No Knock Law Rockland – Blockbusting and Housing

 

BLOCKBUSTING CONTINUES – NO KNOCK LAW NEEDED

Clarkstown – What They Don’t Want You to Know [Facebook], June 1, 2016

Hasidic Demand For Rockland County Housing Is “Causing A Housing Crisis Like Never Seen Before.”

https://www.facebook.com/Clarkstown-What-They-Dont-Want-You-To-Know-146207698912716/?fref=photo

Some use the word ‘poor’ when referring to our Hasidic neighbors in Orange County because 93% of the population in Kiryas Joel is receiving Medicaid and other government services.

The ‘poverty’ situation is not yet that bad in Rockland County, but it is climbing as rapidly as the population grows. In Monsey and Spring Valley, the percentage of the population receiving Temporary Assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (aka food stamps) and Medicaid is now 62% and 53% respectively even though the adults and children are beautifully dressed and show no visible signs of malnutrition.

Why should we care about our Hasidic neighbors’ ‘poverty’?

We should care because Medicaid is charged back to the residents of the county in which the Medicaid payments are made – namely homeowners who are being driven from their homes by plunderous property taxes.

Even with these poverty statistics, News 12 reports that demand for houses in Rockland County by residents from New Square and Monsey has reached a fever pitch that is driving realtors to knock on residents’ doors and ask if they want to sell and get out now while the cash is flowing and the going is good.

What many residents believe is that these requests are blatant attempts by realtors to ‘block bust’ certain neighborhoods for the Hasidim ‘bloc’.

In this News 12 video, Yossi Gestneter, who is a self-styled spokesperson for the Hasidic community, attempts to rationalize how a community that is stricken with self-inflicted ‘poverty’ rates of over 50% has so much money that cash offers can be made to buy expensive homes in targeted areas saying: “These same people complain about the Hasidim going out there and offer hefty prices for houses and want to move out”.

While Gestneter may not be capable of expressing himself comprehensively in English, the point that he seems to be making is that the Hasidim have the money to buy expensive homes from anyone who wants to leave now.

Since Hasidim wish to live in insular communities, it seems clear that the reason for the present frenzy of realtors’ activity is that once part of the ‘block’ goes to the insular ‘bloc’ eventually all of the homes are sure to go to the same ‘bloc’.

That is textbook blockbusting. As Peter Bradley, a representative of the ‘Preserve’ movement in Rockland points out, offering to buy homes in this manner is “sheer intimidation”. He added: “There are other ways to sell and buy houses and this (way) is not appropriate”.

What is left unexplained in all of this by the Hasidic community’s ‘Ministry of Propaganda’ is how any Rockland County community – in which there is a ‘poverty’ rate of over 50% requiring lifelong ‘temporary’ assistance, food stamps, and Medicaid – has money freely available to its members to offer non-Hasidic homeowners top market value in cash if they would just get up, get out, and go somewhere else.

What is also not explained is how Kiryas Joel, where the poverty rate is an astonishingly 93%, can afford to annex huge acreages of land to construct brand new multifamily housing for its expanding population who apparently will also exhibit 93% ‘poverty’ levels.

If someone knows how the Hasidic community can make ‘poverty’ so successful with respect to real estate purchases, we would ask that they please make it known to others. There are numerous poverty-stricken areas populated by goyim in the inner boroughs of many cities of the United States that could use practical solutions to their similar poverty predicament.

Is the secret simply to organize into an extreme religious sect which compels its faithful to:

1. Have more children than they can ever possibly hope to support on their own even if they wished to.

2. Ensure those children receive the bare minimum in secular education in order to keep them dependent on the largesse of the community leaders.

3. Convince men that it is better to study a holy book from dawn to dusk than to perform any useful work.

4. Isolate the sect from the outside world and enforce crushing repercussions to those who stray.

5. Follow the political directives of the sect’s leaders without question, thereby creating a voting bloc that draws corrupt politicians like moths to a flame.

6. Wield ‘bloc’ voting power to control politicians up to the Presidential level and advance the agenda of the religion’s leadership convincing those who are controlled to look the other way when goyish laws must be circumvented or ignored.

7. Seek pardons for bad FBI actions in arresting people who were not stealing for personal gain but for the benefit of the group as a whole.

8. Watch goyim funds come rolling in to fund the religion’s community coffers.

9. Cry anti-Semitism or racial discrimination whenever confronted about any behavior that raises questions about how and why taxpayer money is funding unsustainable and self-imposed poverty.

10. Sit back and enjoy the ride – it will take generations before the goyim figure out the long-term plan.

There’s a common expression that states, “Last one to leave please turn off the lights”. In the case of much of Rockland County, that expression is likely to become a question that asks: “After the last goy leaves, whose money will be used to keep the lights on?”

[Administrator’s Note: If you find the above opinions interesting and relevant to your own worldview, please consider ‘liking’ this post and our companion Facebook pages in Ramapo, Orangetown, Clarkstown and Toms River.

https://www.facebook.com/Clarkstown-What-They-Dont-Want-You-To-Know-146207698912716/

https://www.facebook.com/TRWTDWYTK/?ref=br_rs

https://m.facebook.com/Ramapo-What-They-Dont-Want-You-to-Know-184929458552051/?tsid=0.49298954638652503&source=typeahead

https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1559680437656649&tsid=0.8948155150283128&source=typeahead

 

Share our opinions with other free minded people and help us build this community of activist citizens who enjoy exercising their right to free speech.

It looks like the City Will Lift Deed Restrictions for… Accused Child Molesters?

