UPDATED: Chabad Landlord – Pay Rent Now Or Get Out; Gal Investments Largest Postville Landlord

Allegedly, Gal Investments, a Postville landlord that may have connections to Agriprocessors management and the Rubashkin family…

…has told tenants to leave immediately if they cannot pay their rent on time. Allegedly, Gal claims more tenants are on the way to town.

This may be a way of forcing potential witnesses against Rubashkin to leave town, or it may simply be greedy business.

The tenants don't have the protection of the normal eviction process (not that the normal eviction process affords all that much protection) because, presumably, the tenants who suddenly are unable to pay are illegal workers and their families, now hiding out from federal and state law enforcement. UPDATE 5-28-08 7:40 PM CDT:

The town’s largest landlord, GAL Investments, rents 130 apartments, duplexes and houses for about $450 to $800 per month. Almost all of the tenants are Guatemalan or Mexican immigrants who work at the plant, said Theresa Fravel, the office manager.

Any information on Gal Investments would be much appreciated. Readers?

UPDATE 5–28-08 7:30 PM CDT: Gal Investments is owned by a Gabey G. Menahem – and he's a Chabad hasid. Anyone know who he is?

[Hat Tip for the 5-28-08 updates: Aaron.]

Comments

[A.S. click & watch World Peace According to 7 Laws of Noah with Arabic subtitles)]

B"H
Why do you presume a conspiracy theory?
May be Gal Investments is just trying to make sure
he can pay mortgages on his buildings instead
of having them foreclosed by the banks?
Also, suppose he is doing what you are saying if these "witnesses" are really so important
to Uncle Sam I'm sure he would print up enough play money to house them in 5 star hotels if needed and stuck taxpayers, bondholders, people who hold dollars with the consequences of throwing 100s of harmless hardworking people on the street and forcing their families to starve or rely on charity.
Why aren't you writing about the government that panders to lowest instincts among the voters and sets up systems that make so many into "criminals" ?

[uncle joe mccarthy]

doesnt matter if they are illegal...they all need to immediatly find an atty...they cannot immediatly evict...

gal...sounds israeli

[formely frum]

I am very very confused, stunned. How could an old righteous family like Rubaskin (my we be blessed with more like them, amen)do that. didn't i see quoted, "we are trying to help the families of our workers who where arrested." this is how Rubashkin helps them. This does not sound like help to me.

However, I must be mistaken, for I am a mere mortal, a regular Jew, not even religious. How could I, question the action of a righteous holy family, like Rubashkin, who has the backing of so many Godolem. I must be mistaken, and really this action is only to benefit the workers.

People like me and others on this blog, just do not understand and we will burn in hell just for thinking, that Gedolem could be associated with any immoral or unethical actions. I know we will, and god is giving us signs or the fiery hell to come, global warming. If only more Jews would be frum and moral and ethical like Rubaskhin and his rabbis global warming will go away. You have been warned

[Yochanan Lavie]

If only more Jews would be frum and moral and ethical like Rubaskhin and his rabbis global warming will go away.

In other words, Agribushkin is full of gas?

Business and commerce division of NY Public Library on Madison Ave and 34th Street is a good resource to research corporations. May be able to do it on the computer without even going there.

[steve]

YL,

How about doing a parody of Genesis' "Illegal Alien" dedicated to the Rubashkin amigos. Here's the original lyrics:

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/g/genesis/illegal+alien_20058797.html

[Formally there]

two seperate companies who are in competition with one another. Nevel(rubashkins) against Gal.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Anything for a fan:

Got out of bed, wasn't feeling too good
With my meat hook and my mallet, a new fake social security card
The sun is shining so I head for the park,
With the helicoptors hovering, and a new pack of law enforcement

I got a cousin and she got a friend,
Who thought that her employer would leave her alone.
At his apartment I knocked on the door,
He wouldn't come out until Gal got paid.
Now don't tell anybody what Rav Shalom do
If they find out they won't be moser a frum Jew, 'cos

It's no fun being a Rubushkin alien, no
It's no fun being a Rubushkin alien

(Sorry, not my best effort- YL).

[steve]

Bravo, bravo! Encore!

