Monday, as the temperature in Brooklyn reached the high 80s, New York State Supreme Court Justice Wayne Saitta ordered the owner of the Prospect Park Residence assisted living facility to turn on the central air conditioning in all residents’ rooms by the end of the day, but that owner, prominent Chabad hasid Haysha Deitsch, did not do so, residents reportedly say.
Above: Haysha Deitsch
Updated at 1:33 pm CDT
Prominent Chabad Hasid Haysha Deitsch Violates Another Court Order In Bid To Force Elderly, Frail Residents To Move
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
Monday, as the temperature in Brooklyn reached the high 80s, New York State Supreme Court Justice Wayne Saitta ordered the owner of the Prospect Park Residence assisted living facility to turn on the central air conditioning in all residents’ rooms by the end of the day, the Brooklyn Paper reported, but that owner, prominent Chabad hasid Haysha Deitsch, did not do so.
The temperature reached a sweltering 90 degrees on Tuesday afternoon, but Deitsch had still not complied with the court order, according to residents and their attorney.
Deitsch’s attorney, Joel Drucker, reportedly told residents that cooling system takes a few days to start working, and signs posted throughout the building promise that the air conditioning will be on and working no later than today.
The tenants attorney ridiculed that claim, noting the central air conditioning was already on and working near administrative offices on the building’s second floor and had been for some time.
“It seems petty for the owner to suddenly switch off the AC in a selective way,” said Aurore DeCarlo, said.
Drucker, Deitsch’s attorney, claimed at a court hearing last week that the assisted living facility is not required by law to provide central air conditioning.
“My understanding is that there are adult care facilities in New York State that have no air conditioning at all,” he said. “It is not a [legal] requirement.”
The residents' rooms have window air conditioning units, but they reportedly work poorly and do not provide sufficient cooling.
Deitsch has used draconian tactics in the past order to force the facility’s elderly residents, who each pay thousands of dollars per month to live there, to move. In 2008, an elderly retired judge allegedly froze to death in his room after Deitsch – who bought the facility in 2006 with the alleged intent to sell it to to developers who would convert it to luxury condominiums after the tax abatements linked to it expired – allegedly failed to provide adequate heat. Of the more than 120 residents in the facility when Deitsch launched his campaign of attrition against the residents, only seven – all very elderly – now remain.
In April, Saitta appointed an independent administrator to oversee the daily operations of the Prospect Park Residence, but both Deitsch – who is legally required to pay – and the state have refused pay that cost, and the independent administrator has yet to serve even one day at Prospect Park Residence.
Monday, Saitta also ordered Deitsch to pay two full months of the cost of the independent administrator before June 30.
Update 12:28 am CDT 6-25-2015 – The air conditioning is reportedly now on.