 

  Yeshiva Chanoch Lena'ar. Bryski

Bryski_orig

City lifted deed restriction for yeshiva run by accused child molester

De Blasio administration also ignored DOB fines on Crown Heights building: report

http://therealdeal.com/2016/05/31/city-lifted-deed-restriction-for-yeshiva-run-by-accused-child-molester/

In 2015, the city received $150,000 in return from removing the restriction on the Yeshiva Chanoch Lenaar at 874 Eastern Parkway.

According to the New York Post, the city overlooked $2,885 in fines the building owners owed to the Department of Buildings.

Rabbi Yaakov Bryski, who runs the Yeshiva, has been accused by at least two young men of sexual abuse.

Following the deed restriction removal, Bryski sold the building to developer Simon Liani for $1.5 million.

City Hall spokeswoman Karen Hinton said the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, which was responsible for the deed removal, was unaware of the accusations against Bryski.

The de Blasio administration recently came under fire for lifting a deed restriction on a nursing home at 45 Rivington Street in the Lower East Side in exchange for $16 million. The Allure Group, which had bought the building for a mere $28 million in early 2015, sold it to Slate Property Group and China Vanke for $116 million in February 2016. The buyers plan to turn the home into luxury condominiums.

According to the Post, at least eight deed restrictions have been lifted by the de Blasio administration. The properties were all sold to developers.

State Attorney General Preet Bharara, New York State attorney general Eric Schneiderman and New York City comptroller Scott Stringer are investigating the deed restriction removal, which netted Allure a $88 million profit.

(NYPost) — Konrad Putzier

http://therealdeal.com/2016/05/31/city-lifted-deed-restriction-for-yeshiva-run-by-accused-child-molester/

 

Mayor de Blasio – “Financial Bundlers” and Political Appointments

de-blasio. appointments

Mayor Bill de Blasio, May 4, 2016. Coveted city appointments were doled out by de Blasio to big money donors on a spreadsheet obtained by the Daily News. (JEFFERSON SIEGEL/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS)

Mayor de Blasio knows how to work the system. He knows how to attract money and he knows how to return the favors. It is “well choreographed,” according to the New York Daily News as described in the article that follows.

EXCLUSIVE: De Blasio doled out city appointments from shady spreadsheet of big campaign donors

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/de-blasio-doled-appointments-spreadsheet-big-donors-article-1.2655041

All told the elite list includes 97 names. It’s not clear how many were offered positions, but at least 43 accepted at least one appointment. Several got more than one.

The list includes the well-known such as actors Steve Buscemi, Cynthia Nixon and Anna Deavere Smith. Most are lesser knowns who regularly do business with the city.

All told 28 candidates wound up on the board of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, the nonprofit run by his wife, Chirlane McCray. Some also got slots on the mayor’s committee that unsuccessfully sought to bring the Democratic National Convention to Brooklyn.

Others won appointments to the city’s Economic Development Corp. board, the Civilian Complaint Review Board, a mayoral Workforce Development Board and the boards of Lincoln Center, the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp., the Fund for Public Schools and the Queens Library.

To continue reading: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/de-blasio-doled-appointments-spreadsheet-big-donors-article-1.2655041

Must See Video Part II – 60 Minutes

This video is from an episode of 60 Minutes. It provides context but also a sense of awareness that little has changed. In our view, the Satmar of Kiryas Joel are little more than a cult. Their strength comes not from the weapons of the cultists of Waco but from a political voting bloc. Their indoctrination comes not from Hollywood bigwigs but from pseudo rabbinical precepts and edicts.

We wonder what would happen to politics if the Church of Scientology did not have wealthy benefactors and a Hollywood presence. Would politicians pander to the chuch’s leaders similarly? Do they now?

A cult disguised by religion and a language it chooses to call its own is still a cult. When the cult’s rabbis choose violence to further their own personal agendas, in our view they are no better than Charles Manson. The difference is that Manson is in jail as are/were his followers.

 

 

Leopold Friedman, Joe Chetrit, Seabrook, Platinum…

Ben Landa…Bent Philipson…Howard Fensterman – LEOPOLD FRIEDMAN, JOE CHETRIT, Mayor de Blasio and Kenneth Thomson

Contributor to LM, May 27, 2016

We recommend that you read the connected story to this one before embarking on this piece. We further recommend that you read about Leopold Friendman and 266 Broadway, another intertwined story.

This article is simply a continuation of the tale of people connected by politics, money, LLC’s, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, moral bankruptcy and political contributions to Mayor de Blasio and…. wait for it…. Ken Thompson and others.

As it happens, we would be remiss if we did not go back to 2009 and add that the entanglements include toxic waste and lead, school children and zoning violations. 

 

LEOPOLD FRIEDMAN:

HUDSON POINTE 50%- ‘NEW’OPERATOR-WAS RIVERDALE CENTER

(LEASING FROM RCNR REALTY ACQUISITION LLC)

THE PLAZA REHAB /AKA TCPRNC LLC 25% (was New Jewish Home Lifecare )

TCPRNC LLC

ATLANTIS-DEVORAH 40%

DEWITT REHAB

SBNH ACQUISTIONS LLC-Managing Member

ST BARNABAS /SBNH ACQUISITIONS  (Bronx)

PENINSULA Center for Extended Care & Rehabilitation (rec/op)

KINGSBRIDGE HEIGHTS REHAB-50%

Hendon Garden Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

Dewitt Rehab and Nursing

Advanced Care Staffing

Ultimate Care, Inc. (LHCSA)
The Citadel Rehabilitation and Nursing

151108 Long Beach Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

151308 Brooklyn Gardens Dialysis Center (D&TC)

141210 Cassena Care Dialysis at Peninsula (D&TC)

Port Chester Operating, LLC d/b/a Port Chester Nursing & Rehab Centre-DEVORAH FRIEDMAN

Through his companies, Leo Friedman gave more than $30,000 to Kenneth Thompson’s successful campaign for Brooklyn district attorney

Looking for POT license: Two of the principals behind NY Growing Partners, LLC are nursing home magnate and Ger chasid Michael Melnicke and Leo Friedman, the son of Satmar powerbroker Moses Friedman, otherwise known as Moshe Gabbai.

