Roosevelt Landings Owner Renews Petition Seeking Approval From NY State Public Service Commission To Submeter Electricity In Buildings 1000 Rental Apartments - Residents Say Don't Submeter Until Landlord Fixes Broken Heating And Insulation System

In March 2024, the owners of Roosevelt Island's Roosevelt Landings complex

at 510-580 Main Street petitioned the NY State Public Service Commission to sub-meter electricity in the buildings approximately 1000 rental apartment units.

Previous Roosevelt Landings owners have sought approval of electricity sub-metering going back as far as 2008 and 2011, each time meeting strong opposition from building residents and local elected officials.

Several weeks ago, Roosevelt Landings managing agent C+C Management hosted an information session for building residents about their proposed renewed electricity sub-metering plan. I asked Roosevelt Landings Residents Association President Joyce Short and Vice President Romano Reid:

I'm preparing a story on the Roosevelt Landings sub-metering issue and recent meeting.

Do either of you wish to send a comment to be included in the article?

Ms Short and Mr Reid replied:

Our building has changed hands since 2014 when the Public Service Commission stayed our previous landlord's attempt to submeter. But little has changed to cure the critical issues raised by the stay. The new owners, L&M, and their Managing Agent C&C, seem to take our residents for fools. They held an "education" meeting in which they told residents they could change their light bulbs to LEDs and watch less TV, as if that would offset the absurd bills they'll receive to keep their families warm through the cold winter months. The landlord claims to have removed the burden of heat from our residents' shoulders, but residents know this claim is simply "lipstick on a pig."

Because our building is poorly insulated and has a porous skin that fails to retain heat, residents turn to plug-in space heaters that they will be charged for. In the summer, our building is equally poor at retaining air conditioning. Our a/c units are plug-ins and have to work overtime because of the insulation defects. Residents will be charged the entire expense for running their air conditioners.

Our residents have repeatedly experienced the dire consequences of their aging heaters that ignited fires in several homes. And because the last landlord failed to replace the summer/winter switches that enabled our air conditioners to run on a separate circuit, a/c fires have also become a common occurrence.

The landlord knows that the building's heating and insulation system is deficient. That's why they're investing millions of dollars into their current repair project. Their efforts are projected to take two years or more, but December of this year is their target date for submetering. Until they repair the building's problems, they'd like residents to bury their heads in the sand and pretend they're just trying to "green" our building. Our residents know that the only green in their submetering plan, however, is the financial, plug-in burden the landlord will dump on their shoulders.

Particularly for the building's subsidized, elderly, and disabled residents who will be charged for necessary medical devices, plug-ins as "added rent" could lead to their eviction. Protecting the homes of our vulnerable residents is a priority.

You can watch the insulation work taking place on the east promenade behind building 510. You can learn more about the building's submetering problems by linking to our webpage. And if you are a building resident, please sign the petition to stay submetering and write your comment to the PSC. You'll find the information you'll need on our webpage.

We're not saying don't submeter. We're saying don't submeter until you fix the problems with the building.

I spoke with Ms Short on August 4 in front of the exterior renovation work being done on the buildings.

I asked C+C Management about the sub-metering concerns raised by the Roosevelt Landings Residents Association:

A spokesperson for C+C Management replied:

“We have been communicating closely with residents about the plan to submeter non-heat electric usage at The Landings. This includes providing four educational sessions and residents have been notified that when submetering goes into effect, there will be a monthly rent reduction. We will continue to keep residents informed as this process moves forward and we are always available to answer any questions or concerns.”

C+C Management provided the following background on their submetering proposal.

• The plan to submeter non-heat electric usage at The Landings was approved under previous ownership in 2014. On June 26, 2024, a letter was issued by the New York State Public Service Commission to begin the submetering process.
• All residents will receive a monthly rent reduction when submetering goes into effect depending on the size of the apartment and calculated by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development. A letter was distributed to residents on June 26, 2024 with this information.
• Four educational sessions will be provided to residents prior to the start of submetering, with additional sessions available after submetering begins. The first educational session was held on July 8, 2024.
• We have heard residents’ concerns about plug-in medical devices. The project team is working on developing a solution to address the matter.
• Most New York City residents pay for their own electric usage through submetering. Submetering reduces pollution, combats climate change, and awareness of personal energy use can lead to energy conservation and utility savings.
• The plan to submeter non-heat electric usage at The Landings was not contingent on the Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) work.
• The EIFS work will go above and beyond in providing benefits to residents. The façade improvements will further reduce energy consumption and increase indoor comfort.
• There were no heat violations in the 2023/2024 heating season at The Landings.
• Residents should contact the management office at 212-838-4747 to report any maintenance issues.

Roosevelt Island's NY State Senator Liz Krueger's spokesperson adds:

Our office has been in contact with the Public Service Commission and we did receive this (hopeful) notification from PSC last week: 

 “We are discussing the sub-metering issue internally. My presumption is that the process will slow down and provide time for us to carefully check the compliance stuff....

Roosevelt Island's NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, Congressman Jerry Nadler, Ms Krueger and City Council Member Julie Menin sent this letter on behalf of Roosevelt Landings residents to building owner L&M Fund Management.

I also asked C+C Management:

According to the Carter Burden Senior Center, they have been told their outdoor patio garden will be closed very soon during renovations to the building's exterior wall and that the doors leading from the Senior Center to the outdoor patio will be sealed with no exit into the area possible. I'm told that the doors to the outdoor patio are "fire doors" which need to be accessible to the Senior Center in the event of an emergency. Is this true?

C+C Management replied:

The Senior Center patio doors are not fire doors and in the event of an emergency, there is an exit path on the DOB-approved Site Safety Plan. However, we understand residents’ concerns regarding access and will install a temporary bridge off the deck to Main Street. This temporary bridge will provide a path for residents to exit the patio.

Will update on the Roosevelt Landings electricity submetering issue when more info becomes available.