Support Seth Foss: Fight for Fair Housing

My name is Seth Foss, and I’m reaching out for support as I face a critical housing challenge. After living in my building for 12 years, I am now facing a possible eviction due to accumulated rent arrears totaling approximately $50,000. This debt is the result of multiple factors, including the loss of income due to city policies, withheld abatements from unresolved building issues, and disruptions from ongoing cyber security and identity theft issues.

Negligence and Harassment: One of NYC’s Worst Landlords

The building I live in is owned by David Tenenbaum, who is listed as the second-worst landlord in New York City, according to the NYC Public Advocate’s Worst Landlord List. Over the past 24 months, he has accumulated over 125 complaints, with more than 75 unresolved violations that are now overdue. These violations include essential repairs, safety standards, and habitability requirements that have been repeatedly ignored, leaving tenants in a hazardous living environment.

Tenenbaum’s disregard for tenant rights has gone beyond mere neglect. I have personally experienced a series of aggressive tactics intended to make me leave my home, including:

• Withholding heat throughout the winter months

• Changing the locks without providing tenants with keys

• Tampering with the buzzer system to make access inconvenient

• Overcharging on rent without providing proper documentation

• Refusing to comply with city inspectors and delaying necessary repairs

The landlord’s refusal to provide required COVID-related documentation and his overall noncompliance have only escalated these issues. The lack of support and repeated delays have left me struggling to stay on top of rent payments, which started this dispute initially, and it feels as though his goal is to exhaust me financially and emotionally to the point where I am forced to leave.

Commitment to Public Service and Advocacy

Throughout my time in this building, I have worked alongside other tenants to improve living conditions and hold this landlord accountable. I currently serve as the President of our tenant association and work closely with the Cooper Square Committee, City Council and the Tenant Protection Unit. Together, we have been pushing for positive change despite the harassment we face. I am also completing a degree in Psychology and Public Policy, focusing on trauma informed policies aimed at mitigating effects of health inequality, housing rights and community-driven solutions to prevent such injustices from occurring.

In addition to my work in this building, my past experience in legal housing advocacy and anti trafficking policy and names a Roosevelt house, Public Service Scholar, underscoring my dedication to creating fair, livable housing for all. My goal is to use my degree to continue advocating for the rights of others to implement systemic changes in health-in-all policy.

Why I Need Your Help Now

This Friday, I am scheduled for a trial that could result in an eviction judgment. Without a significant payment toward these arrears, I risk losing my home and my ability to pursue these advocacy efforts for my neighbors and myself. I’m also concerned that a judgment against me will paint an unfair picture of my situation, impacting my future housing options and ongoing advocacy.

How You Can Help

I am seeking support to raise a portion of this arrears debt to avoid eviction and continue holding this landlord accountable. By demonstrating that I am working to meet my financial obligations, I hope the city will step in to assist with the remaining balance, allowing me to continue my work for housing justice. Any contribution you can make will help me stay in my home, pursue my education, and advocate for fair, safe housing for all tenants.

Thank you for reading my story and for any support you can provide. Your generosity will make a lasting difference in my life, my community, and the fight for tenants’ rights.

Warm regards,

Seth Foss