The company is one of 43 that submitted an application earlier this month to the New York State Department of Health to become one of five registered organizations to manufacture and dispense approved medical marijuana products in the state. The other two principals in NY Growing Partners are Alexander Solovey and Pat (Pasquale) DeBenedictis.

Read: http://nypost.com/2016/05/11/nursing-home-with-ties-to-senator-awarded-30m-grant/

Nursing home with ties to senator awarded $30M grant

A little-noticed provision of this year’s budget directs $30 million to a single nursing home in The Bronx — which is unusual even by the standards of New York state government,” noted the Empire Center for Public Policy.

http://www.empirecenter.org/publications/a-head-scratcher-in-the-health-budget/

A head-scratcher in the health budget (updated)

According to the Health Department records, the owners since last year are Leopold Friedman, who holds a 50 percent stake and is also chief executive, Esther Farkowitz (25 percent), Gabrielle Philipson (20 percent), and Bent Philipson (5 percent).

The new owners’ application to take over and renovate the nursing home, which included a detailed financing plan for the project, made no mention of extra state funding from Medicaid. It estimated the facility would turn a profit of $1.6 million in its third year after renovations were complete.

Contacted by NYTorch, Sen. Klein contended that the extra funding for Citadel will ultimately save the state $78 million. This is because the owners could have qualified for dramatically higher reimbursement from Medicaid if they had built a completely new nursing home, instead of renovating one that already existed. A fuller statement of this argument is spelled out in the sponsor’s memo of a stand-alone bill jointly introduced last year by Klein and Bronx Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz.

 

chetrit1.jpg

JOSEPH CHETRIT –NYC REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER

CHURNER –MAYOR DE BLASIO  ENABLED HIM… PATIENTS/RESIDENTS/CHILDREN GET SCREWED/TOXIC SITE

A little something on Chetrit …Then scroll down…ready to build on toxic land and the Mayor lets him:

http://therealdeal.com/2015/11/09/chetrit-jdss-340-flatbush-gets-new-rendering/

The story unfolds:

http://www.nypress.com/jewish-home-land-swap/

Jewish Home Land Swap

PUBLISHED AUG 13, 2009 AT 6:01 AM (UPDATED MAR 2, 2015)

Representatives from jewish home lifecare, an organization that provides health care for seniors, met with community groups on aug. 12 to unveil a proposal to redevelop its west 106th street nursing home in park west village, on west 100th street.

To bankroll the new nursing home, a project that has long been in the works and was originally planned for the south side of west 106th street between columbus and amsterdam avenues, jewish home was going to sell part of its property to a developer. but with the economy faltering and developers reluctant to buy, the only offer came from joe chetrit, who has taken community heat for his columbus square project, consisting of five luxury rentals and retail space at park west village.

In the deal, chetrit will own jewish home’s current property, at 120 w. 106th st. jewish home will then build its proposed 22-story nursing home on top of land that was to be used for 180 parking spaces, on west 100th street between amsterdam and columbus avenues. those spots will be moved to an indoor parking area without an increase in rates for owners. newly built park space, gardens, outdoor seating and an indoor auditorium for the nursing home residents will also be open to park west village residents.

“Relocating to west 100th street will have a net positive impact on jewish home’s upper west side clients, family members, employees and neighbors,” said bruce nathanson, senior vice president of marketing and communications for jewish home lifecare.

By building a new facility elsewhere, jewish home can continue to operate at full capacity without staff layoffs and construction disruptions for its residents.

However, community groups fear that chetrit will build a massive luxury tower on jewish home’s west 106th street property because of the 2007 upper west side rezoning plan.

That year, jewish home collaborated with community groups in a deal with the city council that carved the nonprofit’s parcel out of the 51-block upper west side rezoning plan, which drastically reduced neighborhood building heights. the concession was meant to allow the nursing home to rebuild a larger, state-of-the-art facility that could update the service provided to clients.

“We had a whole deal and process. we spent a long time putting it together,” said blanca vazquez, co-coordinator of the manhattan valley preservation coalition, which worked on the 2007 zoning compromise. “and now, everything is out the window and up in the air.

Vazquez said the group was upset by the deal because the exemption was based on Jewish Home’s goodwill with the community and the promise of a community facility.

“This is not a simple swap or trade,” Vazquez said. “they made a commitment to community use.

Although Jewish Home’s nursing home will now be located elsewhere, Chetrit will still be allowed to build tall, market-rate residential towers without zoning restrictions, per the 2007 agreement.

Assembly member Daniel O’Donnell, who opposed Jewish Home’s exclusion from the rezoning plan, said he was troubled by the new proposal.

“The city council carved out an exception for that site on west 106th street because it was to be used for health care facility,” o’donnell said. “now, that exception seems to be used for a for-profit housing developer. it’s changing the rules in the middle of the game.”

