Better get that sink fixed ASAP!

http://therealdeal.com/newyork/articles/brooklyn-building-workers-at-flatbush-gardens-housing-complex-managed-by-renaissance-equity-holdings-protest-pay-cuts

This doesn't add any more information than was already posted on each building's front door, which was previously mentioned here by MM. However, taking the fight to the media is usually an escalation right before actual striking.

Personally, I've had an 8.8% reduction in pay over the last year, and it will be 13.5% on Oct. 1st. Far more acceptable than a 30% benefit cut (maybe, depends on what "benefits" were cut, and how much the salary was cut). I don't know, I'm sure a lot of people, especially time/salary reduced people and unemployed people have mixed sympathies.

What about you? Support the strike? Or support 100% benefit cuts and scabs pulled from the ample ranks of the unemployed?

Do I still recommend Flatbush Gardens?

No. Unfortunately. Those of you familiar, will likely know my opinion of FBG is that it's a reasonable place to live. That you get what you pay for here, and it's a fair, if not good deal, with regard to quality/service/safety/etc per dollar.

While I still have no super-serious complaints, has anyone noticed a marked decline in the complex?

My kitchen sink is broken in at least three ways, and literally unusable. It has been this way for over a month. The roommate (having some weekdays off of work) is in charge of interfacing with maintenance. She has been down there at least 20 times, all during the hours they're scheduled to be open. Over half those times they were in fact, not open, with no explanation. (And different times of the day, like maybe they got in late, or left early, or were at lunch, but those could only explain a few of the misses). The other times, a work request was submitted, and she was told it would be placed in the queue, pointing to the huge stack of papers on the desk, with a subtle, "don't hold your breath" look.

I also see less advertising, less security (but to be fair they could easily be out there just as much and I wouldn't run into them because of my schedule recently), less renovation teams, less of our porter, etc.

It could just be me, but it feels like maybe things are in a serious decline.
Anyway, point being: At this time, I'm no longer comfortable saying that if you can tolerate mediocre quality for a cheaper price, then Flatbush Gardens presents a value option. My current perception of the quality/service/safety/etc per dollar, is that it does not provide a very good value.

They changed the locks on us.

The outside door of buildings 1350, 1352, 1354, 1356, 1360, 1362, 1364, 1366, 1370, and 1372 had their locks changed today. Management so kindly posted this flier YESTERDAY. You know, it's kind of a big deal to change the locks, maybe a little more than 18 hours notice is in order?
It says you have to have valid ID. That's bull crap, they can't lock you out of your apartment just because you can't prove who you are. They should know who you are. Anyway, I don't have an ID (who drives anymore? driving is so last centry). The roommate went down to pick up the keys, because shockingly I was out of the house to work before 9:30. Otherwise I would be able to report the hilarity that ensued as I went to get the keys without ID.
FYI, when your key doesn't work, go get a new one.
BTW, a little (though incredibly annoying) trick I learned watching "The Big Bang Theory," if you want to get into a building, just run your hand over all the buzzers.... someone, in some apartment is bound to be awake and buzz you in without saying "hello."

No a/c fee for me... EVER!

I've decided I'm not going to pay the A/C fee. Before getting into this, I would just like to state for the record, that in theory, I think all these rent-stabalization laws are stupid and counter-productive. However, I'm not going to say no to free money.

Also, very important, I know FBG doesn't read this, but I really wish they did, because I will say this and mean it... Getting into these little fights costs me more money than I save, by being away from work to do it. If FBG management showed one drop of courtesy or respect, I would gladly pay these things instead of fighting over them. However, since they have ignored 10s of phone messages, 10s of voicemails, and 10s of letters mailed to them, all requesting that they just call me back so I may ask them a question or two, since they have ignored me so much, I will be a pain, and exercise my rights to not pay them.

Here's a fun fact about the air conditioner fee:
http://www.dhcr.state.ny.us/rent/factsheets/orafac27.htm

"An owner may collect from a rent stabilized tenant any of the charges for an air conditioner without obtaining a DHCR order. An owner must charge a tenant for an air conditioner at the time the units are initially installed, or within a reasonable period of time after its installation. If the owner fails to charge the tenant within a reasonable period of time after the installation, the owner waives the right to collect the charge."

This is the part that makes me so freakin' happy: When I first moved in, I wrote 10s of letters about the things that were never finished in the apartment, and begged them to call me to tell me if they would fix them, or wouldn't, so I could hire someone. They ignored me. However, the best part is, in those letters, I asked them to bill me for my air conditioner units installed in July 08. They ignored that too. I thought, wow, at least I'm getting some benefit from their total incompetence. However, this section of the DHCR regulations states that I now never have to pay them. To be sure, over a year would probably be unreasonable even if I never brought it to their attention, but it's 100% unreasonable since I begged them to bill me for it a year ago, and they refused. I haven't told them I'm not paying it yet, so we'll see how that goes. I'm guessing, not well.

As I mentioned in an earlier post:

"NY Property Law requires renewal leases to be sent to stabilized tenants no more than 150 days before expiration and no less than 90 days before expiration. They sent ours 84 days from expiration. The penalty/remedy for this is that the old rental rate will be in effect for all rent due dates occurring prior to 90 days from the mailing date. In other words, July 1st, which will be my first rental payment under the new lease will be on the old scale, and not the new one."


