Central Parking Systems has come under fire for a new parking contract it has introduced at multiple Queens garages which residents allege illegally raised their rent, violated their existing rent stabilized rights and misrepresented the requirements for having a spot.
Marilyn Howard has lived in her rent stabilized apartment for 30 years and never paid more than $139 a month for her garage parking space. A former building owner sent her a rent stabilized contract for two years in 1998 and she has seen only marginal increases since, even though no new lease renewals were sent.
This past July, the garage rate jumped to $200 without explanation. Other tenants who have lived in the building even longer saw their rents more than double - all because they filled out what the company called an "information update."
According to her calculations, had the garage raised her parking rent by the maximum legal increases set by the Rent Guidelines Board, her bill would only come to $173. For many other tenants in the building, such as Erwin Miller, the difference is much greater. He saw his parking rent skyrocket from $92.27 to $200.
The claims of the residents at 99-32 66th Road come on the heels of a court settlement between Central and Lawrence Lame, a tenant in a nearby building, who took legal action against the company citing "intimidation" and "fraudulent conduct."
Lame and Howard both provided letters from Central asking the tenants to fill out the same new Monthly Parking Application "to assist in updating the garage\'s monthly records."
However the back of this form is a page long series of terms and conditions that effectively strip the signer of any previous lease agreements. Lame, who is a housing lawyer, said these conditions "obliterate" tenants\' previous contract rights.
Among those terms is a provision that parking "privileges" may be terminated at any time "upon notice," the "monthly rate" is subject to change by Central at any time, the parking spot for the vehicle may be changed at any time and any replacement vehicle requires prior written consent from Central. Any violations will result in "hard" and "strict" enforcement and Central is not responsible for any damages to the vehicle that may occur when they forcibly remove it.
After Lame\'s lawsuit, Central negotiated a settlement with him on July 24, agreeing to withdraw the form in question. But the settlement explicitly spells out that Central\'s new monthly parking contract is null and void for "only that premises," leaving the issue unresolved in other locations.
According to Central\'s website, they are both the largest parking management company in the country and in NYC, with 15 locations listed in Queens.
While Lame was able to successfully dispute the validity of the new contract in housing court, Howard says she took her complaints to a local civic group and Senator Toby Stavisky (D-Flushing) because she and her fellow tenants cannot afford to retain a lawyer. She is in the process of filing a Rent Overcharge complaint with the Department of Housing and Community Renewal.
Stavisky sent Central a letter spelling out these concerns on July 20, but said she has not received any response.
Another point of contention is Central\'s written demand that anyone seeking to maintain or apply for their rent stabilized spot must demonstrate that the name on the lease exactly matches the name on their driver\'s license and the car\'s registration.
The Tribune attempted to clarify whether this was actually a legal requirement, but DHCR did not return requests for this information.
Stavisky then contacted a bureau chief at the agency, who told her that the name on the car registration and driver\'s license does not have to conform to the name on the lease. Stavisky said this official also confirmed that enforcing any lease agreements between tenants and landlords was under the agency\'s jurisdiction.
The Senator said she will send Central another letter demanding they withdraw the "very misleading" contract and cease misrepresenting the laws over the parking spaces.
Central has not returned repeated requests for comment.
"Even though they\'re based in Nashville they have to conform to New York laws," said Stavisky. "I hope to make this a test case for all of Central\'s garages in Queens."
Reach Reporter Vladic Ravich at vravich@queenstribune.com or (718) 357-7400, Ext. 121. |