O’Donnell is calling on the council to have Jewish Home’s West 106th Street property conform to surrounding zoning.

“If someone wants to build a for-profit development, they should build within the context [of the neighborhood],” O’Donnell said.”

http://therealdeal.com/2011/12/20/laurence-gluck-of-stellar-management-and-joseph-chetrit-complete-upper-west-side-landsway-with-jewish-home-lifecare/

An excerpt from above:

“Jewish Home had previously struck an agreement with Gluck and Chetrit for a lot on West 100th Street, but zoning regulations made it difficult to build the site.

Meanwhile, Chetrit and Gluck get a large swath of land for future development, although the pair said they wouldn’t begin any construction on the site until the new Jewish Home facility is completed in 2017.” [WSJ]

The City sides with this nursing home connivance –the trade that Chetrit maneuvered seemingly with our Mayor’s help. The community’s furious objection because of the unequivocal findings of  toxic contamination evidenced on the lot for the ‘new’ Jewish Home Lifecare  building has been rejected…with a even more help for the AG! They’re going ahead…!!!

http://www.nojhlatpwv.com

“No JHL At PWV! is a coalition of Park West Village community stakeholders, nursing home advocates, parents, tenants’ associations, neighbors, renters, and condo owners who oppose Jewish Home Lifecare’s inappropriate proposed development on West 97th Street.”

Read more: 3/2/16 article:

http://forward.com/news/334807/takeover-of-non-profit-nursing-home-puts-200-jobs-at-risk/

An excerpt which also notes the state DOH blessings of licensure for menacing “operators” aka Sentosa-for one- who go about their real business: property development…with no oversight and the freedom to continue to harm the vulnerable.

“In July, SentosaCare, LLC agreed to purchase Jewish Home’s Bronx nursing home at 100 West Kingsbridge Road for $110 million.

SentosaCare, which owns the largest nursing home network in New York State, was the subject of an October 2015 investigative report by the public interest newsroom ProPublica, which found that nursing homes connected to SentosaCare “have a record of repeat fines, violations and complaints for deficient care.” The story questioned why SentosaCare had been allowed by the New York State Department of Health to continue purchasing nursing homes. SentosaCare defended is record to ProPublica, saying, among other things, that the firm had corrected problems at its facilities.

In September, SensotaCare transferred its interest in Jewish Home’s Bronx facility to a newly formed company called TCPRNC, LLC. That firm’s owners include nursing home industry executives Leopold Friedman and Esther Farkovits. Its not clear what relationship remains between SentosaCare and TCPRNC, LLC, or whether SentosaCare will have any role at the Bronx home. SentosaCare COO Bent Philipson did not respond to a request for comment.”

Link to a just published article and some excerpts:

City Sides With UWS Nursing Home Development Despite Lead Concerns

City Sides With UWS Nursing Home Development Despite Lead Concerns

April 7, 2016.

BY JACKSON CHEN

Mayor Bill de Blasio has now injected the city into a lengthy legal battle by coming down on the side of a nursing home development proposed for West 97th Street that has significant neighborhood opposition. Meanwhile, the state attorney general’s attempt to file a brief in the case, which came well past the deadline for responding to a trial court ruling, was promptly rejected by the court.

Jewish Home Lifecare has been trying to push forward with a 20-story nursing home adjacent to an elementary school and several housing complexes in the face of strong local criticism. After State Supreme Court Justice Joan Lobis ruled that the New York State Department of Health didn’t take a hard enough look at the hazardous materials and noise produced by the project, JHL and DOH were told to redo their environmental review.

Disagreeing with the court’s decision, JHL filed an appeal on February 22, while Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, whose office would typically defend state agency actions in court — in this case, arguing that DOH had in fact complied with New York’s State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) — failed to file a notice of appeal by a February 1 deadline. A later AG effort to file a brief in the case was rejected on the grounds of not being timely.

But JHL just won a hefty ally in the form of the City of New York, which filed an amicus brief on March 22 defending the integrity of the City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR), whose standards the DOH applied in assessing the proposed development’s compliance with SEQRA.

According to the city’s brief, Lobis’ decision harms the consistency and standards of the CEQR process and would set a precedent that opens the door to untold numbers of challenges over environmental review on projects citywide.

Even as de Blasio signed on in support of JHL, other elected officials reiterated their opposition to the development near the school.

I am truly disappointed by Mayor de Blasio’s decision to file an amicus brief in support of the construction of JHL tower,” said City Councilmember Mark Levine. “The construction of a 20-story tower directly adjacent to P.S. 163 would pose an undeniable threat to the learning and well-being of more than 500 elementary school students.”

Levine has been pushing Intro 420, a bill that would restrict construction projects within 75 feet of classrooms to a noise level of 45 decibels — an amount that’s comparable to that created by light traffic or in a suburban neighborhood. His bill has already won support from West Side.

Congressmember Jerrold Nadler and Borough President Gale Brewer, who also expressed dismay about the mayor’s brief on behalf of JHL.

“Mayor de Blasio’s decision to file an amicus brief in support of this dangerous construction next to a school baffles me,” Brewer said. “The mayor is weighing in on behalf of an expensive private facility and against public school children.”

And while the city’s brief argues for protecting the standards of the CEQR Technical Manual, Marty Rosenblatt, a neighbor of the JHL site, said de Blasio knew of lead concerns at the site well before getting involved.

