Kushner-Owned Luxe Development Faces New York Tenant Harassment Probe

By Reuters July 16, 2018

The administration of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has opened a probe into allegations that the real estate firm once led by U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner harassed tenants at one of its largest residential buildings.

New York State Homes and Community Renewal on Monday said its tenant protection unit would investigate alleged abuses by Kushner Companies toward tenants at the 338-unit Austin Nichols House in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.

The probe was announced one day after 20 tenants and former tenants filed a $10 million lawsuit accusing the Kushner firm of using construction crews to create “intolerable” conditions at the building, including exposure to dangerous toxins and dust, rodent infestation, mold and the loss of hot water.

They said the firm did this with a goal of driving out rent-stabilized tenants and transforming the building into a luxury condominium. New York limits the amounts by which landlords can raise rents each year for rent-stabilized tenants.

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