Monday, November 29, 2010

EDC lied about Willets Point relocations


From Willets Point Watchdog:

Contrary to promises made by the New York City Economic Development Corporation ("EDC") and the stated intent of elected officials, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development ("HPD") has issued written notices requiring all persons to vacate certain City-owned Willets Point properties where tenant businesses are operating. HPD has done this, despite the tenant businesses receiving none of the promised relocation assistance from EDC.

One such notice, obtained by Willets Point Watchdog and reproduced below, states: "You and all other persons occupying said premises must remove yourselves from the premises on or before November 30, 2010 ... Failure to do so will result in the landlord [HPD] commencing summary proceedings under the statute to remove you from the premises" (emphasis added).
HPD Notice Highlight

The notice is unambiguous: Get out by November 30, 2010, or HPD will take steps to "remove you". The notice absolutely forecloses any possibility that a tenant will be permitted to continue operating a business on the property after November 30, 2010.

Attorney Harold P. Weinberg and HPD Administrative Staff Analyst Aida Estepan both signed the notice.

Can Weinberg and Estepan possibly be unaware that:

* The New York City Council approved the proposed Willets Point development during 2008, with the understanding that EDC would attempt to relocate as many of the approximately 240 tenant businesses as possible?

And that:

* EDC has not yet even begun to do so?


According to a source who is familiar with the pending eviction proceedings, even after being told that it is inappropriate for HPD to evict any Willets Point tenant business because no relocation assistance has yet materialized from EDC – let alone that there is no immediate need for the property in question to be vacant – attorney Weinberg has refused to rescind the notice, instead telling the business owner that he will see him in court, as the notice threatens.

To defend itself against HPD's inappropriate action, apparently the business will have to retain professional legal counsel – placing a large financial burden on a small business at the same time that HPD has destabilized that business by threatening its future. Although burdening and threatening Willets Point tenant businesses is precisely the opposite of what EDC promised, no elected official has been willing to confront HPD concerning the inappropriateness of its notices, which require all persons to vacate certain premises.


Translation: They all lied! Check this out:



Brad Lander is now a City Council person. Let's see if he steps up and does something. But I wouldn't hold my breath. After all, he's a tweeder now!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

CALL IN THE FEDS. THESE PEOPLE ALL BELONG IN JAIL!!!

Anonymous said...

ehhh who really cares the whole Willets Point/Flushing Bay area is a dump anyway, RAZE EVERYTHING!!!

Queens Crapper said...

You don't seem to grasp the point.

Moron.

Anonymous said...

CALL IN THE FEDS. THESE PEOPLE ALL BELONG IN JAIL!!!

Second! Shillman goes to jail first. Gene and Chuckie next!!! Then Bloomturd and all of his co-conspirators. Fix Wallet's Point but don't develop it for the EDC's agenda!

Moby Avella said...

Hmmmmm.............
I better get mine before it's too late!

Anonymous said...

Where is Halloran on this? is he not the councilman for the area? Gene, Chuckie, and Paulie too, all want this to happen wonder why? How much do they stand to make from this and what about Marilynns Husband, where are his hands in this pie.

The information is out there people.

Councilman it is time to step up and stop worrying so much about parking tickets and rogue traffic agents we have bigger fish to fry before you fry too.

velvethead said...

This is going to turn out to be a boondoggle like few prior.
Might as well take a mountain of money and burn it.

Anonymous said...

Moby Avella


Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!! That sure sums it up! Parkside Gang rules! Look out Wallets Point. The deck is stacked against you.

Anonymous said...

Looks like their pants are on fire. Why would anyone believe these people? They are all corrupt. It's time for a Federal Investigation. Enough is enough!

Fact Checker said...

This Mr. Rafi fella sold his property to the city then leased it from them since March 09. His lease was up in March of this year. He declined to negotiate another year on his lease. He's been running his business rent-free since then. This is the third notice he has gotten. That doesn't forgive anything about this scenario - what the EDC and Bloomberg are doing is still criminal. Just giving a bit of context. And I'm sure it's not the last time something like this will happen.

Fact Checker said...

Oh, and this is Julissa Ferreras' district, not Halloran's.

Anonymous said...

The HPD notice applies not only to Mr. Rafi, but also to "all other persons" occupying the premises -- including at least one former tenant of Mr. Rafi who operates a business at the site. That party has repeatedly been told by City officials that the City will provide a lease directly to the tenant (since Mr. Rafi has declined to re-negotiate his own lease), but the City has never provided such a lease to the tenant. Why not?

Anonymous said...

Oh, and this is Julissa Ferreras' district, not Halloran's.

True that! However, the Willets Point proposal will impact other districts including those of Halloran and Koo or as I like to call them...bottom feeders!!!

Helen Marshill* said...

It's our way or else! What part of get over it do you not understand?




*Mayor Bloomtard's designated lackey