I am not sure if I have mentioned this or not, but my most favorite spot in my home is my window seat. I had visualized this spot more than a decade before I actually had it realized. I thought the one hundred and twenty degree angle of the two windows in my apartment would be the perfect place for a window seat. My apartment is more or less a studio apartment even though the landlord is trying to say this is three rooms, you don't count the bathroom as a room. There isn't one closet and storage has been a struggle for me the entire nearly three decades that I have lived here, this lead me to turn the kitchen into my walk-in closet with bathroom.
During the pandemic I decided to finally use the fact that I was working during the day and since census employees were part of essential workers just prior to the lockdown I thought that while I was at work this was a great time for the contractor to do his work. I found a contractor through a friend and sent him a PDF of the deck I had put together, which included photos of the current area, sketches I did actualizing the ideas I had which would include storage beneath and a bookshelf for my paperbacks in front. Sometimes I like to deny my own creativity but projects like this when I start with an idea in my head but then work to actualize those thoughts in the real world by working with others is an amazing feeling!
I have learned part of my artistic gifts is being able to have the vision about something even if I am not able to execute it by my own hand. This was my first renovation project and I had a very clear vision of how I wanted this window seat to feel like a part of the original design of my unit. To this end I asked the contractor to include elements of the window design to make it feel like the original architect had made these choices. I included photos of stock picture examples of what I was looking for. I was so pleased by the final product, a sturdy oak base that I then followed up with having a local tailor make custom seat cushions and I then complimented the cushions with an assortment of very colourful pillows.
Part of my pride is in the fact that I decided during COVID, that if I was going to spend so much time in my apartment, even it if was a rental that I should make it as comfortable as possible for myself. This Rona-vation included, new wood floors, finishing the paint stripping of the windows, more shelving in my walk-in closet and a ceiling fan. Now three years later I have not one regret about any of these improvements. I would actually wake up some morning wondering how I was so blessed to wake up to such a beautiful space, but I realize that it was my own hands that helped to create this comfort and style.
[Additional information about the final, per my instructions the tailor created 1.5" thick foam cushions and four cushion covers in red, green, yellow and blue. All nine of the pillows that are in the seat were purchased from either Black designers or Black businesses. Both my contractor and tailor are Black. Everything you see was created by Black peoples hands. Photo by Brown Estate]
A few months ago after much sleuthing, I found out that our apartment was rent-stabilized. You’d think finding out was straightforward but it’s not. Here’s what the entire process looks like.
1. Is my building rent-stabilized?
In the Rent Stabilized Building List section on the NYC Rent Guidelines Board website. There is a static PDF list per borough, arranged by zip code. The one for Brooklyn is 339 pages long, and out building was on it. But this only tells us that our building has at least one rent-stabilized unit. Next was to find out if our unit was rent-stabilized.
2. Is my unit rent-stabilized?
On the NYS Homes and Community Renewal page, there’s a link to ask a question about a rent-stabilized apartment. I entered our apartment information and was informed I would receive an answer in the mail.
3. Your unit is rent-stabilized
The official report we got in the mail tells you if your unit is rent stabilized and gives you your unit’s rent history -- name of tenant, monthly rent, and whether it’s registered as RS, RC or something else.
Here’s another person’s very involved hunt for a rent-stabilized apartment. You can also check if your apartment is rent-stabilized at amirentstabilized.com. Now what would be great is if there was a Chrome plug-in that popped up as you’re looking for apartments on StreetEasy...🤔
After over 4 years on this blog, and hundreds of posts about it I have officially placed a $500 down payment on my very own rent stabilized apartment in New York City.
Assuming I get approval on Monday it is official, I finally have a place of my own in the city I love so much to call my own. Purchased entirely on my own dime.
Imagine spending $55.00 per month on a SoHo rental. For most, it's difficult to just pass through SoHo without dropping $55.00.
According to a recent New York Post article, rent stabilized tenant Thomas Lombardi pays just $55.00 per month for his Spring Street 1BR. In the same building resides Tom Combs, an accomplished poet, who earns an honest income through his Air Force pension and by posing as a nude model for painting students, pays $71.23 per month for his rental.
It just doesn't get much better. Check out the rest of the story here.
Madison Capital, a real estate investment firm, bought two Chinatown tenement buildings for $20 million in 2008, and according to the New York Times, it is pushing out rent-stabilized tenants to ensure a faster return on its investments.
Though no lawsuit was filed, and no comment was obtained from Madison, the Times alleges that Madison stopped fixing leaks, cut the heat an even accused tenants of soliciting prostitution at 55 and 61 Delancey Street in an effort to push existing tenants out, including the subject of the story, Zhi Quin Zheng, and "release" the units to market-rate apartments.
