A group of uptown Manhattan tenants filed a lawsuit Thursday that alleges their landlord engaged in a “systemic” scheme to raise their rents beyond the legal limit by claiming credit for fictitious building repairs — a case advocates say points to a need for stronger state housing law enforcement.
The suit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, seeks class-action status to represent hundreds of current and former rent-stabilized tenants at three buildings in Harlem and Hamilton Heights where the landlord allegedly perpetrated the scheme.
The buildings — the first located on Riverside Drive near W. 151st St, the second on W. 151st St. and the third on W. 135th Street — are owned by limited liability corporations whose managing member is Edward Ostad, says the lawsuit, which was filed with the help of Newman Ferrara, a Manhattan law firm. The suit names the LLCs as defendants, though not Ostad…