Tenants Make Plea To Potential Buyers Of Harlem Enclave
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Tenants of an historic Harlem enclave rallied Sunday in an effort to protect their housing as their building heads to the auction block.
Residents of The Riverton Houses say they are worried they will be kicked out of their low-income apartments when the property is sold at a public foreclosure auction Thursday.
The New York State Supreme Court ordered the complex to be auctioned off after its owner, Laurence Gluck, defaulted on the mortgage.
Gluck purchased the property with the intent of turning the rent stabilized units into market-rate apartments.
Lawmakers, including Congressman Charles Rangel, are urging potential bidders to maintain the property's affordability.
"You may be going to an auction next week, but an auction is not a free-for-all. You cannot think you're going to take title to this property without laying out how you're going to protect the tenants of Riverton," said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.
"Those people who are guided by money and greed ought to know that the speculation stops here, right here," Rangel said.
The debt on the 12-building property is approximately $250 million.
Several groups have expressed an interest in bidding.