BROOKLYN'S 90TH PRECINCT REFERS YOU TO 911

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THE BATTLE FOR WILLIAMSBURG

Story By: James Edstrom

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A Regular Visitor Outside Our Window

Moving to Williamsburg Brooklyn has been a nightmare with the 90th precinct and my landlord St. Nicks Alliance. The landlord refuses to take action against their racist tenants and the 90th precinct refuses to enforce the law.

Since I moved out of Times Square to the so-called happening Williamsburg, we have been living a nightmare with the racist tenants in our building and drug dealers on Maujer street, and the police refuse to do anything.

The St. Nicks Alliance tenants from 19 Maujer street and their buildings across the street have been on a crusade against us since we moved in. They robbed us in the first hour we were here. They were outside our window yelling WHITE TRASH, FAGGOTS and everything else in the book. Since we have moved in here, they have thrown drinks threw our windows, stolen our window blinds, threatened us and tried to break into our apartment. And every time they are yelling  FAGGOT AND WHITE TRASH and every other name in the book. Each and every time the Police department refuses to do their job and the landlord St. Nicks Alliance refuses to take any action against these tenants. St. Nicks Alliance has reports from their own security guards backing up these claims, yet they do nothing. Ivette Alerte, Deputy Director of Asset & Property Management at St. Nicks Alliance, has received dozens of e-mails and security reports. She ignored each and every one. Her building manager Hayde Cordero also has refused to take action.

What is shocking here, is we did nothing to anyone on this block. Even more shocking is the Police Department almost every time refuses to show and the three or so times they did, told the offending people that we called them and then did nothing. This created even more problems. We have called 911, we have called the 90th precinct direct and it's always the same thing. We get lectured on bothering them. They even lecture our security guard on calling them.

Today was the last straw. One of St. Nicks Alliances tenants from across the street was revving his car for hours outside our building. Our apartment filled with fumes. This has been going on since we moved here with his motorcycles and cars. When I walked out this morning to see why this was happening, Cheddar, the block drug dealer was inside the car with another person smoking a blunt. This is the same drug dealer that has motorcycles and cars parked up and down the street with fake license plates. The city has towed his motorcycles and cars several times, yet the very next day, he has a whore new set of them.

 I called the 90th precinct today, and they lectured me on calling them direct and insisted that I call 911. I argued to the officer on the phone that when I call 911 or I call them direct, they almost each and every time refuse to show. The officer kept me on the phone for fifteen minutes asking me for all the information saying he would call 911. Are you kidding me? You call the police department and they have to call 911 only to have 911 call them back to send a car? This is outrageous. By the time the Police officer finished lecturing me, the drug dealer left and once again the police never showed up. I guess he never called 911.

So after being up all night working on my book, once again I got no sleep. Once again the 90th precinct refused to do their job. They are only 6 or 7 blocks away, yet it was too much for them to handle a valid call. This drug dealer has been arrested several times before for illegal plates, no registration and no insurance. I told the police this. So we can only wait for this drug dealer to have a accident and hurt someone and I will be the first to jump up and say that it would not have happened if the police did their job. My son is terrified to go outside alone. Me, I am not scared, they are punks and I have called them out several times and they scatter. But something will happen.

Ivette Alerte and her building manager Hayde Cordero seem to think that there is nothing wrong with their tenants acting this way. They are also well aware that this Cheddar is a drug dealer in their building across the street. They must think it is OK, as they refuse to take action. Considering that Ivette Alerte is African American and her building manager is Hispanic, I can only assume they are racist too. I contacted their boss Michael F. Rochford, Executive Director of St Nicks Alliance through former Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, and he did answer my e-mails. All promises Michael F. Rochford made were lies. Just promises he never intended to keep. He never followed up on anything, nor did he live up to a agreement they signed months ago. Not only are we being harassed by their tenants, we are living with mice and rats and they refuse to take care of any problems. 

I know one thing. If a African American or a Hispanic moved into this building and they were treated the way we have been, they would have taken action. But because we are white, nothing is done. This tells me they are racist. I do not understand when a white person complains of racism, they refuse to admit anything is wrong. Is racism only reserved for African Americans and Hispanics? What should I call it when we are called white trash, faggots and everything else in the book. 

We don't bother anyone. We moved here for more space and to be part of the community. It is only a handful of people in this building, some of the people here are fantastic. But this handful of thugs think they own this building and they own the block. They do not. And the good tenants in this building must be scared of these thugs. They hang outside our windows day and night, even know it is in their lease not too. They do not care because they know building management will do nothing, and they are right.

Considering St. Nicks Alliance is a not for profit, I am shocked they act this way. Next week we will dive into the lucrative contracts Ivette Alerte and Hayde Cordero give out to friends and family. Yes, I have done my research.

I expect retaliation from St. Nicks Alliance for writing this story. I expect them to fabricate some violation against my son and I, but I will not stop till they do the right thing. That's all I ever asked, do the right thing!

Photo By: James Edstrom/Times Square Society