Tenants Union calls for city to pause Pinnacle property auction
Tenants there say years of neglect — including broken ceilings, water damage and long-delayed repairs, have left them frustrated.
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Tenants living in buildings owned by Pinnacle LLC are urging the city to pause the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of properties – saying residents deserve a voice in their future.
The properties, valued at more than $500 million, went to auction this week, including 85 Clarkson Ave. in Flatbush. Tenants there say years of neglect — including broken ceilings, water damage and long-delayed repairs, have left them frustrated.
They argue that since Pinnacle entered bankruptcy, maintenance has only happened after tenants file consecutive Housing Preservation & Development reports.
"When they did come, I had nails sticking out so they pushed them down and put epoxy on the paint where the leak was, it's all a Band-Aid," said tenant Tamar Gressel who has lived in her unit since 2021.
She says that whole time, her ceiling has been pushed in from water damage, with multiple holes in her ceiling are covered by wood slabs. Some residents have even launched a rent strike to pressure the company to address conditions.
Now, they want the city to step in before new owners take over.
“This is a total speed run, selling to the highest bidder, who will just extract the most value out of these units,” said Tamar Gressel, a member of the Tenants Union. “We are calling on the city to get involved, pause it, and give us time to get organized.”
Tenant leaders say they are exploring alternatives, such as community land trusts and co-op ownership models – but those options take time. They hope a pause in the auction process will allow them to pursue those paths, including working to preserve rent-stabilized units they say the ownership transition could threaten.
Pinnacle LLC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