In 2012, after hearing news of JHL’s interest in the parking lot site across his home on West 97th Street, Rosenblatt hired a lead-testing expert and grabbed 100 samples from parking lots throughout the city. According to the testing results, the JHL site showed high amounts of lead, one reaching 3,850 parts per million. The federal Environmental Protection Agency has established 400 ppm as the limit for children’s play areas.

Just as unexplained as the city’s decision to defend its environmental review procedures for a site shown to have potentially dangerous levels of lead was the state attorney general’s failure to meet its February 1 deadline in the case.

According to a brief filed by the Attorney General’s Office on behalf of the DOH on March 22, the SEQRA review completed for the JHL development was sufficient in addressing both hazardous materials and noise.

The court, however, threw out the brief, finding that the attorney general, as representative for DOH, had an obligation as a respondent in the case to file an appeal by February 1. The AG’s Office has now filed a motion to be considered an amicus curiae, or friend of the court, to have its brief entered into the record.

Rene Kathawala, the attorney for the P.S. 163 parents who are scrambling to block the JHL project, said the AG’s motion is simply an attempt on the attorney general’s part to circumvent its exclusion from the case because of its failure to meet its deadline.

“They had the right to appeal and they chose not to for whatever reasons they have,” Kathawala said. “The brief got rejected and instead of putting their tail between their legs, they did something even more outrageous.”

Kathawala, who is himself a P.S. 163 parent, was equally disappointed in the mayor’s efforts that bolster JHL’s development plans.

“The mayor is supporting a project that a state judge has found will hurt children,” Kathawala said. “It’s wildly offensive and outrageous.”

He said that with legal motions now on record from JHL, the city, and the DOH, the case could go to court by June, though he predicted action could be delayed until as late as September.”

Finally… ‘Jobs for New York’ – slush fund for candidates who REBNY wanted in office…?

http://www.commoncause.org/states/new-york/issues/money-in-politics/moreland-commission/REBNY-Moreland-Monday-Release-PDF-Version.pdf

 

STELLAR MANAGEMENT & CHETRIT GROUP $25,000.00

“repositioning, reusing and redeveloping former health care facilities for residential use”

COBBLE HILL HEALTH& WELLNESS PARTNERS LLC:
            C/O/ CHETRIT GROUP    512 7TH AVE, NYC 10018
EXCERPT FROM CHETRIT LETTER:
            “Our confidence in making this offer is due to our substantial experience throughout New York City, specifically with respect to transactions with health care facilities. A particularly relevant example is Jewish Home Lifecare on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. We have undertaken a project that has successfully unlocked the real estate value of this vital senior citizen facility, giving Jewish Home a firm financial footing and a new, state of the art, sustainable complex.
We also were responsible for the residential conversion of the former Cabrini Hospital campus at 227 East 19th Street, which was very positively received by the local Communtiy Board and its elected officals. Our experience in repositioning, reusing and redeveloping former health care facilities for residential use is unmatched.                                                                        Currently, we are transforming the iconic City owned building at 49-51 Chambers Street from an outdated office building to an apartment building while preserving the landmark interior space at the lobby level. The Chetrit Group was selected for this project as a result of a City procurement process. We, better than any other development team understand the instructions of the RFP. We can and will achieve a similar excellent result in Cobble Hill: preserving and enhancing important community facilities while enriching the residential elements of a neighborhood.”

 And not to be outdone – POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS:

http://www.commoncause.org/states/new-york/research-and-reports/Common-Cause-NY-Profiles-of-the-Independent-Spenders.pdf

New Yorkers United Committee 

The largest donor was the Chetrit Group, a major real estate developer. Other donors were real estate investor Joseph Cayre, who gave $100,000, and Michael H. Steinhardt, a billionaire hedge fund manager and supporter of Jewish causes, who gave $46,050. Joseph Cayre was also a contributor to the Small Business Coalition. 15786.98 95822.11

Contributions to “New Yorkers United Committee” 

The largest donor was the Chetrit Group, a major real estate developer. Other donors were real estate investor Joseph Cayre, who gave $100,000, and Michael H. Steinhardt, a billionaire hedge fund manager and supporter of Jewish causes, who gave $46,050. Joseph Cayre was also a contributor to the Small Business Coalition. 15786.98 95822.11

Contributions to “New Yorkers United Committee”

  Contributor   Total Contribution    
    Contribution Details  
 
1 The Chetrit Group LLC $119,800 Single individual contribution
       

Landa, Philipson, Fensterman and Platinum Funds? Friedman to follow…

 

Ben Landa…Bent Philipson…Howard Fensterman… de Blasio…

A contributor of LM, May 27, 2016

What is the connection, you may be wondering, that these men share? They have money invested in nursing homes, political connections, clout, legal connections, a hedge fund (Platinum) and mounting nursing home violations. They have de Blasio in common also. They have contributed significantly to him.

They, along with Leopold Friedman, to follow in the second article, may very well also share in “event-driven investments” – through Platinum and in diamonds, again through Platinum. While Platinum is not the central focus of this article, it very possibly should be.

In the meantime, what follows is a picture of connections, a web of sorts.

SENTOSA Nursing Homes:

Sentosa Care Nursing Homes (142 appeals) per LTCC.org (one of several sub-par nursing home groups) rec’d a rate settlement from NY State and got paid-off for substandard services!)

 

Sentosa Care facilities have been subject of numerous reports of poor care. Recently, ProPublica issued a report, “How N.Y.’s Biggest For-Profit Nursing Home Group Flourishes Despite a Record of Patient Harm.” Based on a 2014 listing of Sentosa facilities, with 142 appeals they are in line to receive a piece of the multi-million dollar handout. As per ProPublica:

 

“The decision maker in these deals is the state’s Public Health and Health Planning Council, a body of appointed officials, many from inside the health care industry. The council has substantial leverage to press nursing home applicants to improve quality, but an examination of dozens of transactions in recent years show that power is seldom used.

