The Fight for 47 East 3^rd Street

The rent-stabilized tenants of 47 East 3rd Street are being threatened with mass eviction.

Their landlords' strategy, if it is successful, could set a dangerous precedent that would imperil the homes of tens of thousands of residents across New York City.

Alistair and Catherine Economakis, a wealthy real-estate couple who as part of their family's corporation control over three dozen apartment buildings in New York City, are trying to evict every tenant in this rent stabilized 6-story, East Village tenement building. Their ploy is to exploit the "owner occupancy" provision of the rent laws by claiming that they will transform all 15 apartments plus two store-fronts into a lavish luxury mansion for themselves.

To evict an entire building's worth of rent-stabilized apartments under the guise of "owner occupancy" is the epitome of greed and obviously contrary to the intention of the rent laws.