Revoke our landlord's "Urban Angel" award

The Issue

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To The Reverend Dr. LaKeesha Walrond, President, New York Theological Seminary:

In June 2022, New York Theological Seminary granted an “Urban Angel” award to Ms. Margaret Grossman, Managing Partner and President of Sugar Hill Capital Partners, a private equity firm that is the landlord and property manager for thousands of diverse residents of New York City through TriHill Management LLC. In 2021, a director with Sugar Hill Capital topped the Public Advocate’s annual list of “Worst Landlords in NYC.”

We, Tenants of TriHill Management and Neighbors, stand against practices that displace low-income tenants, jeopardize the safety of children and families, and contribute to gentrification. We request that New York Theological Seminary reconsider and revoke Margaret Grossman’s Urban Angel award.

Para The Reverend Dr. LaKeesha Walrond, President, New York Theological Seminary:

En junio 2022 el Seminario Teológico de Nueva York le premió a Margaret Grossman, socia gerente y presidenta de Sugar Hill Capital Partners, una firma de capital privado y administrador de propiedad de miles de residentes diversos en Nueva York en TriHill Management LLC. En 2021 un gerente de Sugar Hill Capital fue nombrado numero uno en la lista anual del Defensor Publico de “Peores Propietarios en Nueva York”.

Nosotros los inquilinos y vecinos de TriHill Management nos unimos contra practicas que desplazan inquilinos de bajo ingresos, ponen en peligro a niños y familias, y contribuyen a gentrificación. Pedimos que el Seminario Teológico do Nueva York reconsidere y revoca a el premio de Angel Urbana a Margaret Grossman.

Addendum

Sugar Hill Capital Partners (SHCP) is a private equity firm that builds profits by, in part, buying and selling residential properties. SHCP owns and manages thousands of residential units in New York City through various financial entities such as TriHill Management LLC (formerly, New Holland Residences).

In 2021, a director with SHCP topped the NYC Public Advocate’s annual list of “Worst Landlords in NYC.” (1) Actions which earned the firm its reputation include the following practices noted in city records and/or reported in local media:

Reported high numbers of unaddressed health and safety violations in its building:

“One of the Sugar Hill properties, at 375 W. 126th Street, a 10-unit building in Harlem, currently has 43 open violations — nearly half of them Class C, the most serious category. They range from roach and mice infestations to violations related to lead paint and mold, city records show.” (2)

Reported aggressive efforts to push tenants out of rent-stabilized apartments and to “warehouse” those units:

“[T]enants at 225 E. 26th St. witnessed 44 out of their building’s 89 units go vacant following a change in management in 2019. One tenant recalls what appeared to be ‘construction as harassment’ on his floor, filling hallways with dust and potential toxins from within the walls, and pushing several rent-stabilized families to move out.” (3)

Reported short-term profit-maximizing strategies that serve investors at the potential expense of tenant health and safety:

“A disabled building superintendent who served a Harlem housing complex for nearly a quarter century is heading to the city shelter system after losing an eviction battle in housing court Wednesday.

Carlos Zambrano, 48, lives with his wife and son at an apartment building on West 116th Street, where he worked as a superintendent until a LLC purchased the property and installed a new management company.

That management company, New Holland Residences, fired Zambrano and at least 14 other supers at other area buildings, according to attorney Kendall Wells from the New York Legal Assistance Group.” (4)

Reported actions that appear to encourage the eviction and displacement of senior citizens in order to facilitate conversion of senior residences into luxury condominiums:

“[T]enants’ families [on the property now known as One Prospect Park West, Brooklyn] sued the facility’s owner, Haysha Deitsch, alleging he tried to evict residents in an effort to sell it by serving rotten food and turning off the air conditioning. Sugar Hill then sued Deitsch over the delayed eviction process.” (5)

“One Prospect Park West, developed by Sugar Hill Capital Partners, scored Brooklyn’s top contract last month with a four-bedroom last asking $4.5 million.” (6)

Sources:

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