From the NY Post:It's not an urban myth: an Upper West Side apartment that goes for $99 a week.
Dorothy Williamson, 70, a retired computer-systems administrator from Queens, checked into the Imperial Court Hotel at 79th Street and West End Avenue as a "tourist" in 2009 for a 10-day stay.
Two years later she's still there, living as a permanent, rent-stabilized resident, paying $398 a month for a room in a classic pre-war building in one of Manhattan's priciest neighborhoods.
All Williamson had to do was request a permanent lease.
The sweetheart deal comes courtesy of a little-known quirk in the city's housing law that applies to the city's 30,000 Single Room Occupancies, known as SROs.
"An individual can become a permanent tenant by simply requesting a lease," said Marti Weithman, director of the SRO Law Project. "If someone comes in and pays for a night, he or she can request a lease orally, or in writing. The very act of requesting a lease gives you statutory tenancy."
Once you've asked for the lease, you can't be evicted.
Her 200-square-foot carpeted room has a window overlooking 79th Street. She has a bed, a chair, a television, two refrigerators, a microwave and a hot plate She uses a communal bathroom in the hall.
You had me up until the communal bathroom.
12 comments:
You had me until you mentioned 200sq feet of living space.
"You had me up until the communal bathroom"
"You had me until you mentioned 200sq feet of living space."
Guess you guys were never in the military.
Maybe that's why they were saying that.
It her "Furniture" Made of Legos?
You can live in a "Y" too, if that's your style.
$400 a month for one room is not cheap.
more propaganda from the same crew you bought you that horrific Village Voice article about the ten worst tenants. now we know what side the Village Voice is really on, where most of our politicians are- in the pockets of the slumlords. other wise known as the Real Estate Robber Barons. They rob from the poor to give to the ultra rich.
communal bathroom, uses a hot plate and a microwave? doesn't sound like any bargain to me at all. She can't even have a full size bed. look at the kiddie chair she's using.
Never mind that on the UWS she will be dodging the mommies and nannies commandeering their double and triple strollers. her ankles will be bruised if she tries to walk down Broadway.
Anon no. 7:
You must not read the Village Voice very often.
This is the first time that the Voice did the article on the worst tenants (would you want to live next door to any of them?).
Until now, they've done nothing but pieces on the worst landlords.
it's a fun article. it may not be something you're jealous of, but it's cool how happy she is and it's an interesting little known fact about requesting one of those leases.
Should I even begin to defend the VV. people here are so quit to extinguish others.
it's a fun article. it may not be something you're jealous of, but it's cool how happy she is and it's an interesting little known fact about requesting one of those leases.
Should I even begin to defend the VV. people here are so quit to extinguish others.
***************************
Beautifully said. Just enjoy this story. It's sweet and cute. Leave it at that.
"it's a fun article. it may not be something you're jealous of, but it's cool how happy she is and it's an interesting little known fact about requesting one of those leases.
Should I even begin to defend the VV. people here are so quit to extinguish others.
***************************
Beautifully said. Just enjoy this story. It's sweet and cute. Leave it at that."
Can anyone ever again regard the Village Voice as a serious newspaper again? The once great rag in just a lousy rag now.
If she's happy as a senior citizen and getting by ok in this shithole of a city, then
GOOD FOR HER
Post a Comment