Economic Indicators: More Middle-Class New Yorkers Are Facing Eviction
I assume the administration thinks they're doing the right thing by pouring billions into the banks, but things seem to be getting worse for everyone else, don't they?
A registered nurse came close to losing her $1,550-a-month apartment on the Upper East Side after being let go from two jobs in three months. A woman found herself dipping into a 401(k) to keep her $3,375 unit in Peter Cooper Village after her husband was laid off in February from his six-figure marketing job. A father of two with an M.B.A. and a law degree owed $5,400 in back rent in Stuyvesant Town after he struggled to find steady work and lent money to his wife’s family.
Lawyers, judges and tenant advocates say the staggering economy has sent an increasing number of middle-class renters across New York City to the brink of eviction, straining the legal and financial services of city agencies and charities. Suddenly, residents of middle-class havens like Rego Park in Queens and Riverdale in the Bronx are crowding into the city’s already burdened housing courts, long known as poor people’s court.
Even some affluent people in high-end places are finding themselves facing off with landlords. One man, laid off by Merrill Lynch, was forced to move out of his $5,700 apartment in TriBeCa, owing $20,000 in back rent. Todd Nahins, a lawyer who represents owners of luxury residential buildings, has been busy negotiating payment plans for tenants in arrears.
“There’s definitely an uptick of people who were basically very good rent payers until the economic downturn,” Mr. Nahins said. “There’s so many of them. People who at one point had made money are now not earning enough to pay their rent.”
to mothers basement. :\
to everyone in that situation. Why are we giving money to banks and not to regular people? Why don't we have election reform? Are the two related?....
and can't afford to bail out banks.
I can still acknowledge that this won't bother a lot of people outside of NY.
it won't bother them anywhere. Yes, this country desperately need empathy.
The republicans have spent 30 years destroying empathy for anyone but the super rich and multinational corporations.
Because if you make them pay taxes, that just wouildn't be fair to those poor millionaires. Lets lay-off 10,000 workers instead. And the red state morons support this!
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
I don't think it will either... somebody paying 1500 to 4000 dollars a month rent is not considered middle class to me. I understand parts of NY are pricey, but freaking commute then.. jeez. If you could save a thousand a month by living outside the city, I think it would be easy enough to come up with the extra money for the commute... right??
ok... 1500-2000 a month with a family living in the apartment/house is definitely reasonable... I'm kind of assuming these are just 1-2 people places though. I can get an apartment on the water in downtown seattle for less than a thousand... I can get in a luxury high rise for less than 1500... and seattle is relatively expensive...
during what we might consider an economic re-adjustment period.
The housing costs of New York City have been legendary for quite some time now. But the high pay available, no doubt riding on the exorbitant profits in the investment industry, has supported them - until the current crises.
There will be a lot of painful re-adjustments for New Yorkers if they are ever to be brought back into parity with costs and pay in the bulk of the U.S.
The same could be said about other major metropolitan areas which ride on the bubbles of economic trends.
government while corporate overlords loot the Treasury, our elected officials continue to have their palms greased by armies of corporate lobbyists, our corporate media diverts us with gossip and trivia and our imperial wars expand in the Middle East.
AKA hollowing out the middle class with a straight face.
I don't understand why we cling to dem good thug bad when they are working arm-in-arm toward the same end! Why isn't this clear to all at this point?
Obama with his deadpan face fucking us over with this aura of pantomimed authority. WHO's KIDDING WHO?
The midwest has been in this boat for several years now.
CA housing boom died hard in late '03/early '04 . . . unemployment rose sharply, and continues to rise as of today, some 5+ years later.
Yeah, we got unempoyed and unhoused middle class folks . . . and seniors, too.
the next wave of mortgage "re-sets" hits:
http://www.meltingpotproject.com/mpp/2009/04/...
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
is the current implosion. Housing is already a smoking wreckage for the most part.
Even though rents should realistically be priced at pre 2001 levels.
Even though they have a mortgage on the rentals, they would be getting some income instead of "NO" income.
negotiate lower rents if asked.
The reason this article is significant is two-fold: First, much of our nation's cosseted and insulated MSM is headquarter in NYC; if it starts happening to themselves, friends and neighbors, it becomes more real. If the national media start squawking, their friends and patrons in DC might begin paying a little less attention, and money, to the banksters. One hopes.
