by Thomas Breen | Sep 5, 2019 12:14 pm

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Posted to: City Hall, Housing

Three alders have called for the city’s largest landlords of privately-owned, low-income housing to testify about the extent of their holdings and the living conditions at those properties.

East Rock Alder Charles Decker, Hill Alder Ron Hurt, and Beaver Hills Alder Jill Marks put out that call in a proposed resolution and accompanying letter submitted to Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker-Myers. The resolution requests a public hearing “to discuss the concentration of large-scale landlords in the existing affordable housing market, and the living conditions therein.”

Noting the recent creation of the city’s new permanent Affordable Housing Commission, charged with researching and proposing policies regarding the creation and preservation of affordable housing, the alders assert that much of the city’s existing affordable housing stock is owned by a relatively small number of players.

They single out by name the local real estate giants Mandy Management and Pike International as two such landlords.

“It is difficult to know the exact proportion of the market these large landlords control,” the alders wrote, “as they often purchase and own property through separate LLCs or other vehicles. To assess the existing affordable housing stock, we need to understand who owns what.”

While the Secretary of the State’s C.O.N.C.O.R.D. website holds much information about who is behind each LLC (or Limited Liability Company) registered in the state, the New York Times has pointed out that the proliferation of shell companies as the official owners of rental properties has made it harder for tenants to hold landlords accountable, harder for cities to fix blight, and harder for researchers to answer basic questions about the housing market.

The alders also cite recent testimony before the Fair Rent Commission, media coverage, and stories from their constituents that “suggest conditions at these properties are often poor. As we prioritize increasing the number of affordable units in New Haven, we also have an obligation to make sure that the existing affordable units are decent places for our residents to live. As we consider affordable housing, we as a board should hear the testimony of folks currently utilizing it.”

“These large landlords’ lack of transparency makes our goal difficult,” the letter concludes. “We would benefit from a public forum where large landlords can answer our questions to provide clarity, and where tenants of their properties can testify to the conditions. Such a workshop would help us in our goal of assuring that our residents have access to good quality affordable housing.”

Walker-Myers must now decide whether or not to assign the resolution to an aldermanic subcommittee to host said requested public hearing.

Shmully Hecht, the founder and owner of Pike, did not indicate in an emailed response sent to the Independent whether or not he would appear or send a representative to appear at such a hearing.

“Pike International LLC does not own any Real Estate,” he wrote. “This document is faulty at best.” Pike does, however, manage hundreds of apartments throughout the city through a variety of affiliated LLCs, which are often named after the addresses in question.

Yudi Gurevitch, a property manager with Mandy Management, did not respond to a request for comment about the proposed resolution and prospective public hearing.