[Yosef ben Matitya]

Why do you presume a conspiracy theory?
May be Gal Investments is just trying to make sure

why?! - very simple!
sheneimar: umeuvat lo yukhal litkon!
"that is thouroughly crooked -like the minim- , cannot do anything straight forward."
hayahafokh kushi oro? venamer habarburotayv?

[Yosef ben Matitya]

"to Uncle Sam I'm sure he would print up enough play money to house them in 5 star hotels if needed and stuck taxpayers,.... "

it seems that the anti uncle sam minim are not happy, may be unable to express gratitude.
they should head back to uncle vladimir whose malkhut harishaa is more in line with their distorted nature.

[rumors with out facts]

I know Gabay personally He is a very charitable man who would do no such thing to his tenants. He has on more than one occasion let tenants stay with out paying. What you people need to keep in mind is that the banks still require their mortgage payments on time, the taxes have to be paid, employees need pay checks and the utilities wont wait for their money.

I know a lady who is pregnant with three kids whos husband was taken in the raid. She live at 140 w williams apt 2 She told me personally that Gabey said she could stay the next three months rent free and she had already been late a month before the raid.

It's easy to cast stones from a distance and fly off the handle with wild accusations. But you should not judge without all the facts Rumors are rumors and they should be left at that.

[ibn Abu]

This time you are way off base. As the owner of a condo that I rent out, I have had to evict people who were unable to pay the rent. I have felt terrible doing it, but the simple fact of the matter is that I have to be able to make mortgage on the unit and this is impossible unless every monthly payment is made. I have tried to work with people to accomodate their schedules, allow late payments, etc., but sometimes this is impossible.
The eviction process is simple of a necessity- otherwise it would be impossible to remove nonpaying tenants, more landlords would have to forfeit their properties for inability to pay their mortgage, and offering affordable rental properties would be unprofitable and no one would do it. Where would that leave low-income people who do pay their rent regularly?

[Sarah]

Anyone ever see the rundown tenement apartments the haredim own in Brooklyn and rent out to NYC to house people coming out of halfway houses and also PWAs? Some have no gas for the stove and the landlords blame it on the gas company and there are apartments that have no electricity in some rooms or no hot water. But these poor tenants either don't know where to go to complain or just give up after all the paperwork. But the landlords keep getting their rent on time every month. They really know how to work the system, become super rich and live very well in the Five Towns or Monsey. Then they wonder where anti-Semitism comes from.

[formely frum]

To Sarath,

I have worked in the real estate field for many years. While there are many Frum slumlords, i have meet many that where excellent landlords.

However, the percentage that are slumlords are just to much to ignore.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Formerly: Maybe I'm idealistic, but one is too many.

[state of the Jews]

In some cases I heard reports that while former workers were at the local Church seeking help, their household goods were moved out of their apartments and put in the hallway. In other cases, it appeared that someone broke into their apartmetns and items were stolen.
Heard one report that GAL lowered the monthly rent from $750 to $500 to help the tenant. Only trouble is the tenant can't work and has no income so $500 might as well be $5,000.
To get by many families (or what's left of their families) are moving in together to pool resources and try and survive. These were all bread winners who paid taxes and worked hard and now are dependent upon charity -- until they are deported.
BTW think about this: $750/month for a very modest house in Postville, IA???? Are they kidding?
This just stinks.

[Pat]

After reading this Sunday's Courier on 9/23/08 and then talking to a few others I was completely appalled at the treatment of the tenants. To charge this kind of money and then complain you cannot afford to fix them. I live in Waterloo and we have some very nice apartments, 2 and 3 bedrooms, renting for 400 to 500 a month. To think that your slum housing is renting for 750 a month with bad wiring, bad plumbing, no screens and broken windows is outrages.
I personally do not care if you are Jewish or not. You might as well be considered the devil, it is obvious all you are concerned with is greed. This really shows through when you go to city meetings and want to hold up any regulations concerning rental properties. If you cared about your tenants or your properties were in good livable condition you would not be concerned about the new regulations. To charge a $50 deposit for a window screen; someone ought to take you to court for extortion.
As for Agriprocessors they should be compared to slave traders as far as I am concerned. I feel sorry for the people illegal aliens or not that come to work for them and live in your shakes for outrages ptices and poor wages.
It would seem that people of the Jewish decent would have learned something from the past when Hitler was in charge in Germany. It seems that some have only learned how to be like him not how to respect all people from any culture.