Tag Archives: roommates

When you’re battling an abusive grifter in court

Mar31 Peter Cooper sign

Peter Cooper Village (Photo by Sabina Mollot)

 

By Sabina Mollot

On March 31, Town & Village ran the article, “When your roommate’s an abusive grifter,” detailing one Peter Cooper Village man’s struggle getting a non-rent paying roommate, who also brought his three children to live in the apartment part time against the tenant of record’s wishes, out of his life.

At the time, the roommate had been living in the apartment for about a year, while also doing things like swiping the other man’s mail, singing loudly during the wee hours of the night and making constant accusations of harassment against the primary tenant, “Neal.”

We recently caught up with Neal (not his real name), about the status of his attempt to get an eviction in court. Previously, Neal said he was told by his attorney it probably wouldn’t be long before the roommate, “Jason,” was evicted. However, Jason’s still there and has been able to delay the court case by arguing he couldn’t lose his home because he suffered from bipolar disorder. This was after an another argument he’d made, that he needed more time due to a trip he was planning, had fallen flat. The judge had asked Jason if he had his plane tickets already and Jason admitted he didn’t.

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Letters to the Editor, Apr. 21

Cartoon by Jim Meadows

Cartoon by Jim Meadows

We help seniors avoid abusive grifters

To the Editor of Town & Village,

Sadly, the terrible roommate experience encountered by Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village resident “Neal,” described in your March 31, 2016, article “When your roommate’s an abusive grifter” is all too common in NYC. Thankfully, it need not be.

New York Foundation for Senior Citizens’ Home Sharing Program, the only service of its type in New York City, provides free comprehensive screening and matching services for individuals seeking shared living arrangements that can help potential roommates avoid the type of dreadful experience encountered by “Neal.”

The program’s team of experienced professional licensed social workers link potential “hosts” who have extra private spaces in their homes to share with compatible “guests” seeking suitable housing. At least one of the share-mates in each match must be age 60 or older. For more information on how New York Foundation for Senior Citizens’ Home Sharing Program can help promote companionship and enhance financial wellbeing by matching you or someone you know with a professionally screened and compatible roommate, call (212) 962-7559 or visit nyfsc.org today.

Sincerely,

Linda Hoffman
President, New York Foundation for Senior Citizens

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When your roommate’s an abusive grifter

Mar31 Peter Cooper sign

(Photo by Sabina Mollot)

 

By Sabina Mollot

For many renters in New York City, the only way to afford an apartment is to share one, but what many of those tenants don’t know is that if things go south, they can’t just assume the roommate will leave voluntarily and peacefully.

Recently, Town & Village interviewed a resident about what he said has become a nightmarish situation for him. Specifically, last year, the resident, Neal (not his real name), got a roommate, thinking it would be temporary while the man he met through Craigslist underwent treatment for serious medical conditions at a local hospital.

But that man, who we’ll call Jason (also not his real name), has since taken advantage of their arrangement. He’s now been living in the apartment for a year, Neal said, but has also brought his three children to live with him at least part time when he was only supposed to have them visit occasionally. He’s also been exhibiting paranoia, Neal said, by constantly accusing Neal of harassing him and going into his room.

But, according to Neal, he hasn’t been in Jason’s room, because Jason had a locksmith come in and padlock the door. He even refused to allow the property’s painters — who he knew were scheduled to come — paint his room.

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