Second, because it's such a large, wealthy city, NYC's economy has been pretty resilient in previous downturns. If it's getting this bad here, you know it's really bad in other parts of NYS and the country. My job has me talking with a variety of people in NYC. My impression is that a lot of people, especially small businesses, are hanging on by their fingernails. A few more months and the wheels will really start coming off.
were never that good at "business" to begin with. So I am not surprised.
In the area I live in, SF, there have been places going unrented for months because the idiot landlord is still in denial and think we're still in the middle of the dotcom bubble. Which is when the idiot bought the place most likely, so there he sits with an insane mortgage and no one to rent. But rather than diminish their loses by renting lower, they rather take a whole loss.
It speaks volumes about the shortsightedness of the whole affair...
the situation here in Queens. They built these g*d d*mn expensive ass condos that NO ONE can afford. They ask for outrageous rents with a straight face. If I had that kind of money, I'd built truly affordable housing. Everyone deserves a roof over their head. But what do I know, I'm just a fool with a dream.
NOBODY 2012
The fact that the Obama administration hasn't come across with a stimulas check to spur consumer spending , which will increase consumer confidence shows they don't give a fuck about the middle class.
The capital( and jobs) is leaving America and will never return unless you stop them.
Pretty soon the only good job in America will be going overseas to kill brown people who want raises from thier wealthy white capitalist bosses.I forgot we already do that! Hows that working again?
And don't expect your congresscritter to stop them cause they are nothing but salesman, bought and paid for.
Americans need to vote out every incumbent in the next election and vote independant.
I saw in an article elsewhere that some banks are demolishing brand new homes that have been foreclosed...what next?
a perfect illustration of what i just wrote a minute ago.
http://rawstory.com/08/blog/2009/05/05/about-...
we are so fucked!
yes weve been plucked &fucked but i told the botts it would be so, the corporations have written the suckers in america off, shovel ready jobs bwhaaaaaaa hahhhhh he, next stop for you all, condos under the brooklyn bridge! ny is biteing the big one!
Yeah tyree, but its ok now, because its the bluedog democrats fucking us now instead of the republicans.
Don't ya' feel much better.
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
yeah im allways happy despite some who think otherwise, bluedogs ,or! just plain paid off dems whats the difference ? the corporations play the tune the sellout dems dance for bucks!
....not to be a dick, but i am trying to imagine seeing 5k in my bank account, all at once, let alone paying rent in that range. But yes, yes...this isn't about money, it's about yet another group of presumably perfectly decent folks losing their homes.
I'm just superstitious enough to hedge my bets.
I know how outrageous rent can be. I think some landlords should negotiate lower rents at times like this. I'm sure they watch the news. If they choose to evict rather than take a little less money, well they're losing money. And that's foolish.
NOBODY 2012
I spent 4 hours in Queens court yesterday trying to negotiate a payment deal w. my landlord. I offered, in good faith, to pay off my debt in extra rent beginning in July. I had money in my pocket to offset the debt. It was not accepted and I have to go to court in June.
I asked for an inspection of my apt. and the landlord freaked saying I never told them anything. I guess the fact I told the Super means nothing. Of course they just let go of their fifth Super in six years.
I have lived on my own for 30 years this is the first time I have been in this situation. Two friends are offering money to offset some of the debt but I still have to come up with the rent.
I still blame the former President for this mess but hope Obama comes up w. something soon. And let me not mention the one credit card I was paying off so I would have a cushion reduced my credit limit and upped my interest because of my debt.
I could cry but I have work to do. Darn me for not being Republican because then I would be rich, right? It's all my fault clearly.
Your comment, as well as most of the other comments here, point to the failure of capitalism. It's clear, and has been for some time, that capitalism promotes class conflict, inequality and greed. These are all things that Karl Marx wrote about. The alienation of the species being - the loss of ownership of our own labor.
This is societal evolution occurring right before our very eyes. It's not new however, it's been a work in progress. It is my belief that we will see something along the lines of what Marx proposed with his theory of advanced communism. This will most likely not occur within the lifetime of any of the current generation, but that is just my opinion.
Change is slow, particularly societal evolution. Even with revolutions the change is slow. The violence of the revolution is swift, but the effects of it take time.
I do believe that we are witnessing the dying of pure capitalism.
The idea that one will be poor, or lose their house, job or belongings, because they were born at the wrong time (ie. market correction) will be the catalyst for changing our economic systems.