I told them that I was not going to pay the extra 98.64 for July. They called me in mid-july to tell me I had to. They claimed they replied to my letter, but I got nothing. I'd like it noted that when they go to evict someone they slide the information under the door, along with mailing it, but when it's any other issue, they just hope you find out what they said. Anyway, maybe they replied maybe they didn't. Management offered to send evidence of a timely renewal lease. I said ok. However, 1 month later, no evidence, no tenant copy of the lease, and no copy of this alleged reply. I called 6 times, and left 6 messages, politely asking when I could expect this, and they did not return my call once.

I try my hardest to be as pleasant is possible, and all I've ever asked of these people is to RETURN A PHONE CALL. They seem wholly unable to do such.

New A/C fee... $374.31

Taking a poll... who has been charged this fee?
Did you get a letter about photos being taken like we did last summer?
If you have more than one unit, did you get charged for each, or just one?

Laundry.

I'm happy to report I did my laundry on Presidents' day, and the standard 55-70% of the machines were working. No, that is not sarcasm, anything above 50% is ok with me. It's the 80%+ broken that is annoying.

UPDATE: I forgot to mention that they've raised the prices a nickel a wash (regardless of size), and a nickel per 15 minutes of drying. I believe this is abundantly fair. The machines (when working) are already much less expensive than the local retail operations.

Dogs, or no dogs; that is the notice.

Notice about dogs. See attached. I have two things to say about this.

One, ignore the first sentence for a minute, and I believe this is a shockingly reasonable, professional, typo-free document. If this was posted in a "luxury" building, it would not seem out of place. Good job management.

Second, what is up with the first sentence? As you know, you're not allowed to have pets, but here are three paragraphs about the proper care of your pets. It's almost like they had a perfect document, and said "wait, we better start it with a completely out of place and incompatible sentence so people know we were the ones that wrote it. I can't even guess how that sentence should have read to fit with the rest of it. "As you may be aware, it is stated in your lease that Flatbush Gardens has a no pets policy." I guess, if you change "no" to "defined." Because I am not aware of that, because my lease does not say that, and in fact says the opposite. Anyway, good try management, you almost had a competent notice posting.

Image update!

Ok, ok, I'm wicked lazy about moving pictures from my camera to computer (I guess that's a consequence of huge and cheap memory cards).

But, I've finally posted them.

Laundry:
http://flatbushnyc.blogspot.com/2008/10/laundry-day.html


Leaking ceiling:
http://flatbushnyc.blogspot.com/2008/11/rainy-days-in-my-bedroom.html


Also, see previous post regarding the maintenance department sign.

The fine service offered by FBG maintenance.

So I guess they moved the maintenance office from the security office to the area just before the mailroom.

I think this might capsulate the fine service one gets from the Flatbush Gardens maintenance department:

Let's start with the ridiculous fact that they have this notice. Ok, granted, it's good advice, and Flatbush Gardens may have an above average number of people who go immediately into adversarial mode (i.e. holdover tenants). However, it's still absolutely ridiculous that they post this sign. I mean, maybe try running the maintenance department with some degree of professionalism and competence.

Though, to be fair, the prior location of the maintenance office was located behind protected safety-"glass" such as you would find at a movie theater or gas station. Ostensibly, one could imagine that was not by design, but because the office was located in the security office, but in truth, it was likely designed that way.

Here are some suggestions to help you not need a sign:
1a. Try to give people a time window of when you'll be there.
1b. At least tell people what day you're going to be there. I mean for the love of Elmo, even the phone company can tell you what day they're coming.
2a. Accept people's keys so you can enter the apartment while they are at work.
2b. Do whatever is needed to do 2a, such as not hire criminals, or pay a few extra bucks for real insurance.
3. Insert more in comments.



Also, why is "Welcome to the FB Maintenance Office" in much smaller font than the message telling you to relax?

More news on the laundry front.

Management left a flier today. Did anyone else get this today? I ask, because it's dated November 10th. Anyway, it reads:



"Dear Tenant(s):



It has come to our attention that some tenants have installed a washing machine and or dryer in their apartment, which is illegal and a direct violation of the lease.



Please take notice that if you, or any tenant, is observed with a washing machine or dryer installed, Management will commence legal action to have it removed.



A washing machine or dryer causes severe damage to the entire building. Any cost incurred by management as a result of a washing machine or dyer [sic], will be charged to the tenant.



We would like to remind you, that management provides a state of the art laundry facility which all tenants are welcome to use.



Thank you for your cooperation."



First, hilarious. I actually considered this myself. Mostly as an exercise in engineering. It's very difficult to install a washer and dryer in an apartment that isn't set up for it. So, kudos to those who managed it.



Second, regarding "state of the art"; I refer you to my earlier post. It's difficult to feel "welcome to use" machines that don't work.



Third, I find their implied concern for the safety of their building dubious at best. Since it took them 4 days to fix the water coming out of my ceiling, and stop the water coming out of my radiator that was no doubt coming out of my downstairs neighbor's ceiling.



Fourth, months ago; several months ago; they delivered a memo similar to this about satellite dishes. They said if they weren't removed, management would remove them. What kind of threat is that? Why would anyone take them down if the consequence is someone else will do the work for you? Anyway, point is, there are still dishes up and those are A LOT easier to spot than washing machines and dryers.



Management vs. clean clothes... let the battle begin.