Friday, September 3, 2010

Swastikas may be result of landlord-tenant dispute

From the Queens Chronicle:

A dispute between a landlord and tenant in Howard Beach has turned ugly.

A property owner in Lindenwood said a former tenant who owed more than $22,000 in back rent trashed his old apartment on 83rd Street after the landlord finally kicked him out.

In addition to the property damage, disturbing images of swastikas, Ku Klux Klan symbols and various profanities were spray painted on many walls in the apartment.

“It’s disgusting,” said the landlord, Vincent, who didn’t want his last name used for fear of privacy concerns for his family. “I hope the authorities pursue this as a hate crime.”

The landlord, who is of Romanian Jewish descent, said he believes a former tenant, John Liveri, whom he has clashed with on several occasions over the past year, is responsible.

Earlier this year, Liveri called police and claimed Vincent punched him, and then had a restraining order taken out against the landlord.

Although charges against him were dropped, Vincent said he was still put through the ignominy of being arrested.

Though that issue was eventually resolved after Vincent was cleared of any wrongdoing, he continued to have issues with the tenant not paying rent.

The property owner said he finally kicked him out after not paying rent for eight months. He is not aware where his former tenant is currently living.

However, Vincent believes he wanted revenge and is responsible for the property damage at the apartment, which included a destroyed hot water heater and cracks in walls that appeared to be caused by a hammer, along with the racial images.

Police at the 106th Precinct are investigating the case as a burglary, though no arrests have been made yet. Police would not confirm whether a warrant was issued for Liveri’s arrest.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

$22,000 for 8 months back rent on an apartment in Lindenwood sounds ridiculously high, almost $3,000 for each month. The largest apartments there don't even rent for half that.

Anonymous said...

Slumlord is lying. He deserves to be locked up again for not maintaining the premises.

At any rate, that apartment is now inhabitable. The slumlord should get fined for the many HPD and DOB violations. I say he did that graffiti and any damage himself as a publicity stunt. Let's all cry for the owner who was only charging a measly Three grand a month for that dump. Did anyone check if there was a C of O on the building?
Probably he took the tenant to court, which ruled in tenant's favor, now the slumlord in his insanity does this stunt.

tell me this is an illegal immigrant property owner/slumlord, the Queens special.

what's the address so I can look it all up?

Anonymous said...

The landlord doesn't want to reveal his last name for "privacy concerns for his family"... also makes it so no one can investigate his past history...if his name is not out there, previous tenants cannot get together and compare notes...I wonder if he's punched other tenants in the face?? just asking...

Babs said...

Rent or extortion? Come on . . . Lindenwood?

Anonymous said...

This goes to show you how stupid the city council is, its because of laws they write that make crazy,scum tenants like this find out who is behind the l.l.c's,co.,etc.

Anonymous said...

Someone spray painted an ancient Indian symbol for peace?

What's wrong about that?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said; "because of laws they write that make crazy,scum tenants like this find out who is behind the l.l.c's,co.,etc."

What are you talking about????

We only know the name of the tenant here, serious and unproved allegations have been made aginst him by the landlord, the landlord is obviously the one who released the tenants name to the media while keeping his own identity secret.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Someone spray painted an ancient Indian symbol for peace?

What's wrong about that?

Friday, September 03, 2010
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You are either an unfeeling boor and an idiot or you have a terrible sense of humor. Which is it?

Anonymous said...

so many Queens slumlords do not have a legal leg to stand on, they revert to dirty tricks. of course the slumlord would publish someone else's name but not his. is it even true that the person he mentions lives there?

Anonymous said...

the slumlord is by no means an angel. i have rented from him in the past and have dealt with his constant threats and abuse. He is a complete instigator, he is the type to start a fight and then call the cops on his cell and say that he was asalted. His other property where i lived is by no means inhabitable. He is one of those slumlords that rents out 8 rooms in one apartment where everyone has to share the same kitchen and bathroom and pays weekly rent. I know this property owner and the reason why he did this publicity stunt. Also anyone who writes a swastika, respects that symbol. Anyone who would write that symbol would write it with high regard. the symbol that was sprayed on that wall looks like it was done by a 4 year old. almost looks unreadable. i believe he wrote that symbol or had his son write it just to get some attention and desperation pitty from the powers that be to help him with his illegal apartment scenario and bad tennants. As for the $22,000.00 in back rent, well thats impossible to rent out an apartment in lindenwood for 8 months. Who would pay that much to live in the ghetto? how dumb would someone have to be to rent out an apartment in a very low income area for that much. It doesnt even follow the median area rent. i can see paying that much for an apartment in manhattan in a trendy area. As for for the jewish community center looking to outcast the old tennant and so willing to reveal and defemate the tennants name that is just wrong. they have no proof or evidence that it was even him. thats why the cops havent made an arrest, its obvious that the tennant is being outcasted on the highly sensitivity of the swastika issue and for the fact that howard beach and lindenwood have been stereotyped as a racist and hate mnotivated area. It easy to have the jewish center on his side being a half Jewish man and half catholic i am surprised this man didnt try and get reverand al sharpton to back up his civil rights complaints of being hated on. Nobody hates him for being jewish or religious, people hate this man for being a whiney slumlord. The NAZIS were around, what 75 years ago? GET OVER IT... there is no one walking the streets in swastika clothing and flags, and chanting antisemitism rants and trying to get people to join their politcal party.