By Bill Parry
The Paratore family and other residents of the Ditmars section of Astoria are breathing a sigh of relief after Amtrak decided to temporarily halt any further actions or negotiations regarding properties many homeowners have leased for decades. Under the existing agreement, Amtrak leases out the property underneath the trusses of the Hell Gate Bridge for a nominal fee which releases it from the burden of maintaining the premises.
In a letter sent to homeowners in August, Amtrak issued a 30-day notice to accept an annual increase that in some cases was as much as 100,000 percent or tens of thousands of dollars.
Anthony Paratore, 61, has lived his entire life at 22-38 23rd St. His rent was slated to rise from $25 a year to $25,560.
“It blew me away,” he said. “I thought it was a scam.”
His neighbor, 71-year-old grandmother Loretta Csikortis, has lived her entire life at 22-52 23rd St. Her rent was poised to climb from $50 to $45,000.
“I thought it was a typing error,” she said. “I was born here and I’d like to die here, but under these conditions I could never afford to live here.”
In August, U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) joined forces with state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria), Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas (D-Astoria) and City Councilman Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria) to denounce the agency’s exorbitant rent increase. Two months later, Amtrak backed down — at least for now.
“Following discussions with Congressman Crowley, his staff and others in the community, Amtrak has decided to temporarily halt any further action or negotiation involving residential lease agreements in the area near the Hell Gate Bridge,” Amtrak spokesman Craig Schulz said. “We appreciate Congressman Crowley’s involvement and attention to this matter and look forward to working with him and others on a mutually agreeable course of action going forward.”
Crowley and the Astoria elected officials cheered the announcement last week.
“Amtrak’s decision to hit the brakes on an unconscionable rent hike for working families in Astoria is not just welcome news, but also a great victory for the community,” they said in a joint statement. “Together, we raised our voices to ensure the time, effort, and money that these homeowners have put into maintaining these properties over the years are recognized. This news lifts a huge weight off the shoulders of people who love their neighborhood and comes at the right time as we approach the holiday season.”
As for Amtrak’s “agreeable course of action going forward,” the electeds said, “as it pertains to terms of the lease moving forward, we hope Amtrak will consider the value these homeowners bring as stewards of the property when determining a mutually agreeable course of action in the future.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparr
