A New York City landlord group is being hit with a big penalty for illegal practices in order to get low income tenants to leave.
State Attorney General Letitia James alleges Ink Property Group bought dozens of New York City rent stabilized units over the years in low income communities of color. She says the company used illegal practices to force tenants out and then offered the units at market rate.
“They tore out bathrooms in apartments that were occupied, displacing tenants for no reason other than their bottom line and they engaged in periods of relentless construction.”
Under a settlement, Ink Property has been ordered to pay more than two million dollars for restitution for tenants and to preserve affordable housing.