vantage Tenants Council, in July and requested a meeting with Vantage leaders in August.
Vantage and Apollo agreed to meet with them, but repeatedly canceled or put off meeting dates, they said.
Representatives from Apollo denied the harassment claims tenants have leveled against Vantage for several months.
“That’s not our business model,” said James Simmons, a partner with Apollo Real Estate Advisors. “Our business model is to provide the best standard of living for our tenants.”
The council only contacted Vantage about meeting, not Apollo, he said.
“Had they requested a meeting from anyone at Apollo, we would have gladly met at any point in time,” he said.
The council, however, provided a copy of a certified letter sent to Simmons at Apollo Aug. 12 asking to meet with the “primary ‘decision makers responsible for the acquisition and management of Vantage’s multi−family residential properties in Queens.”
Simmons characterized his understanding of Vantage’s tenant relations in Queens as “at least a level of dialogue between Vantage and various groups,” noting he had no opinion on whether it had become contentious enough to merit a protest.
Perez suggested the dialogue could continue to be rocky.
“If he tries to shirk out of this meeting, there will be another protest in front of his office,” she said. “I guess these people are gluttons for punishment.”
Protesters complained of poor living conditions and harassment from Vantage.
Julieta Candell, 38, who lives in a Vantage building in Corona, said her toilet has not worked for eight months and she has to empty her bathtub one bucket at a time into her kitchen sink because of drain problems.
Candell said her previous landlord was neglectful, but noted the building has lost at least 15 tenants because Vantage representatives threatened to alert Immigration and Naturalization Services about their immigration status.
“I think Vantage is worse,” she said. “With G&G [the old landlord], at least they left you alone.”
Candell said Vantage tried to force her out and she sued.
“My mother put my name on the lease back in 1977,” she said. “They finally gave me the lease. Now I have to fight for repairs.”
Sandra Hidalgo, a tenants association president in one of Vantage’s Elmhurst buildings, said repairs in her building do not last.
“Whatever they do, in a week, it’s falling down in pieces,” she said, noting the building has been without a working elevator for four months, garbage piles up and toilets are broken.
Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e−mail at jwalsh@timesledger.com or by phone at 718−229−0300, Ext. 154.