Moreover, records show that the council hasn’t always had complete information about all the violations and fines at nursing homes owned by or affiliated with applicants it reviewed. That’s because the Department of Health, which prepares character-and-competence recommendations for the council, doesn’t report them all.

The department’s assessments of Landa and other owners of SentosaCare homes have routinely found that the facilities provided a “substantially consistent high level of care” – the standard owners must meet to receive council approval.

Yet the agency’s assessments in 15 separate ownership applications since 2013 did not mention at least 20 federal fines paid by the group’s homes, records show. In more than a dozen cases, the department reported “no repeat violations,” even when a SentosaCare home had been cited multiple times for the same serious deficiency. “

 

BEN LANDA:

(PARTNER BENT PHILIPSON)

HOWARD FENSTERMAN IS HIS POLITICALLY CONNECTED ATTORNEY

SENTOSA Healthcare LLC :

(was formerly Split Rock Nursing)

http://forward.com/news/334807/takeover-of-non-profit-nursing-home-puts-200-jobs-at-risk/

In September, SentosaCare transferred its interest in Jewish Home’s  Bronx facility to a newly formed company called TCPRNC, LLC. That  firm’s owners include nursing home industry executives Leopold  Friedman and Esther Farkovits. Its not clear what relationship  remains between SentosaCare and TCPRNC, LLC, or whether  SentosaCare will have any role at the Bronx home. SentosaCare COO  Bent Philipson did not respond to a request for comment.”

 

THE PLAZA REHAB /AKA TCPRNC LLC (ALBANY)

(was New Jewish Home Lifecare )

HUDSON POINTE-SHEYA LANDA 25%-‘NEW’ OPERATOR  OCT 2014

(LEASING FROM RCNR REALTY ACQUISITION LLC WHO

BOUGHT IT FROM RCNR REALTY LLC)

CYPRESS GARDEN CTR for Nursing and Rehabilitation-SHEYA LANDA

ST BARNABAS /SBNH ACQUISITIONS  (Bronx)

SEAGATE REHAB and Nursing Center-AVI P.

MANAGING MEMBERS: BENT PHILIPSON/BEN LANDA

CYPRESS GARDEN Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation-GABRIELLE P.

SBNC ACQUISITIONS LLC-Managing Member –AVI PHILIPSON

ST BARNABAS /SBNH ACQUISITIONS –AVI (Bronx)

SENTOSA Healthcare LLC :

(was formerly Split Rock Nursing)

https://www.propublica.org/article/new-york-for-profit-nursing-home-group-flourishes-despite-patient-harm

MANAGING MEMBERS: BENT PHILIPSON/BEN LANDA

 

The following comes from a 2012 PHHPC listing:

https://www.health.ny.gov/facilities/public_health_and_health_planning_council/meetings/2012-12-06/docs/phhpc_agenda.pdf

The members of the Board of Directors of Oceanview Manor Home for Adults, Inc. are as follows: Benjamin Landa, President Assistant Administrator, New Surfside Nursing Home

Affiliations:
Excellent Home Care Services, LLC (CHHA),
Avalon Gardens Rehabilitation and Health Care Center (RHCF),
Bay Park Center For Nursing and Rehabilitation, LLC (RHCF),
Bayview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (RHCF),
Brookhaven Rehabilitation And Health Care Center (RHCF),
Eastchester Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, LLC (RHCF),
Forest Hills Care Center (RHCF),
Garden Care Center (RHCF),
Golden Gate Rehabilitation and HealthCare Center (RHCF),
Grace Plaza Nursing And Rehabilitation Center (RHCF),
The Hamptons Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing (RHCF),
Meadow Park Rehabilitation and Health Care Center (RHCF),
New Surfside Nursing Home (RHCF),
Rockville Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (RHCF),
Split Rock Rehabilitation and Health Care Center (RHCF),
Spring Creek Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, formerly Willoughby Rehabilitation and Health Care Center (RHCF),
Tarrytown Hall Care Center (RHCF),
Woodmere Rehabilitation and Health Care Center (RHCF),
Privilege Care Diagnostic and Treatment Center (D&TC),
Oceanview Manor Home for Adults (ACF), Hawthorn Health Multicare Center for Living (RHCF) (Receiver) Harbour Health Multicare Center for Living (RHCF) (Receiver) Lisa Rosenfeld, Secretary
Administrator, Oceanview Manor Home for Adults, Inc. (ACF)

 

SENTOSA CONTRACTS WITH/CO-OWNS:

Avalon Gardens

Bay Park Center

Brookhaven Nursing

Eastchester Rehab

Forest Hills Care Center

Garden Care Center

Golden Gate Rehab & Health Care Center

Highland View Care Center –Receiver

The Hamptons Ctr for Rehab

Grace Plaza Nursing

Little Neck Care Center

Nassau Extended Care Center

Oceanview Manor Home for Adults

Park Avenue Extended Care Facility

Parkview Care & Rehab

Pathways Nursing & Rehab

 

Seagate Rehabilitation and Nursing Center

South Point Plaza Nursing

South Shore Rehab

Spring Creek Rehab

The Grove at Valhalla Rehab

     Throgs Neck Extended Care Facility

Townhouse Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing

 

White Plains Center for Nursing  Care

Woodmere Rehab

EXCELLENT:

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/the-sick-looting-of-home-health-care-6428656

“During the public discussion of Excellent, one state planning council member, Howard Fensterman, waited outside. He had declared a conflict of interest, since he is one of Excellent’s lawyers and his wife has applied for partial ownership.

Mr. Fensterman is past chairman of fund-raising for Mr. Cuomo on Long Island, and his Lake Success law firm has donated more than a half-million dollars to candidates of both parties over the past decade, records show, including more than $17,700 to Mr. Cuomo and $43,291.25 to Senator Skelos, the Senate Republican leader. Excellent and the Fenstermans’ separate contributions include another $13,500 to Governor Cuomo.

Excellent is run by Joseph Goldberger, known as one of the “two Josephs” who raised $500,000 from their Hasidic community in Brooklyn for Mr. Pataki’s 1994 campaign.

An Excellent owner, Benjamin Landa, a nursing home magnate, has raised money for both parties, and his own contributions include $12,500 to the Republican National Committee; $10,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee; $6,500 to United States Senator Charles E. Schumer; and $10,000 last year to State Senator John L. Sampson, a powerful Democrat who was recently charged with embezzlement and other crimes. 

Excellent, in addition to seeking an expanded license, has applied to be a managed care plan under the name Olympia. “The home health care industry is either going to re-acclimate and reinvent itself,” Mr. Fensterman said, “or it won’t stay in business.”

BENT PHILIPSON:

(PARTNER BEN LANDA)

HOWARD FENSTERMAN IS HIS POLITICALLY CONNECTED ATTORNEY

THE PLAZA REHAB /AKA TCPRNC LLC (ALBANY)

(was New Jewish Home Lifecare)

 

http://forward.com/news/334807/takeover-of-non-profit-nursing-home-puts-200-jobs-at-risk/

In September, SentosaCare transferred its interest in Jewish Home’s  Bronx facility to a newly formed company called TCPRNC, LLC. That  firm’s owners include nursing home industry executives Leopold  Friedman and Esther Farkovits. Its not clear what relationship  remains between SentosaCare and TCPRNC, LLC, or whether  SentosaCare will have any role at the Bronx home. SentosaCare COO  Bent Philipson did not respond to a request for comment.”

 

HUDSON POINTE-GABRIELLE PHILIPSON 25%-‘NEW’ OPERATOR

(LEASING FROM RCNR REALTY ACQUISITION LLC)

CYPRESS GARDEN Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation-GABRIELLE P.

SBNC ACQUISITIONS LLC-Managing Member –AVI PHILIPSON

ST BARNABAS /SBNH ACQUISITIONS –AVI (Bronx)

SEAGATE REHAB and Nursing Center-AVI P.

MANAGING MEMBERS: BENT  PHILIPSON/BEN LANDA

KINGSBRIDGE HEIGHTS REHAB-BENT 5% GABRIELLE 20%

Crown Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation
Diamond Hill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

Rosewood Rehabilitation and Nursing Center

 

SENTOSA CONTRACTS WITH/CO-OWNS:

Avalon Gardens

Bay Park Center

Brookhaven Nursing

Eastchester Rehab

Forest Hills Care Center

Garden Care Center

Golden Gate Rehab & Health Care Center

Highland View Care Center –Receiver

The Hamptons Ctr for Rehab

Grace Plaza Nursing

Little Neck Care Center

Nassau Extended Care Center

Oceanview Manor Home for Adults

Park Avenue Extended Care Facility

Parkview Care & Rehab

Pathways Nursing & Rehab

Seagate Rehabilitation and Nursing Center

South Point Plaza Nursing

South Shore Rehab

Spring Creek Rehab

The Grove at Valhalla Rehab

     Throgs Neck Extended Care Facility

Townhouse Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing

White Plains Center for Nursing  Care

Woodmere Rehab

 

ATTORNEY HOWARD FENSTERMAN:

 

 

From NYS DOH Dex 2012 Public Health & Health Planning Council:

https://www.health.ny.gov/facilities/public_health_and_health_planning_council/meetings/2012-12-06/docs/phhpc_agenda.pdf

Putnam Operation Acquisition I, LLC
d/b/a Putnam Nursing & Rehabilitation Center Mr. Fensterman – Recusal

Eastchester Rehabilitation and Health Care Center
(Bronx County)Mr. Fensterman – Recusal

Queens Boulevard Extended Care Facility Management, LLC
d/b/a Queens Boulevard Extended Care Facility Mr. Fensterman – Recusal

Hollis Operating Co., LLC d/b/a Holliswood Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare  (Queens County) Recusal Mr. Fensterman – Recusal

Gamzel NY , Inc. d/b/a Revival Home Health Care
(Kings County)Mr. Fensterman – Recusal

Oceanview Manor Home for Adults, Inc.
(Kings County)Mr. Fensterman – Recusal

VRNC, LLC d/b/a Vestal Park Rehabilitation and Nursing Center (Broome County)
 Mr. Fensterman – Abstained at the EPRC meeting

Beyond the Landa/Philipson connection (& Fensterman) there is also a rather interesting affiliation: Bernard Fuchs.  He is the CEO of the Platinum Fund in which the BDL Group LLC traded on Hospice Annuities in a fraud case prosecuted by the SEC.

 Fuchs has a 15% stake in TCPRNC aka The Plaza Rehab.  TCPRNC is the SentosaCare newly formed interest and the problematic development of a Joseph Chetrit  built nursing home on a frightening toxic  site.  de Blasio’s has gone full out to support it …yet another ‘partnership’ with one of the city’s biggest developers…in contravention of both the community as well as court judgments.

BERNARD FUCHS:

TIFERES INVESTORS LLC-CEO (Lawrence, LI)

THE PLAZA REHAB /AKA TCPRNC LLC 15% (was New Jewish Home Lifecare )

TCPRNC LLC

Bensonhurst Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare
Flushing Center for Rehab-30%

Hudson Pointe at Riverdale Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation

Hopkins Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare
Lincoln Center for Rehab-50%

Sapphire Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing of Central Queens

The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center (a/k/a)

Comprehensive of Orleans(Co-owners Jacob Sod, Jonathan Bleier)

The Pavilion at Queens for Rehabilitation and Nursing

Greene Meadows Nursing and Rehab (Sod, Bleier, Peckman, & Fuchs)

St Francis Home of Williamsville/Comprehensive of Williamsville LLC

(Co-owners Ephram Lahasky, Joshua Farkovitz, David Gast, Fuchs

Sam Halper, Debbie Korngut, Teresa Lichtschein, Jeffrey Arem)

 

BESCAR LLC:

Benjamin Fishoff-Managing Member (see TCPRNC LLC)

Bay Park Center for Nursing and Rehab
Eastchester Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center

Golden Gate Rehabilitation and Health Care Center

The Hamptons Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing

THE PLAZA REHAB /AKA TCPRNC LLC 10% (was New Jewish Home Lifecare ) 

TCPRNC Real Estate LLC:  (LOCATION IS LLPO BOX 10873  ALBANY, NY 12201)

New “OPERATOR” of Jewish Home Lifecare 100 W Kingsbridge Rd,  Bronx) from NFP to for-profit.

http://forward.com/news/334807/takeover-of-non-profit-nursing-home-puts-200-jobs-at-risk/

In September, SentosaCare transferred its interest in Jewish Home’s  Bronx facility to a newly formed company called TCPRNC, LLC. That  firm’s owners include nursing home industry executives Leopold  Friedman and Esther Farkovits. Its not clear what relationship  remains between SentosaCare and TCPRNC, LLC, or whether  SentosaCare will have any role at the Bronx home. SentosaCare COO  Bent Philipson did not respond to a request for comment.”

Bescar, LLC
Kennedy RH Holdings LLC

Joel Edelstein

Israel Fruend

Bernard Fuchs Gerald Fuchs Tova Fuchs

Leopold Friedman

Benjamin Landa

Philipson Family, LLC   Bent, Deborah ,Gabrielle, Raquel Philipson   Esther Farkovits

Benjamin Fishoff   (see above ownership in BESCAR)

Abraham Fishoff   Eastchester Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center

Meryl Maybruch Eastchester Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center

Barbara Gold Eastchester Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center 

Regina Weinstock Eastchester Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center

 

ESTHER FARKOVITS : (Resides in Israel)

THE PLAZA REHAB /AKA TCPRNC LLC 25%

(was New Jewish Home Lifecare )

TCPRNC LLC

KINGSBRIDGE HEIGHTS REHAB-25%

Little Neck Care Center
Nassau Extended Care Facility
Park Avenue Extended Care Facility
Seagate Rehabilitation and Health Care Center

South Shore Rehabilitation and Nursing Center

The Citadel Rehab and Nursing Center
Throgs Neck Extended Care Facility

Townhouse Extended Care Center
White Plains Center for Nursing

 

Additional Sources:

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/the-sick-looting-of-home-health-care-6428656

Rechnitz and Reichberg Mile-High Club Member Retiring

 

NYPD Commander Who Allegedly Took Trip With Prostitute Decides It’s Time To Retire

http://gothamist.com/2016/05/25/finally_work_on_that_novel_about_sexy_cops.php

JamesGrantNYPD

“After nearly 20 years of service, the former NYPD commanding officer of the Upper East Side’s 19th Precinct is retiring. Deputy Inspector James Grant is less than one month shy of 20 years of service, which is the magic number when NYPD employees get to enjoy full pension benefits. Presumably Grant just wants to spend more time with his family or learn how to fly fish, and his retirement has nothing to do with the private plane trips he allegedly took with prostitutes on someone else’s dime.

Grant is one of roughly 20 NYPD executives that the FBI is investigating for allegedly taking diamonds, cash, and trips from Upper West Side developer Jona Rechnitz and Jeremey Reichberg, a powerful member of Borough Park’s Orthodox community.

Both of those businessmen have ties to Mayor de Blasio, with Rechnitz donating more than $150,000 to the mayor’s campaign and to the campaign to elect Democratic state senators. (The mayor has said he would return those donations.)

The Post reported that Grant and Detective Michael Milici were on a flight to Las Vegas from Teterboro Airport in 2014 chartered by Rechnitz and that “NYPD officials had sex with a prostitute dressed as a flight attendant.” It’s not clear how many trips Grant went on, but Rechnitz allegedly paid for trips to London and Rome as well.

Last month Grant was stripped of his badge and gun pending the results of the investigation.

“Any questions that he’s been asked, he’s answered truthfully,” Grant’s attorney told the Times. “We anticipate him retiring now and moving on with the next step of his life.”

The Post reports that if approved, Grant’s retirement would take effect on June 21, “less than a month shy of his 20-year employment anniversary.” The NYPD has a month to decide whether to permit the retirement, or bring departmental charges against him.”

Continue reading: http://gothamist.com/2016/05/25/finally_work_on_that_novel_about_sexy_cops.php