Brooklyn Landlord Allegedly Created 'Paradise' For Airbnb Renters, Sent Rent-Stabilized Tenant Fridge With Rat In It

"In what appears to be a gross exploitation of the home-sharing industry, a Brooklyn landlord with a history of violations has been renovating apartments into luxurious Airbnb rentals while allowing rent-stabilized units to languish in neglect for decades, according to a new lawsuit.

On Tuesday, a group of ten rent-stabilized tenants filed a legal complaint in Kings County Supreme Court against a family of building owners led by Miriam Shasho. In addition to a litany of harassment and housing violations, the tenants charged the Shashos with running an illegal Airbnb scheme out of three buildings in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, constructing units with separate heating and cooling systems and advertising the newly renovated units on Airbnb as “paradise and luxury in a beautiful flat.”

At the same time, the buildings at 599 Flatbush Avenue, 607 Flatbush Avenue, and 611 Flatbush Avenue have over the last four years racked up more than 220 housing violations, which include failure to provide heat and hot water, lack of repairs, posing a fire hazard, illegal construction practices, and electrical violations.

One tenant went without heat for 80 days, according to the complaint..." Gothamist article. Read the full article here.