Capitalism is a fancy word for exploitation, period. So, the question is how long can man sustain a society where we all exploit one another? One does not have to be a sociologist to see the failure in that kind of system.
Bloviation off.
What we are seeing here is not CAPITOLISM, it is FASCISM! Fascism always needs a skirt to hide behind because it is never a choice made by 'The People', it is always a choice made by the ruling classes, both Dem/PUKIE, to exploit more people than usual, and to rob them blind, still hiding behind the skirt of CAPITOLISM. Take Al Gore, he's a great Capitolist. He worked hard for his money, and made a large profit. That's what capitolism should be. What the BUSHCRIMEFAMILY did to him, on the other hand, and still does to him, proves how affective real capitolism is, and how impoverished FASCISM always is. The newest brand is neoNAZIcons, FATHERED BY KISSENGER, the Zionist. Yes, 'ZIONISM' is now the new face of IMPERIALISM, and that bloody pipeline from hell to BLOODYISRAEL'S front door. GAG!!!!
No offense but:
It's capitalism, not capitolism, unless you are making some sort of play on words I'm not getting.
It's not fascism - it's capitalism in modernity undergoing societal evolution.
Perhaps I was incorrect to state one not need to be a sociologist to observe the current conditions in modern society.
"The alienation of the species being - the loss of ownership of our own labor."
Speaking of exploitation, enter phase I (over 8 years) of HR1388 mandatory free labor. Doesn't mention anything about food or shelter.
Can't wick out any comprehension in the atmosphere, not a whit.
Still it's rethug this dem that bluedog this neocon that.
Whaddahoot!
dems are raking it in just as fast!
We haven't heard jack shit concern on the part of this administration about the suffering happening all over this country, in fact the King (dems) and the King's Advisors (rethugs) are handing over our asses, stealing us blind. It's SO EASY!
Sooo, if they don't TELL us they're transferring wealth at full throttle, even tho it is being done in broad daylight with everybody home. Then, hm. It must not be happening.
Mein Got! How can we not SEE this!
I work in housing court, and I see so many tragedies every day. Just today, I spoke with a woman with stage 4 breast cancer, a woman with lupus and a woman who had just had open heart surgery. All were behind on their rent and in danger of eviction due to their medical conditions. Also, susie, speak with Carl in the Queens court, he works for the same organization I do and is very helpful.
Thanks KJ,
I spoke to Legal Aid yesterday. I have called several places but to no avail. Where does Carl work?
I spoke to a landlord that just bought a new house and was renting out an apt. w. a tenant who wouldn't pay. He was willing to negotiate.
My landlord is not willing to do so. I know someone else who went to his landlord and was able to negotiate a lower rent.
Tomorrow and Thursday the Interim Super, and mostly management, will be in my apt. to inspect the damage I protested. I am sure they will be pleasant, .
My goal is to get enough money together to bring to court so I won't be evicted. That will show 'em. I will also look out for a new place with nice landlords. They exist. I have met them.
The sad thing is today the rent board is meeting to decide how much to increase our rent. Wow what we need now is a rent increase. Yeah... Are we having fun yet?
to be in the calm cool trust-funded town of Boulder, CO where a woman with stage 4 breast cancer was photographed with an IV line of chemo into her CAR WINDOW parked in a downtown alley.
She'd lost her home, then was given a bed to die in where she died one week later.
God, I love my country.
I do not understand how the individuals mentioned above in kjbrooklyn's post can possibly be evicted from their dwellings due to serious medical conditions?
I am shocked that this is happening in the United States. I would think these people would be able to get some kind of disability assistance or family assistance...Medicaid? Something??!!
This post really makes me reflect on Michael Moore's documentary "Sicko". I don't believe these situations would be occuring in Canada, England or France.
This isn't a "crime", but it should be.
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
Not completely related to this post, but important, none the less.
I never really thought of this, but it is infuriating that this has been considered normal for so long.
I have to agree with the author Che, that this is legal larsony.
http://progressnotcongress.org/blog/?p=761
Making six figures and in the middle class? Something tells me the writer needs to find out what the middle class is. And by the way, we where getting whacked back when NAFTA was signed into law.
these planners don't discern which party's in office. Nafta was the first in a series of perceivable shocks. 17 years later we're still denying otherwise at our own peril.
New York City has had rent control in effect for decades. Although efforts to do away with rent control have been quite successful, it should be brought back for those New Yorkers who cannot afford the freight anymore. What say you, Mayor?
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